Chair's report for 2006/7

Peter Crowhurst

Successful anniversary year

By Peter Crowhurst, NLCA Chair

This has been my first year as Chair of the North Laine Community Association (NLCA), and being Chair in the NLCA's 30th anniversary year has been a real privilege for me. The NLCA continues to play an important role in protecting the character of the area and bringing residents together and has this year, I believe, done an excellent job in both of these areas.

Protecting this popular area

North Laine has become a very popular part of Brighton and the area is being promoted as one that offers what the high street does not. The success with which the area attracts tourists and shoppers has in itself attracted developers who threaten those very qualities which make the North Laine different. We in the NLCA need to be vigilant in protecting the area against unscrupulous developers and high street chains, who would erect buildings totally out of character with the North Laine and introduce their brand of shops and cafés, which would diminish the individual nature of our area. The success of the 30th anniversary events and the promise of new developments in promoting the NLCA will ensure that the Association continues to play a key role in the future of the North Laine.

30th anniversary events

The 30th anniversary events showed why the North Laine is such a strong community and why so many of us love the area. The celebrations began on 16th July in Pelham Square where a very lazy afternoon picnic was enjoyed. The Pelham Picnic was followed by another outdoor event held at the Pavilion Gardens Café. David Sewell of the Café had invited North Laine residents to a picnic with magical entertainment provided by Max, the Magician. Although the weather was awful, we still managed to enjoy a tea huddled underneath the trees of the Pavilion Gardens.  At the September meeting, Geoff Mead, a very good friend of the NLCA, gave a talk on the changes seen in the area over the last 30 years and indeed what features have remained the same. The finale for the celebrations was a ceilidh held at the King and Queen. The evening social was a great success and it was wonderful to see so many ex-residents return to enjoy what the NLCA does best.

Postcard competition

In addition to the social activities of the year, a great success was the postcard competition organised by Mark Erickson. Mark was able to secure sponsorship, which enabled every household in the area to receive a set of the winning postcards. Such a competition was a new venture for the NLCA and provided a lasting memento of the anniversary year.

Benefit CD

Another new venture for the NLCA was the launch of a Benefit CD in February, from which the proceeds will go to the NLCA. The students at the University of Sussex, recognising the contribution the NLCA makes to preserving the character of the North Laine, decided to make the Association the target of their RAG charity efforts. A number of gigs were organised to present the bands on the album and it was good to see these gigs at the Prince Albert and the Komedia full of young people seeking to help us protect the North Laine. Particular thanks must go to Tessa Gooding, who produced the album and set up the gigs. Without her input the whole project would not have happened.

A diverse mix

The North Laine developed as a diverse mix of residential, manufacturing and retail use, all on a small scale, and it is these features which make our area so special. It has not been dominated by the global, monolithic, uniform outlets of the high street but by relatively independent, small businesses. The past year though has seen a number of challenges to the North Laine. The Library building has received awards and its share of criticism, but the new Jubilee Street that has emerged out of recent developments does not reflect the features of the North Laine. Tescos and Starbucks should have no place in the North Laine and we will need to be vigilant to ensure they are not the vanguard of ever more high street chains.

In the northern part of the North Laine, we have seen the opening of the New England Quarter and another lost opportunity. With the decision on the Beetham Tower due in April or May, it might appear that we are being surrounded by over developed and badly designed buildings. Sainsbury has just opened on the New England Quarter and it will no doubt lead to more traffic and an impoverishment of London Road as a shopping district.

Parking

A new parking scheme has been introduced and it remains to be seen how we will be affected. Whilst we will have more parking bays to use during the day, the North Laine may well attract people from the outer edge of the enlarged zone. It is a matter of regret that the Council completely ignored its own consultation process to get this scheme through.

Future priorities

I see our priority for the future as being the development of a contributory website so that more residents can make their views known and enable the officers of the NLCA to better represent the area. Whilst our meetings attract a regular attendance and the social events are always well attended, there are times when we need instant feedback on an issue. An up-to-date, well maintained website would allow such feedback and encourage and stimulate debate.

Some thanks

In being Chair of the NLCA I have had enormous help from a number of people. I would particularly like to thank Sara Bragg and Mark Erickson, who have done a superb job in putting on the monthly meetings and stimulating debate on a number of issues. Gabrielle Villermet and Barry Leigh have done sterling work in monitoring planning applications and representing the views of the NLCA to the Council. Margaret Daly has to stand down at the end of this year and she is to be thanked for her contribution to the Association in not just looking after the accounts but in helping to promote social events like the Christmas Social. The voice of the NLCA has always been the Runner and Jackie Fuller has ensured that it continues to be one of the best newsletters in the area. In times of increasingly long opening pub hours, I would like to thank Roy Skam for his work in responding to licensing applications and also our local Councillors, Sue Paskins, Simon Williams and Keith Taylor, who have regularly attended meetings and provided prompt answers to our many questions to them.

[Previously published in the North Laine Runner, no.185, March/April 2007]