NEWS 2009

others click here

St Nicholas Pre-school
St Nicholas Church Hall, Saltdean Vale, Saltdean BN2 8HA.

We are looking for an enthusiastic Pre-school supervisor to take over the day to day running of St Nicholas Pre-school in February 2010.

St. Nicholas 's Pre-school is a well established, small friendly, committee run, multi-cultural playgroup for children from two years of age.
Our hours are Monday – Friday 9am-1 pm (term time only).

Responsibilities would include leading our team in a supervisory role to provide the children with a safe, stimulating, nurturing environment in which to play. Sound knowledge of the Early Years Foundation Stage is essential.

Qualification requirements: Level: 3 in Early Years or Childcare and Education.
Closing Date: Monday 11th January 2010
Interview date: Monday 18th January 2010
The post is for 24 hours per week, (38 weeks per year)
£10 - £11 per hour (pay is currently under review & dependant on qualifications and experience).

Please apply in writing or preferably by email enclosing your CV along with a covering letter describing relevant experience to:
Tracey.allum@pre-school.org.uk

Tracey Allum
Pre-School Learning Alliance
Brighton and Hove Pre-school Learning Alliance
Valley Social Centre
Whitehawk Way Brighton BN2 5HE

Police dog catches assault suspect in rough seas

4:00pm Sunday 6th December 2009

A police dog swam in rough seas to catch a man who was wanted on suspicion of assaulting a woman.

Sabre held on to the 41-year-old man until dog handler PC Desmond Kirby swam out to pull the man ashore.

The incident happened near Saltdean Lido when the man swam out to sea to avoid arrest after officers received reports that a woman had been assaulted and pulled into a car.

The man threw stones and threatened PC Kirby and his colleague PC Geoff Fox.

PC Kirby said: “It was pitch black and the sea was very rough and extremely cold.

“The man kept going under and it was difficult to follow him. We were concerned for the man’s welfare due to the length of time he had been in the water and his attempts to swim out further.

“If he had remained in the water there was a real possibility he may have died.

“Police dogs aren’t trained to swim out in rough seas, so it’s very impressive that Sabre was able to swim out and hold on to him, stopping him from swimming out further and harming himself or other officers.”

Superintendent Ian Davies, of Sussex Police, congratulated the officers for their actions on Sunday at about 2am.

He said: “The police officers’ common sense and good judgement prevented this incident from escalating and led to the arrest of a man wanted for assault.

“PC Kirby and his dog Sabre did a fantastic job in a dangerous and difficult situation and I commend all the officers involved for their dedication and bravery."

Love this blog....

http://newanzac.blogspot.com/2009/12/i-must-go-down-to-sea-again.html

Review of Brighton and Hove's traffic troublespots ordered

11:00am Thursday 15th October 2009

A review of troublespots on a revamped road has been ordered.

Brighton and Hove City Council leader Mary Mears has instructed transport officials to reassess several aspects of the A259 coast road at Ovingdean, Rottingdean and Saltdean.

The order followed visits by councillor Mears to problem areas on the road during the morning and evening rush hours on Tuesday.

There have been hundreds of complaints about the road from drivers since it was revamped last year as a sustainable transport corridor with new bus and cycle lanes. Bus passengers have responded by saying it has cut their journey times substantially.

Coun Mears said she had asked officials to look at the heavily congested Ovingdean roundabout, the Rottingdean crossroads, the Longridge Avenue junction in Saltdean and the use of back roads as rat-runs to avoid the A259.

She said she had possible solutions in mind but would not discuss them until expert reports had been conducted.

Coun Mears said: "There are a number of possibilities which the officers have got to go away and find some more detail about. The top priority of this scheme is to make sure it is safe."

She said she had sympathy with commuters after her journey from King's House in Grand Avenue, Hove, to Rottingdean crossroads took 45 minutes.

She was joined by fellow Rottingdean Coastal ward councillors Lynda Hyde and David Smith for the visit.

Young panto stars selected

WSLAT Agenda 21/10/09

Agenda
West Saltdean Local Action Team
Saltdean Community Centre
Saltdean Lido
Saltdean
Wednesday 21st October 2009
7.30pm to 9.00pm

• Welcome and Introductions 
• Apologies
• Minutes of Last Meeting (22nd April 2009) and Matters Arising
• Correspondence
• Reports
• Chairman

Including:

• Salteen Fest De-brief
• Community Safety Forum
• Save Our Streets Meeting
• Neighbourhood Watch Meeting
• Treasurer
• Friday Night Project
• Rottingdean Local Action Team
• Crime – West and East Saltdean
• Neighbourhood Watch
• New Matters of Local Concern

• Alleged Racism Meeting Update (including discussion on our future position)
• Timor House Incident Update / Police Action
• Racist Graffiti

• Strategic Planning
• Determine Viability for Youth Engagement Festival  2010
• Funding
• Council Grant for Community Festivals - Evaluation and Report
• PR and Marketing
• Any Other Business
• Christmas Social Event (post formal meeting on 16th December)

To Note: Meeting Dates 2009/10
16th Dec, 17th Feb, 21st Apr, 16th Jun (AGM), 18th Aug, 20th Oct, 15th Dec
The venue will be Saltdean Community Centre. Meeting days are Wednesday and times are 7.30pm to 9.00pm

Saltdean makes it into the The Guardian....

Friday 3rd October 2009

Has the A259 bus lane worked?

4:20pm Friday 11th September 2009 © The Argus

It has proved one of the most controversial transport projects in Brighton and Hove for years.

There have been dozens of calls for it to be axed and the council leader is taking them seriously.

So has the A259 coast road bus lane actually worked? Reporters ANDY CHILES, RICHARD GURNER and TIM RIDGWAY went by bus, car and bicycle to put it to the test.

The A259 will always be a touchy subject – and for good reason.

Every morning and evening, thousands of people travel along the coast road from all points east – Eastbourne, Seaford, Newhaven, Peacehaven, Saltdean and Rottingdean – to get to work in Brighton and Hove and back again.

It can be a frustrating and souldestroying experience for drivers as they sit in bumper-to-bumper traffic for the last six miles from Peacehaven to Brighton.

Until this time last year, bus passengers shared their frustration as they sat with them in the congestion.

But last August the result of a £1.8 million joint project between Brighton and Hove City Council and East Sussex County Council was unveiled. It was a new “sustainable transport corridor” which created bus lanes allowing public transport vehicles to bypass the queue.

There was vociferous opposition from day one. Users of the route, still angry at the huge disruption during construction work, found their car journeys complicated by junctions which often made it slower, more difficult and sometimes dangerous to get around.

Drivers found the queues were no better for them and the road space available to them had been cut, making it all but impossible to overtake slow vehicles.

