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A wonderful day of celebration and fun for all ages in aid of the conservation fund for Norfolk Square Gardens. Come and enjoy Live Music, Entertainers, Great Food and meet other members of your community on the 15th August from 12 Noon till 6pm.
View Full Press Release Here
This is a community event staged by the East Brunswick Residents' Association and promises to be a festival like no other!
The beautiful Regency Gardens of Norfolk Square located on Western Road, Brighton (BN1 2PE) will be transformed into a world of family fun and frolics.
Reggie Vincent, EBRA representative for Norfolk Square said "The benefit to the community after all the hard work to clean it up and make it a non-drinking zone will be fantastic, this event will celebrate the results and raise funds to keep it like this for future generations"
Co-Chair of EBRA, Bill Cowell said "We hope to make this event an annual celebration of Norfolk Square. Funds raised would go towards the cost of Shrub, Spring bulb planting and construction work to paths and flower bed edges which is needed to keep the square looking good."
Join the celebrations and support the efforts to keep Norfolk Square beautiful for everyone.
Posted 22 June 2010
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Our City Council do not have adequate funds to maintain the square.
Every resident of the area should take the opportunity to Support EBRA in this, and have fun at the same time!
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Judging went well and took place on the 12 July, taking over 2 hours.
Brunswick Town looked OUTSTANDING and it was a great pleasure and humbling to see how much had been done for this event by so many people.
The pleasure we are having in seeing a blooming, clean and pleasant area is the best result we could have.
However, official results are declared later in the year. Let's hope we have been successful. THANKYOU from the Convenors to everyone involved. |
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On the 15th July, a Lemon Tree was stolen from our Community Garden. This was the second attempt. The first time they tried to steal the pot and tree with it but only managed to carry it to the Arch dropping and breaking the pot in the attempt. This tree and pot was worth about £150.
We have also been informed by residents that plants are disappearing from Farman St. This is incredibly upsetting for those who spend many hours working on the gardens and for those who enjoy them. We've also had reports of stolen bikes, floral troughs and planters locally.
We don't know if the thieves are locals who steal for their own gardens or if this is more organised from people with transport to outside the area.
We are all being told that Crime is down and that we have the lowest crime rate for many years, however, local residents and businesses have informed us that low level crime is not being reported because little action is taken.
This beautiful area belongs to all of us, residents invest both time and money in keeping the Brunswick area safe and attractive, so we must take action!
PLEASE REPORT YOUR MINOR CROMES BY CLICKING THIS LINK AND HELP TO KEEP THIS AREA SFE FOR ALL!
Have Your Say and contact us with your thoughts.
Posted 15 July 2010
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You can Have Your Say by clicking this link and dropping us an email.
We read and publish all feedback on the Have Your Say page, so please do get in touch and let us know how you feel about beautiful East Brunswick.
This is your website and we to hear your thoughts, whether you agree with us or not!
Come on...join in the chatter!
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There have been several rumours surrounding the Community Gardens next to The Old Market. We contacted our local councillor, Paul Elgood, and in turn, he has investigated these rumours.
EBRA thanks Paul for his prompt investigation into this matter and hope that now the gossip will stop and that those concerned will move on!
Paul's statement:
Here is chapter and verse on the garden from senior council officers today. It is not for sale and the council isn't selling it to Stomp. Indeed, from this they don't even seem interested in it.
I hope this puts to bed any ideas that the garden is at risk:
Paul,
This appears to be the rumour circulating at present. The “community garden” referred to in your email is council owned land around the Old Market demise where the Old Market Trust installed plants and created “a garden” from gifted monies.
We can confirm that this land adjacent to the Old Market is registered with the council mainly as unclassified highway and a small area as our freehold.
The Old Market Trust went into liquidation in January 2010 and we believe the receiver has sold the building to Stomp.
Having done further internalinvestigations it is confirmed that Property and Legal have not been contacted by parties representing Stomp with regard to the acquisition of the council owned land adjacent to the Old Market building.
Our estate surveyor contacted Stephen Neiman today to speak about this issue and it appears that according to Stephen Neiman, Stomp’s solicitors have asked whether the garden formed part of the title and the receiver has said no. Stomp now know that the council own this area of land. Stephen Neiman also understands that Stomp will be using the building for a recording studio and will have no need for the garden.
We can also confirm that the council are not planning to sell this land.
I hope the above information clarifies the situation.
Many thanks to Paul Elgood for following this up.
Posted 13 July 2010
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EBRA have always maintained the Community Garden, which is located in thssageway between The Old Market and
Waterloo Street on a voluntary basis. Originally created with the help of a generous donation from a local resident, the Garden
is on Council land, although the Council provide no upkeep. The Old Market Arts Centre use the garden for events,
and treats it as their "outside space". Local residents can find a little peace here.
Financial assistance from the Arts Centre largely dried up when they ran into serious trouble and since then
the cost has largely fallen on EBRA which of course has limited funds and individual members have put their hands
in their pockets. |
Work on the Garden used to be done by Bill Cowell, our Chair, and Peggy Thomas until they began to find it a
bit too much for them. They both claim to be "getting on a bit". Yet they are still doing a lot of the work, but
now there is a team of volunteers who help with planting out and maintaining pots and beds, and with the daily
watering.
But the cost of new plants, pots, containers and garden supplies falls mainly on Bill and Peggy.
More volunteers are needed to help with the work, and donations towards the cost of this noble venture are needed.
This is how the garden looks now, but to keep it that way and get it back to its former glory will take
more volunteers and more funds. CAN YOU HELP? If so, use the Contact Us tab on the navigation bar above.
Posted 6 June 2010, Photos by Bill Cowell |
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EBRA has congratulated Mike Weatherley on his election as MP for Hove. Mike has been an EBRA
member for 3 years and we believe this may be the first time an EBRA member has been elected
to serve at Westminster. Well done Mike!
Mike said this in reply to EBRA's Bill Cowell: "Many thanks Bill, Equally, I am proud to
be part of EBRA and hope I can help into the future. The best way to get in touch in future
is via my new email: mike.weatherley.mp@parliament.uk".
To be even-handed we should mention Paul Elgood, our doughty local councillor, who made a
gallant effort. We do however get to keep his services which is good news, at least for EBRA.
Posted 27 May 2010
EBRA is of course apolitical and no political view should be read into this announcement.
See also our Editorial. |
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Members of EBRA recently noticed a blocked drain in Norfolk Square and attempted to report the problem
to our City Council. But the Council insisted that any complaints had to be reported to their contractor, not the
Council!
An EBRA member put it like this: "The council are responsible for the drains in the street. They have
contracted the cleaning of drains out to Southern Water. If a blockage to a drain is
reported to the council by a member of the public, the council are unable or unwilling to report the fault
directy to Southern Water. The action to get the drain cleared now requires a member of the public to
report the fault directly to Southern Water. In other words the council are no longer taking responsibility
for the drains and have handed over that responsibility to the public. Do I really understand that correctly?
Yes, you got it in one. This is quite Pathetic! A big brickbat to Brighton & Hove City Council.
Posted 26 May 2010 |
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We reported a while ago that a vandalised light in Waterloo Street had been replaced with one that did not match the others in the street.
EBRA and Hassan Khabbazeh, street representative for Waterloo Street, have tried very hard to have the street light replaced with something in keeping, but with no results so far. In March Paul Elgood presented a petition in Council to get something done. But it seems the Council have no period replacements in stock, and no funds to buy more. We will keep trying.
Now we learn that lamppost theft is rife in Brighton & Hove! A report in the Argus claimed that 60 had been stolen in one week around the city, many of them original cast iron types. This looks like organised lamppost crime.
The Council say their contractor Colas use bright yellow and red vehicles, and any other vehicle seen lurking with intent near a lamppost should be reported to Sussex Police on 0845 6070999.
If anyone is able to shed further light on this matter, please get in touch with EBRA.
Posted 27 May 2010 |
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Where did Hove end and Brighton begin? Why do I vote for a Brighton MP but a Hove councillor?
Yes, some do! Why is my postcode BN1 when I live in Hove? We have the answers!