There have been complaints ever since, including those from significant groups such as Rottingdean Parish Council.

Amendments have been made at key problem areas such as the junctions with Rottingdean High Street and Longridge Avenue in Saltdean but further issues have been raised.

The parish council argued it has made little difference to bus times and urged Brighton and Hove City Council to scrap the scheme. Council leader Mary Mears said she would look at the route personally and was prepared to take it back to the drawing board.

So has the scheme worked?

Has it achieved its aim of getting more people in and out of Brighton and Hove more quickly and with less polluting fumes?

Roger French, managing director of Brighton and Hove Bus Company, firmly believes it has and to prove the point he invited The Argus to see what the journey was like now.

We joined him for a bus trip from Peacehaven to Brighton at 8am on Wednesday, a time chosen because it is peak rush hour.

To make it a fair test, we tackled the same journey at the same time by car and bike to see what the journey was like for drivers and cyclists.

We discovered the bus journey, aided by the new lanes, was faster than by car – but only by a few minutes, despite cars spending their time in a slow queue.

Cycling, at least for our nonregular cyclist, was a pleasant experience but a significantly slower option.

Bus-users, who no longer have to sit in queues, were overwhelmingly supportive of the new lane.

They agreed it had made a significant change to reliability.

Several said they had started catching the bus since the lane was created.

Mr French said: “The problem is people who are unhappy have been very vocal but those who are happy are not speaking up publicly.

“From our point of view it has been a huge success. We have been able to put more and faster services on the routes and they have been very popular.

“If you look at the buses going along there in the morning they are all nearly full.”

His statistics show passenger numbers have risen by 16% in the past year and 27 double-deckers run on the stretch in the morning rush hour, carrying an average of 60 passengers each.

Mr French said: “That’s about 1,600 passengers. If they were not on a bus and each drove individually it would mean an extra car almost every four seconds.

“When the bus lane wasn’t there, there was not much incentive for people not to drive.”

Minute by minute, how our men made their way to Brighton

08.00 Andy, Tim and Richard start at the junction of Roderick Avenue and the A259 South Coast Road in Peacehaven.

08.02 Tim sets the early pace, climbing into the saddle and pedalling off towards Brighton, while Richard runs to his car and pulls quickly into a slow-moving queue of traffic. Andy glances at the digital information screen at the Roderick Avenue bus stop, which tells him the 12X bus he’s due to catch in two minutes is running three minutes late.

08.07 Andy’s bus, an express service making limited stops from Eastbourne to Brighton, arrives.

Richard overtakes Tim.

08.08 The bus joins the bus lane and starts to pass slowmoving traffic.

08.09 Tim passes Richard, who is now stuck in a bumper-tobumper queue.

08.12 Tim tires cycling up the hill into Saltdean and climbs off his bike to walk.

08.14 Richard in his car and Andy on the bus both overtake Tim.

08.15 The bus cruises past Richard as the traffic tightens up again.

08.27 Andy arrives on the bus at the stop in Old Steine, Brighton, and starts the short walk to the Palace Pier.

08.29 Andy arrives at the Palace Pier and spots Richard’s car approaching along Marine Parade.

Richard drives by in search of a parking space.

08.36 Richard finds a parking spot in the Old Steine.

08.39 Richard arrives at the pier to be met by a smug Andy.

08.53 Tim trundles along Madeira Drive to the finishing line, looking red-faced and completely exhausted.

I have to start with a confession. I am not a fan of buses. To my mind they leave you too much at the mercy of too many elements – traffic jams and hyperactive schoolchildren to name but two.

I would usually rather be on a bike or in a car, so you can at least be master of your own fortune.

So this journey was something of a revelation for me. This bus lane may have upset a lot of people but for a bus passenger it really works.

Gone are the days of being at the mercy of congestion on this key commuter route.

It’s not hard to see how frustrating it must be for car drivers to see buses whizzing past them as they sit in the six-mile queue edging its way to Brighton – but you can’t help but feel a bit smug as you go by. My bus was a few minutes late but made up time quickly.

My fellow passengers on the packed double-decker were unanimously full of praise.

Diane Skinner, who uses the bus to commute each day from Seaford to work in Brighton, said the bus lane had cut her journey down to just over half an hour. Before the new lane it could take up to an hour and a half.

She said: “It has been a godsend. I can’t believe they are talking about scrapping it.”

I have to admit I’m won over by the argument Roger French puts up.

He said: “If you get rid of the bus lane you won’t get rid of the congestion because the capacity of the road would not be increased by it.

“All you would do is leave a string of buses sitting in the queue with everyone else and that won’t help anyone.”

There are still problems with the bus lane, not least at the main junctions at Ovingdean, Rottingdean and Saltdean, but the packed buses are testament to the fact it has unquestionably worked.

It’s not bad admiring the view from the top of a double-decker either.

I apologise to all cyclists out there – I let you all down.

In the frantic first couple of miles I really did think I was in with a chance.

The car was way back in traffic while the bus had plenty of stops.

It was only when I reached Saltdean and I heard a hoot from a passing Ford Fiesta that I realised the chase was up.

At this point I started to take in what a beautiful ride it was – the gentle wind, the rolling cliffs and the swaying grass all added to a perfect morning cycle.

The only interruptions came with a couple of the inclines where I hopped off and pushed the bike up to the top of the hill.

But all this was forgotten when I reached the Palace Pier in Brighton.

Despite heckling from the others, I knew that by cycling the six-mile route I had a thorough work-out to accompany my daily commute.

With a little more practice – and perhaps a better bike – I reckon I could get the time down to about 30 minutes.

Regardless of the timing, it’s definitely a case of two wheels good, four wheels bad.

Richard Gurner in the car

I set off from Peacehaven just as the bus pulled up and Andy climbed on. As I drove past I beeped my horn to let them know I was on my way and ahead of them.

One down and just Tim to go. Not long after I started I passed the cyclist as well but my lead in this race was cut short as the bus lane loomed and traffic became heavy.

Traffic slowed and I could see Tim in my mirrors, huffing and puffing. He passed me at the garage just before the bus lane.

Then Andy’s bus passed too and any faint hopes I had of winning disappeared into the distance.

It was then a half-hour journey into Brighton and three other buses passed me as they took full advantage of the open bus lane in front of them.

I finally managed to catch up with Tim just before Saltdean Lido as he was pushing his bike up the hill. Second place was good enough for me.

I arrived in Brighton but then something I hadn’t planned on threw my respectable time out of the window – parking.

I had assumed I would park somewhere near the Palace Pier in Madeira Drive, only to find the majority of the spaces were disabled bays.

It took me ten minutes to find a spot near the Royal Albion Hotel.

The delay had cost me. If only I had caught the bus.

New Bunding Survey here now....have your say!

---

Saltdean Fire 23.08.029

Thanks to Douglas d'Enno for kindly lending his photos.

Saltdean farm blaze still a mystery

1:44pm Monday 24th August 2009 © The Argus

A fire at a farm which produced so much smoke it could be seen from halfway across Sussex is still unexplained.

Firefighters spent most of yesterday dealing with the blaze at Coombe Farm in Westfield Avenue North, Saltdean.

The cause of the fire, which was reported at 1.15pm, was unknown.

Smoke was visible from as far away as Haywards Heath and Worthing.

Eight fire crews spent the afternoon battling to bring the blaze under control.

A spokeswoman for East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service said work was expected to continue at the scene

Smoke from Saltdean fire seen from Worthing

8:42pm Sunday 23rd August 2009 © The Argus

Firefighters are still at the scene of a fire at a farm and are expected to be there most of the night.

Tyres, a tractor and a swathe of land at Coombe Farm in Saltdean were engulfed by flames and smoke which could be seen from as far away as Worthing.

Eight fire engines were sent to the farm to tackle the blaze, which was reported at 1.15pm.

Its cause is being investigated.

£1.8m bus lane scheme could be reviewed

7:00am Thursday 20th August 2009 © The Argus

A controversial £1.8million coast road bus lane could be reviewed.

Mary Mears, leader of Brighton and Hove City Council, has promised to look at the A259 scheme following renewed complaints from residents in Rottingdean and Saltdean.

The bus lane was installed last year as part of plans to create a "sustainable transport corridor" between Brighton and Newhaven.

Bus operators have labelled it a huge success after passenger numbers jumped by 16% and journey times were cut but residents have complained of increased congestion and dangerous junctions.

Councillor Mears, who also represents the Rottingdean ward on the council, said she would be visiting the road with the council's transport team next month.

They will inspect changes made to the original improvements.

She said: "If the measures which we introduced to try and improve safety and traffic flow are not having the desired effect, I am quite prepared to look at the whole scheme again."

She added that the council would do everything they could to make the project work.

Her words were welcomed by residents in Rottingdean.

Jean Talbot, from Rottingdean Parish Council, said: "We want to see the whole thing scrapped. It has made very little difference to bus journey times and has created dangerous situations for a lot of drivers. The way it was before was perfectly adequate."

Questions have been raised over the feasibility of removing the bus lane if Coun Mears does decide to take action.

A considerable amount of extra money would have to be spent and there would be complications because the project was a joint venture with East Sussex County Council.

The city council declined to give a figure for the estimated cost.

Proposals are in the pipeline to complete the bus lane, which currently stretches from Brighton to Peacehaven, by extending it to Newhaven.

Roger French, managing director of the Brighton and Hove Bus and Coach Company, said the lane had made a major impact and been a huge success, pointing out that journey times had been cut significantly.

He said: "We've seen a 16% increase in passengers on those routes in the past 12 months because they are having quicker and more comfortable journeys.

"Those are people who are not using their cars and reducing the congestion.

"I don't understand what people hope to achieve when they say they want it scrapped. That would not make the road any less congested, it would make it worse, with buses sitting in the queues along with the cars."

Should the bus lane be scrapped? Tell us what you think below.

Brighton woman has stomach relocated into her neck

12:00pm Wednesday 15th July 2009 © The Argus

A grandmother who survived throat cancer underwent an operation to relocate her stomach in her neck.

Doreen Savage, who was a non-smoker, is no longer able to speak after her oesophagus was removed by surgeons at the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton.

Doctors then had to move her stomach to her neck to enable her to eat in a procedure called pharyngo-laryngo-oesophagectomy.

But the 71-year-old, who also suffers from psoriasis and meniers disease, has not let her condition get her down.

Instead she puts all of her energy into arts and crafts, which she uses as a form of therapy to keep her busy.

Mrs Savage, of Saltdean Drive, Brighton, now uses pen and paper to communicate and believes she can write as quickly as other people talk.

In a letter she wrote: “My therapy has been to take a delight in my hobbies which include making a dolls house and contents from scratch using an assortment of recycled things. Paintings, textile art, sculpture, dolls, DIY and other things. In fact my home is full of recycled stuff, bleached furniture, duvets made into blinds, the list goes on and on.”

Her husband Ivan, 78, said his wife, who also had a large malignant brain tumour removed ten years ago, is a positive person.

He said: “She is a very tough person. She doesn’t pity herself, she just gets on with it and does very well.

“We have got lovely children and grandchildren and that means everything.”

The couple, who will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary next year, also praised the work of the NHS.

Mr Savage said: “The NHS have been brilliant. The doctors and nurses have been so good, they saved her life.”

Saltdean unification campaigners take battle to council

6:50pm Thursday 18th June 2009 © The Argus

Campaigners for the unification of Saltdean took their petition to the steps of King’s House.

Members of the Saltdean Resident’s Association want to bring both parts of the area under the control of one local authority.

Its services are currently split between four councils – Brighton and Hove City Council, East Sussex County Council, Lewes District Council and Telscombe Town Council.

The group presented a petition with 300 names to Councillor David Smith outside the city council’s offices at King’s House, Hove, on Wednesday.

Laurence O’Connor, of the group, said: “We’re aware that any change will need the support from the councils involved.

“We want their support for a survey of the area so the residents can have a say on whether change is a good idea.”

Driving forward

The Midland Hotel in Spring – April 2009 by J Anna Ludlow

for more about the Midland Hotel see here

After our visit to the Midland Hotel last June [see the article below referring to the 2nd First Night], one of the first things I did was to go on line and book two nights for April 2009 to celebrate my birthday.  Regardless of the adventures that had accompanied our first visit, I was determined that I would spend a birthday weekend there irrespective of what we may or may not find a month later in July.  Our second visit in short succession, was as part of the Friends of the Midland weekend, also chronicled below when quite a few of the faults of the first visit had already been rectified.

I wasn’t terribly hopeful of a great improvement because when I did first attempt to book on line my initial booking froze half way through the process and on checking the booking could not find it anywhere.  I made a second attempt at the process requesting a double room with balcony and a bottle of champagne [well, why not?] and sent the booking through, this time everything went ahead and I received confirmation that the transaction was successful.  As I had booked more than three weeks ahead, breakfast would be included in the price – however, the booking was non-negotiable and could not be cancelled.  I have to say I don’t really like it when web-sites do that to me, but I suppose I have to see it from the point of view of the hotel.

I did have a couple of moments of worry over the next few months as the payment was just not showing on my credit card – eventually in October the debit finally came through – so I was hopeful that the booking was secure.

I receive updates from Urban Splash and at the beginning of April they announced that a Lake District-based hotel group English Lakes Hotels (ELH) had taken over the management of the Midland Hotel. I had a look around on the internet and liked the idea of a group that knew the area taking on the responsibility of polishing up the previously inadequate hotel service.

Because of when my birthday fell this year and my husbands commitments, we set off for Morecambe early on a Sunday morning at the end of April – it was dry and sunny but not particularly warm.  He had given me a bit of a fright at the beginning of the week announcing that he had a sore throat and it wasn’t going away – I packed him off to the doctor as I still have nightmares of that quinsy from last year and how that messed up that birthday.  We hadn’t yet been made aware of that other invisible menace of swine flu or I may well have cancelled the w/e irrespective of the non-refundable payment!

Having never been to Blackpool I asked if we could detour so that I could see what all the fuss was about and how Blackpool consistently drew the crowds whilst Morecambe remained in its shadow.  We stopped off for a quick drink in a real ale pub, you may remember my husband enjoys real ale, with the tower just in view.  The pub, although somewhat rundown and very basic, had actually been built in the 30s and still retained its original light features and some of its architectural features and held more interest for me than the Tower.  Granted, it was a tick in the ‘to do’ box and I had now, at last, seen that [in]famous piece of architecture; but, being a big fan of the Eiffel Tower in Paris which I have visited on numerous occasions, been to the top, eaten in the restaurant and laughed till I cried on numerous occasions whilst watching the Lavender Hill Mob, the comparison to the original didn’t do anything to satisfy my curiosity.

As we were unable to eat at this pub, we set off back on our journey to our original destination of Morecambe stopping off in Little Eccleston; you can imagine the fun, the two of us, being Doctor Who fans, had following the signs to that location! As an aside, when I worked for Auntie in the 70s, my office was on the 12th floor of the East Tower as it was known, the entrance was opposite the shutters leading to the big Props store and every day that I went into work the real Tardis greeted me as it was “parked” just against wall– funny isn’t it, how little things link up [see previous article comparing the Midland to the Tardis]. We stopped to have lunch in a beautiful and airy pub, the Cartford Inn, which was as much of a contrast to the pub in Blackpool as you could imagine!  Knowing we were to have dinner at the Midland, we just had a light snack, which in itself was beautifully presented.

Arriving at the Midland we were gratified to see that the Ice Cream Cones were still there and managed to park not too far away from the entrance.  That was a bit of a feat in itself as the car park was jam-packed full of visitors and the stall holders of an Art Deco Fair which was being held there.  It was just closing down so we weren’t able to go into the designated area but what a fabulous venue!  On another occasion we must time it better as I have stopped going to the Loughborough venue as a result of my mobility issues, here at least the Fair is on my proverbial doorstep!  As soon as we walked into the hotel the atmosphere was palpably different to any previous occasion.  The whole of the foyer shimmered bright and welcoming as the sun streamed in from all directions – I am convinced that it was designed for exactly this effect.  The entrance horsehair mat was covered in what looked like flax – or as the hotel itself jokingly stated, dog hair from a large moulting dog.  It was neither of course, but rather the pile settling from the absolutely fabulous [yes really] addition of two faithfully reproduced Marion Dorn circular rugs.  You wonder at the vision of these artists in the 1930s – what was then so right for their era, today is equally right in the 21st century – the foyer is now completely restored and the most vibrant part of the hotel.  The rugs are enormous and the pile seemed to sit about 6 inches high and I didn’t really appreciate how remarkable they really were until I looked at them from the second floor of the stairwell.

The foyer remains uncluttered, the airport armchairs that have come in for much criticism have been reduced in number, but I have to say, they are comfortable and give you privacy if you want to use them – the green is still a bit bright for my taste and doesn’t blend into the general décor but being pushed against the walls does soften the garishness somewhat.

We wondered what our room would be like [double with balcony overlooking the sea] after the Junior Suite which we had enjoyed on two previous occasions – we needn’t have worried.  We had space and light, a television that worked, several channels to choose from, plenty of wardrobe space and the hidden bathroom worked like a charm – it was there and then it wasn’t.  For anyone wanting to experience the phenomenon I won’t spoil the surprise but you’ve never seen en suite like this en suite! To think that in the 1930s people shared a common bathroom – how is it that the vision was so fantastic but the accommodation retained a boarding house mentality even in this gem!  I have shared enough bathrooms in my time to know that when I’m in a hotel, I want my privacy!  I do need to share with you, however, the drain in the shower – that sounds awful but it isn’t of course, it is the picture I have provided of the metal “stencil” of the seahorse which you might have wondered at if you looked at the pictures before reading the article.  Again, a faithful reproduction of the original Marion Dorn design found as a mosaic in the entrance hall and on the end of banisters [one of which, at one time was sought by Interpol as a missing artefact].

Our friends from our last visit were unable to join us this time, so we decided to go and check out the bar anyway [there was a bottle of champagne in the room, as ordered via the internet, but I decided to leave that till later].  The best surprise at the bar was the fact that they had real ale on tap from the Lancaster Brewery.  My husband was happy as a sandboy, as was I because it meant that he wouldn’t go off and leave me whilst he searched for something decent to drink.  For those readers with an interest in cask conditioned Real Ale, the particulars of this beer are: called the “Midland Beer”, brewed by Lancaster Brewery, legend has it [bar staff are always very knowledgeable about these things] that the Bar manager had “shovelled the hops” into the unique brew which has a 3.8% ABV [alcohol by volume] and pronounced by my husband as “very drinkable.”  I should say so!

Dinner – the menu had something called Lancashire Yellow Beetroot as a side dish – naturally curious, I ordered this but apologies from the kitchen meant that I wasn’t going to be able to sample this delicacy that evening.  This time we were seated in a timely manner, the food was delicious and served at a good pace – we neither waited too long nor were we rushed.  The view overlooking the bay with its sunset accompanied us throughout the meal – even for April we still enjoyed a long-ish evening.  It was good to see movement around the public area, dog-walkers, joggers, children enjoying a late evening treat with their parents, the seagulls swarming and creating a ballet for onlookers, cyclists, disability scooterists, strollers, couples in love – spooning – all human life was there.  After dinner we had a short stroll ourselves and as it was getting chilly I opted for another drink in the Rotunda before retiring whilst Andrew went for a longer stroll.

Overnight it positively threw it down with rain and as the hotel still has a preponderance for overheating [not that I’m complaining] the building, it brought welcome relief and cooled the air down.  As we had a room with a balcony we were able to get air circulating freely.  Morning brought better weather and as breakfast was inclusive [booking early has its rewards] we had a leisurely and late breakfast – but hark?  What’s going on – this was too cool, the hotel also woke up – it wasn’t just the guests staying there, suddenly the piano in the foyer was being pushed into a niche, out of the way.  Then directional boards went up telling you which conference was where and seating was arranged over the rugs!  The rugs didn’t like that, they kept tripping people up!  Everywhere was bustling and busy, busy, busy …. – one of the charming elements I think is, that in 21st century the staff are visible in their labours and appreciated for them, in the 30s that would not have happened, back stairs and entrances would have been in place for invisible servitude.  

I just sat in one of the airport armchairs and drank in the atmosphere. I had long given up on reading the paper, doing the crossword or sudoku as there was just too much going on.  Residents checking out or checking in, bright young things [little knowing how they replicated those far away and oh so different original bright young things] with their lap-tops and usb ports coming and going – usually in the direction of the rotunda, groups of delegates heading off for their designated conferences emerging only to network over a buffet lunch in the sun lounge.  Some strolled nonchalantly out to taste the forbidden fruit of a cigarette.  Long gone are the days of Fred Perry when smoking was allowed almost anywhere.  Talking of Fred, synonymous with the heady thirties, apparently he had a flat in Rottingdean – I was very impressed to discover that this morning on reading the papers and next time I visit Saltdean and the Ocean I’ll suggest to Andrew that we drive through Rottingdean on our way.

The rest of our stay echoed what I’ve already written about so I won’t bore you with repetitive detail – to say that we saw improvements would be an understatement.  There were some disappointments, like the yellow beetroot wasn’t available the second night either but the home-made onion bhaji more than made up for it and the current selection of souvenirs isn’t over-fab, but the new postcards are fab, especially of the seahorses.  One other disappointment is that one cannot now access the part of the roof where you can get close to the sculptures, so I’m just really, really pleased we saw them during the “Friends” weekend last July.

Anyway, what prompted me into finally writing this latest update is that Andrew announced the other day that the Football Season fixtures were out and Notts. County are to play Morecambe at home on the 3rd w/e of September.  He asked if I “fancied” going up for the w/e – did I need to be asked a second time?  No, I didn’t so he suggested I might like to make the booking – he had a premonition didn’t he?

It started well, the phone was answered quickly and asked to make a booking in September, I was asked to hold and then Darren came back and said that he was very sorry but Reservations were really busy and could they call me back later.  I decided against letting them ring me – I’m funny that way.  A little later I rang, good sign, phone was answered, not by Darren [give him his due, he was polite but a little naïve when it comes to the urgency of wanting to book a room, the right room, when I want it!] but by another male who’s name I did not catch.  First of all having taken the details he pronounced the computer was slow and yes, there it was and yes they had rooms on 16th and 17th – actually, those weren’t the dates, so we rectified that and I was offered a non-balcony double overlooking the sea.  I was a little surprised that I had not been consulted over which rooms I might potentially prefer.  I asked if the swish big penthouse was available as we had hoped to try it in the first week, but it wasn’t quite ready ….. no that was booked but the Junior Suites were available, done those to death, so I asked if room 214 was available [we liked that one], no that was also booked.  Well I guess it’s good to hear the hotel is being booked, then he mentioned a feature double on the 3rd floor and got flustered when I asked what the difference was between that and the Junior Suite.  In the end, I was getting a bit desperate here, a penthouse suite was mentioned – not the swanky big one with hot-tub outside, but the 2nd Penthouse suite – oh what the heck it wasn’t my credit card I was using after all!  So, the 2nd Penthouse Suite it is – I didn’t ask for the champagne this time.  Then we had the spiel about not having to pay anything now, but if we did wish to pay the full amount then there would be a discount of £20 per night and breakfast [advance booking].  Go for it I breathed – “have you stayed before?” I’m asked, I state that I have.  Then we decided we [see how familiar I am with the staff now] should book dinner reservations, so I suggested 8pm both nights, the computer whirred away and he brightly stated as if to finish the transaction “You did say 7.00 o’clock didn’t you” – it’s a good job there are several hundred miles between Nottingham and Morecambe – patiently I suggested he might like to make that 8pm.  “We’ll send you an e-mail confirmation” he said – we’ll see, I thought.

When I got home and told Andrew about this we just decided that whether the booking turned out to be the 16th/17th with a bit of tarpaulin on the roof to shelter us and dining at 7pm we could probably survive – but all is not lost, the e-mail has arrived, it states we arrive on 18th and leave on 20th – a good start!

Investigating the Saltdean Split

6:00am Saturday 30th May 2009 © The Argus

For residents in Saltdean, a minor complaint about grass cutting often means getting four councils involved. Meanwhile parking wardens who spot an illegally parked car on the other side of the road can do nothing about it.

This is because those living on one side of Longridge Avenue come under Brighton and Hove City Council’s watch while those on the other are part of East Sussex. The possibility of unification has been a talking point for many years.

Campaigners argue a united town would mean a united voice. They point out that any issue which affects the community may involve contact with four authorities - Brighton and Hove City Council, Telscombe Town Council, Lewes District Council and East Sussex County Council. But there are others who question the expense of amalgamation. Then there is the question of which authority it joins? Brighton and Hove or Lewes and East Sussex?

In 2001 Saltdean Residents Association, which was formed in 1934, carried out a comprehensive survey of residents. The results showed 80% wanted a unified Saltdean. Now in 2009 the group has launched a renewed effort. An open meeting discussing the issue was arranged in March and a petition calling for change has been launched.

Laurence O’Connor, of the group, said: “I think it’s common sense. “The communities neighbouring us all have their own separate united voice so it’s only right Saltdean does too. “We’re right on the edge of Brighton and Hove and on the periphery of Lewes District Council.

“Under one council it would make everybody’s life easier. At the moment, even for something small like grass cuttings, we have to get four separate councils together. “They then argue between themselves about which one is going to find a solution.” The SRA argues that there are many things which are common on both sides. The town shares a postcode, emergency services boundaries, a Member of Parliament and the Anglican parish of St Nicholas.

But others remain unconvinced that the benefits outweigh the costs. Change will require the support of councils and have to be agreed by the Boundary Commission. Andrew Cregeen, chairman of the East Saltdean Residents Association, said: “Any form of unification is going to cost a great deal of money. “For a lot of people in this particular area of East Saltdean, going into Brighton doesn’t obviously mean much to them. “For amenities many use those on the Telscombe side.

“We do have a Brighton postcode but then so do the people in Eastbourne.“The boundary between Brighton and West Sussex has existed for years. “I think that if something has existed for a great number of years then why should we change it?”

History of the Boundary
provided by Saltdean Residents Association Pre-1928 - Newhaven Rural District Council administered the whole of Saltdean.

1928 - County Borough of Brighton was extended to Longridge Avenue. East Saltdean remained with Newhaven.

1933 - A re-arrangement of District Councils. Chailey Rural District Council (RDC) took over the rural coastal areas including East Saltdean.

West Saltdean remained with Brighton.

1935 - Telscombe Parish Council petitioned Brighton Corporation to take steps to incorporate parish within the County Borough.

1939 - Chailey RDC in favour of East Saltdean, but not Telscombe Cliffs going into Brighton. Opinion remained same in 1950.

1955 - Chailey RDC referendum. 76.30% of East Saltdean residents in favour of going into Brighton.

1967 - Telscombe Parish Council in favour of East Saltdean going into Brighton.

1969 - The creation of the Anglican Parish of St Nicholas. Saltdean independent of Rottingdean, and including East Saltdean.

1972 - Local Government reorganisation. Chailey RDC disbanded. Lewes District Council formed. Brighton no longer a County Borough.

1974 - Telscombe Town Council formed.

1976 - Local Government Commissioners visit area and conclude in their 1979 report: "it is…quite clear that Saltdean and Telscombe Cliffs are two distinctly separate residential areas, widely separated by Telscombe Tye..." Saltdean is "to all intent and purposes one common community with strong local ties despite being at present in two different local government districts."

1979 - Telscombe Council in favour of East and West Saltdean to unite as one parish within the Lewes District Council area.

1996 - Local Government Re-organisation. Brighton and Hove Unitary Authority created.

1999 - New ecclesiastical boundaries for Telscombe Village and Telscombe Cliffs. Telscombe Cliffs Parish Church now in Peacehaven.

2001 - Brighton and Hove granted City Status.

UK UFO Sightings

interesting link here

Saltdean gardener digs up air raid shelter

6:00pm Tuesday 12th May 2009 © The Argus

A wartime air raid shelter has been unearthed in a garden.

Laura Murray's house in Chichester Drive East, Saltdean, was built in 1934, one of the first in the street.

When she decided to landscape the garden this month she found her rockery was the roof of a Second World War air raid bunker.

Ms Murray will definitely be keeping the shelter.

She said: "It's built better than a lot of houses and would cost a fortune to dismantle.

"It has two entrances with stone steps leading to a room about 6ft by 12ft and 7ft deep with a reinforced concrete ceiling. I ve had lots of people coming to see it. I'd like to know more about its history but obviously many people who lived in Saltdean in the 1930s are no longer around.

From left, Darryl Pledge, Shaun Richardson and Steve Pumfrey who helped clear the air raid shelter 

Pensioners' playgrounds set for Brighton

Saturday 25th April 2009 © The Argus

Pensioners will soon be able to stop the slide into inactivity at playgrounds for OAPs. Brighton and Hove City Council has revealed officers are working on plans for people play areas. The open-air exercise arenas, dubbed pensioners’ playgrounds, will give over 60s the chance to keep active. The Argus can reveal the council has a budget to install outdoor gym equipment in Hove Park later this year. A council spokesman said: “It’s great to be able to provide facilities that will potentially benefit so many people. “The equipment can be used by adults of all ages – from teenagers to pensioners – and are there whenever people want to drop by and use it. “You could combine a session with a walk or jog round the park or put in 10 minutes on the way to the shops so it’s a convenient way to fit exercise into your day.” Pensioner play areas have been promoted as a way for the elderly to take part in gentle exercise to help their health. The first one in the UK opened in Manchester last January. There are also plans to open one in Eastbourne. They have attracted praise from Age Concern. Gordon Lishman, the charity’s director general, said: "A well-designed fitness park could be a great way to encourage older people to exercise and socialise. "Exercising a few times a week can make a big difference to someone's health and doesn't have to be strenuous. "Equally, socialising with others can help to alleviate feelings of loneliness and depression." Brighton and Hove City Council’s cabinet has also approved plans to use a £1.1 million grant from Government to renovate 22 children’s play areas in the city with new equipment. These renovations will take place in two waves. Work will be carried out on the first eleven at Bexhill Road in Woodingdean, Carden Park in Patcham, Chalk Pit and Mile Oak Recreation Ground in Portslade, Swanborough Drive in Whitehawk, and at Preston Park, Queens Park, St Nicholas, William Clarke Park and Hodshrove Wood in Brighton in 2009/10. The second eleven will be renovated in 2010/11. They will be at Happy Valley in Woodingdean, Mackie Avenue in Patcham, East Hill Park in Portslade, Greenleas Recreation Ground in Hangleton, Saltdean Oval and at Barn Rise, Blakers Park, East Brighton Park, Haig Avenue, Woollards Field and Whitehawk Senior in Brighton.

Brighton children's centres in line for £2m

Saturday 11th April 2009 © The Argus

Children's centres in Brighton and Hove are set to benefit from £2million of investment.

The increased Government funding will help to create three new centres in the city, as well as make improvements to three existing centres.

The extra money will also pay for new out-reach work and parenting support.

If agreed by members of the city’s Children and Young People’s Trust board at a meeting on April 20, the centres which will benefit from the extra investment are the Hollingdean centre in Shenfield Way and Hangleton Park Children’s Centre, which are both expected to receive £200,000 and The Roundabout Children’s Centre in Whitehawk, which should received £350,000 for its new extension.

New centres would also be created at Westdene Primary School, at Boomerang Kids nursery in Saltdean and at Preston Park, where work is ongoing to establish a suitable location.

The centres play a central role in the Government’s Sure Start programme by improving opportunities for all young children and offering universal access to their services.

They aim to reduce inequalities between neighbourhoods by improving early years care and education.

Labour’s lead for children and families, Councillor Pat Hawkes, said: “This extra funding is a wonderful boost for our very successful Sure Start Children’s Centres that will provide more play and learning space at existing centres and provide for three new ones in new areas.

“Also very welcome is the government funding for staff to work out in communities to support families and help them take advantage of the new facilities. The programme of new building will provide much needed local jobs.”

Renewed anger at A259 road scheme

Monday 13th April 2009 © The Argus

A controversial road scheme to reduce congestion has provoked renewed anger from motorists and residents.

Thousands of people are demanding action over the traffic lights and a three-mile bus lane on the A259 South Coast Road between Ovingdean and Telscombe Cliffs.

The £1.8 million project has been blamed for increasing traffic congestion and is still provoking anger from residents and motorists nine months after the changes were introduced.

More than 3,000 people have called for action to end the tailbacks on the traffic-choked A259.

Responding to a questionnaire by East Sussex County Councillor Simon Kirby, residents highlighted concerns about narrow lanes, long queues, streets turning into rat runs and the road being blocked by buses.

They believe that further improvements at the main junctions at Telscombe Cliffs, Saltdean, Rottingdean and Ovingdean would help.

Councillor Kirby, who is standing as a Conservative Parliamentary candidate in Brighton Kemptown, canvassed peoples’ opinions after realising that traffic on the stretch had not got better.

He dropped 15,000 surveys to residents and was surprised by the response and the strength of feeling on the issue.

He said: “I have written to Jenny Rowlands, director of environment at Brighton and Hove City Council, and have asked her, while understanding the need to promote sustainable transport and focus on improving bus services, to recognise that many residents of Ovingdean, Rottingdean, Saltdean, Peacehaven and Telscombe Cliffs consider that the recent changes to the coast road have made the situation worse.”

The bus lane opened in July last year. It was a joint project between East Sussex County Council and Brighton and Hove City Council, but the county council took the lead.

Traffic lights replaced a mini roundabout at the junction of Longridge Avenue, Saltdean, and South Coast Road.

Residents responding to the questionnaire said they wanted the roundabout reinstated.

Coun Kirby said the bus lane itself was not the problem but rather the way the scheme had been executed.

He said: “A lot of people cannot understand why the scheme hasn't been as well thought out as it might have been.

“There are some people who think they should rip it up and return it to what it was.

“But if we are to have a bus lane, let's have one that works for everyone. We want to encourage people to use public transport but we don't want to damage the environment with non-moving cars.”

When the changes were unveiled last year they sparked traffic chaos and led to delays on bus journeys of up to 45 minutes. The Argus was bombarded by calls from angry residents, commuters and motorists claiming the changes had made things worse.

The scheme, managed by East Sussex County Council, is part of a sustainable transport corridor.

In the aftermath, the two councils promised a further round of roadworks to improve the flow of traffic.

Roger French, managing director of Brighton and Hove Bus and Coach Company, said: “The last small scale modifications haven't been carried out yet.

“It's quite a bit of work to do. They've got to realign kerbing to make the traffic more free flowing towards the junction.

“The aim is to improve the traffic but it will never be totally free flowing – there is no magic solution.”

While Mr French said he was keen to see further improvements on the stretch of road, the new bus lane has had a dramatic effect on passenger numbers.

He said: “We've had an amazing increase in the number of people travelling with 20% growth in passenger numbers.”

A Brighton and Hove City Council spokesman said: “The works are intended to make the flow of public transport much quicker thereby increasing bus use.

“We are consulting with residents and motorists as much as we can because we are determined to get the scheme right.”

Councillor Matthew Lock, East Sussex County Council lead member for transport and the environment, was unavailable for comment.

SALTDEAN COASTAL ARTISTS

BRIGHTON FESTIVAL -  ARTISTS OPEN HOUSES - MAY 2009

After the success of last year's event Saltdean Artists have decided to host their own trail.  

Small and friendly, five houses in total, it has plenty on offer to include glass sculpture, textiles, jewellery, photography, paintings, garden accessories and even an architectural railway modeller.  

Easy free parking and pretty eco-friendly too as it can be accessed on foot – a walkers paradise for those wishing to cross the beautiful unspoilt Tye to visit Janet Roland's house in Telscombe.

The warmest of welcomes awaits all our visitors as well as a nice cup of tea.

Open every weekend in May including Bank Holiday Mondays.  

SALTDEAN COASTAL ARTISTS

Brighton Festival Open Houses May 2009

Open 4 weekends including Bank Holiday Mondays

www.saltdeancoastalartists.co.uk

• Saltdean ’s friendly community of artists welcomes you to enjoy the hospitality of their own homes &gardens all with fabulous downland and sea views

• Exciting and affordable work in a wide variety of mediums

•A compact ar t trail easily reached by public transport, car, cycle or on foot with easy free parking and also accessible via the undercliff walk from Brighton

• Local cafes, restaurants and tea rooms from Rottingdean through to Telscombe

For full details contact Sue Warner 01273 305137

WSLAT

AGM will be held at the meeting on the 17th June.

See more info on the page here.

Saltdean sprinter on track for London 2012

7:00am Friday 3rd April 2009 © The Argus

A sprinter is setting his sights on London 2012 after successfully battling testicular cancer.

Jason Hussain was back in training just three weeks after undergoing surgery and months of chemotherapy.

The 22-year-old from Saltdean was given the final all clear in March and is now determined to get on with his life.

He is using his experience to warn other men about the cancer and to urge them to contact their GP if they ever find a lump.

Mr Hussain, a 200 metre runner, spotted a problem last July and his GP immediately referred him to the Sussex Cancer Centre at the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton.

After a gruelling course of treatment he returned to his job with the Metropolitan Police and started running again.

In January he made it to the semi-finals of the European Indoor trials before pulling out with a hamstring strain.

He said: ”When I got out of hospital my whole aim was to get back to the level I was at and then hopefully go on to better things.

“I am going to put the effort in to try and make my 2012 dream come true.

“Imagine it, one minute I am sitting in hospital having chemo and then four years later I could be competing for Great Britain in the London Olympics.”

Mr Hussain's consultant David Bloomfield treated him with a specially adapted form of chemotherapy based on the treatment given to cyclist Lance Armstrong, who also had testicular cancer.

Dr Bloomfield said: “Standard chemotherapy has extremely good cure rates but there is a small risk of breathlessness which would not bother any normal people but if you're an Olympic standard sprinter then we would not want to take any risk with that so we adapted it a little to be just as effective without the long-term problems.”

Mr Hussain wants to make sure others don't ignore any problems as testicular cancer can be easily treated if caught early enough.

He said: “You've just got to go to your doctor. If you leave it, it can be ten times worse. It is a matter of life and death.”

Mr Hussain's colleagues were so impressed with his recovery they held a sponsored run from London to Brighton while dressed in full riot gear, raising £4,000 for the cancer centre.

Homes plan is defeated

3:00pm Friday 3rd April 2009 © The Argus

The new South Downs National Park has stretched its boundary into a village after a hardfought battle by campaigners.

Residents of Saltdean celebrated on Tuesday when Environment Minister Hilary Benn announced that a parcel of land at the end of their road would become part of the park and may be protected from development.

The land, bordered by Bishopstone Drive and Falmer Avenue, was originally part of Combe Farm.

It was defined as an area of outstanding natural beauty with archaeological interest but has since been grassed over and integrated with the owner's garden.

The land referred to as deletion 13 was initially removed from within the draft boundary for the national park and it emerged that plans were afoot for between 40 and 60 houses there.

The subsequent campaign by residents was boosted by a change in the definitions of land suitable for inclusion within the park, which meant the land could be included.

Richard Everest, who helped lead the campaign, said: "I am absolutely delighted that a group of ordinary people were able to stand up for themselves, be counted and help preserve a piece of land.

"Our aim was to keep the land in the national park, to prevent it from being built on in the future and allow people to continue to enjoy our countryside."

Mr Everest said the residents were helped by Brighton and Hove City Council and Rottingdean Parish Council and managed to secure victory without paying for specialist legal advice.

He said: "This is an important decision for us because Bishoptone Drive is a quiet road and would be ruined if the land is built on.

"We didn't think that such a small group would have its voice heard when put with the bigger campaigns like the one to have the Western Weald included.

"It was hard to believe when I heard the news on Tuesday.

"We were ever hopeful but we thought that with such big issues to consider our small case might have been overlooked.

"It was worth fighting for and it has worked."

Every Brighton street to be photographed and put on the web

7:00am Friday 20th March 2009 © The Argus

How would you feel if you Googled your home address and were confronted with a picture of yourself putting out the rubbish or bleary-eyed at the kitchen window?

That is the reality facing every resident in Brighton and Hove after a service which allows people to zoom in on images of people's front doors launched in the city.

Google Street View was unveiled in 25 locations across the country yesterday (THUR) meaning instant access to views of millions of UK streets.

And The Argus can reveal Brighton is next on the list after the Google team were spotted yesterday taking pictures in Saltdean.

Every street, road, avenue and close will be snapped by the cameras, which are mounted on the top of an unmarked car.

The service, which will mean eye-level images of every city street will be available online, has come under fire from privacy campaign groups who claim the service could even help burglars identify targets.

Other concerns photographing people emerging from places of worship, health clinics or even being snapped with mistresses.

When the application was launched in the United States within hours bloggers posted images of people, their faces visible, being arrested, sunbathing and urinating in public.

Simon Davies, director of Privacy International, argued that the company should have sought the consent of the communities it was photographing before launching the service and vowed to fight the service until it was taken down.

Des Turner, Labour MP for Brighton Kemptown, added that there was “a potential for the invasion of privacy.”

He added: “The ability to do things sometimes comes before the debate about whether they are the right things to do.”

A Google spokeswoman said the UK weather had delayed the unveiling, but added: “We have got a long way to go but if you have seen the car, you can safely assume that Brighton will be one of the cities to feature soon.”

She also said the company “built privacy controls into our product from the ground up”.

The spokeswoman added: “Where faces are identifiable we will blur them out as well as licence plates.

“Also if you are a user and you are unhappy with an image, if you don't want your house on there, we've put a button on there so you can remove it.”

The spokeswoman added that concerns about burglars using the service to check potential targets were unfounded and that the company had been working with the Metropolitan Police, who she said did not believe there would be an increased risk of burglary to houses featured on street view.

She said: “It's very easy to blame new technology but it's the criminals that are responsible for the crime, not the technology.”

Alan Haffenden, from the Sussex Police Crime Prevention Team, said: “Google clearly state that their Street View facility only features photographs taken on public property and that they are no different from what any person can readily see or capture when they are walking down a street.

“Therefore, we do not envisage there being any crime prevention issues.”

The Information Commissioner’s office was consulted by Google about its plans, and gave approval for the launch. Lawyers doubt any legal action could succeed.

Help for Brighton's working mums

12:54pm Thursday 9th April 2009 © The Argus

Comments (0)   Have your say »

Being a mother is a full-time job in itself. But some enterprising mothers with young families are juggling their parental duties with running their own companies.

Somehow they are finding enough free time outside the demands of household chores and childcare commitments to set up their own businesses.

Determined to make use of their skills and not to let motherhood spell the end of their careers, dozens of mums across Sussex are taking the leap. But with children at your heels and 101 other things to do, starting up a new business can be an extremely daunting prospect.

One woman keen to help out is business advisor Nicky Chisholm, who has set up her own company, Mums In Biz, to help other mothers in a similar situation. Nicky hosts a series of seminars on how to maintain a work-life balance while running a successful business.

Nicky explained that the aim is to build the business around family life to make it a successful partnership. She said: “It’s very hard to run a business without a support network but for mothers with young children and limited time, it is even harder.

“They come to the seminars and we give them resources to help them run their business from home and plan how to make their business work. There are several tricks, such as having someone to answer the phones when you are out and getting a virtual assistant to do some of the work for you.

“Lots of mothers who are very skilled have moved down from London from top jobs and are wasted talent. About 90% of the mums who come to us want to spend more time with their children so we try to maximise that for them while helping them plan the best way to launch and maintain their business.”

Among the women already benefiting from her network are time management consultant Clare Evans, from Telscombe Cliffs, business and personal coach Anna Golawski, from Brighton, and small business and marketing expert Rebecca Murfitt, from Saltdean.

And Galia Orme has used her family’s South American roots as an inspiration for her business Choc Chick.

Galia, from Peacehaven, sells all the ingredients to make chocolate through her internetbased company. Her two daughters, Maia, 13, and Ella, nine, are at school, which gives her more time than some mothers to concentrate on the business.

She said: “If you can’t do at least two things at once then you can’t run a business and have a family. The main thing is that you need to be realistic about what you can achieve and set goals accordingly.

“Mums In Biz has been amazing. The networking opportunities are fantastic and there is so much support available.”

Sam Mackley’s company, Mummy Looks Fab, sells breastfeeding and maternity clothes online. She was full of praise for the guidance Mums In Biz has provided.

She said: “It has been fantastic. Mums don’t go into business to have less time with their family and Nicky understands that it is all about putting the family at the centre and building around it.”

Michelle Marcar knows all about blending together family and business. Her children love spending time at her toy shop, Cheeky Monkeys, in Rottingdean. She said: “It’s great to have the kids at the shop because I don’t have to pay for childcare and we get to play together.

“They play shop and not house , so I hope they will have their own businesses one day. If there are any other mums out there who want to start their own business, I would say go for it.

“There are too many people who say, I’d love to do what you do but they never bother to try.”

Inevitably, when trying to do two things instead of one, sacrifices have to be made. Limiting them is the aim of Mums In Biz.

Suzanne Borrell, from Hove, said she felt guilty about starting her events company SMB Events while still looking after her two young children. She said: “It was very hard at first but I knew that I was doing it for them as much as for me, even though they were losing out on some of my attention.

“But Mums In Biz has been great. It has given me the confidence to launch the company and helped me to hold successful events.

“The main thing people need to do is market research. As one of the dragons on Dragons Den said, Just because there’s a gap in the market doesn’t mean that there’s a market in the gap.

“They must also be brave and network as much as possible. Ask for favours and ask for help because people are keen to help, especially other mothers.”

Success for Saltdean Bowling Club

And a request for information from Saltdean Bowling Club...