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Simon Bannister at Brighton & Hove City Council has tolds us that responses to the
Farman Street Gating Request report he organised have been "overwhelmingly supportive".
The next step is to go to a stautory 28-day formal consultation, which he is now organising. He will keep EBRA posted.
Posted 4 June 2010 |
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UPDATE: Sign the ePetition by clicking here!
Every 30 minutes between 8am and 6pm on weekdays the 11X bus leaves Hove Town Hall. It makes its way to the seafront and along to the Thistle Hotel. Then it turns and makes it way back to Hove Town Hall where it turns around and so on all day.
Nothing strange there, I hear you say. But wait: more often than not this bus carries no passengers, like a latter-day Marie Celeste there are no living souls aboard. Well there is the driver of course (doubtless a worthy person with whom we have no quarrel and some sympathy) but perhaps he is a spectre, having long ago expired from boredom, loneliness and despair at the thankless task of piloting his empty bus.
Another strange thing, the published timetable for the 11X bears the message " Service funded by Brighton & Hove City Council". Why is the Council funding a bus service that carries no passengers? And the 11X only stops on the way at Kings House, the West Pier and the Brighton Centre so it is not of much use to residents of Brunswick Town, or anywhere else come to that.
The Chair of EBRA, Bill Cowell, ever a stalwart campaigner for truth and justice, often sees the bus (mostly empty) on his way to the gym, so he asked the Council for details under the Freedom of Information Act.
The Council replied that the 11X cost the Council £93,161 to provide the service for the past year, against which they got back £476.97 from fare-paying passengers. No that's not a mistake, it really is just over one full-fare passenger a day!
In justification the Council said "The 11x provides a public service for the City" (Not really, as no one uses it!) They want "To minimise the impact of staff needing to travel between the main administration split sites across the City, by having effective and efficient travel arrangements as part of the Staff Travel Plan" . Aha, it's really a staff bus in disguise, hence the route by Kings House! What they don't say is how many staff actually use it, but we will! Very, very few! Their reply goes on about "sustainability" and "impact on the environment" and all the usual twaddle. Who thinks up this nonsense?
EBRA thinks this is an atrocious waste of public money that could be much better spent elsewhere! And our members agree, as you can see from the emails we have published on our "Have Your Say" page.
Posted 28 June 2010 |
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EBRA Featured Photo |
The Floral Garden, Palmeira Square, by Laurence Cartwright |
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Neighbourly greetings to local residents' group Brunswick Place Residents Association which is co-chaired by Toni Tye.
And congratulations on the launch of their new website which is full of interest for all in the area. We have put a permanent link to the site on our "Useful Links" page which has almost 100 links of interest for any resident of Brunswick Town.
Please get along to the BPRA website and take a look!
Posted 26 May 2010 |
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Bill Cowell has written to local councillor
Paul Elgood about recent strange happenings in Waterloo Street.
"Dear Paul, Last Wednesday at about 10 a.m. a road sweeper riding a quad bike drove up
Waterloo Street picking up litter with a hand grab. In the process he caused damage to a bike
outside No. 24. This incident was witnessed by a resident."
Bill also asked Paul if he was aware of this very strange and inefficient way of collecting
rubbish, only large items are picked up, and how a claim could be made by the owner of the bike.
Posted 4 June 2010 |
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Back in September members of EBRA organized a crocus-planting event in Norfolk Square. But the winter turned out to be unkind, and the seagulls seem to find that crocus bulbs make a tasty meal. We began to worry.
By March however, the crocuses were beginning to fight back as shown in the photo above. Then we received the following nice email:
"I went through the square with Ivy yesterday to have a look. She was very pleased that the ones she had planted seem to be coming up and that there are purple ones in there. She talked about the day we planted them and even remembered you (the man who gave out the sweets - you know the way to a child's heart!).
"It's great that she remembers it as I did wonder if it was just some random bit of grass with flowers as far as she was concerned, but evidently not. I also took the liberty of prodding some of the loose bulbs back under the soil, so hopefully they get a chance to thrive. Lovely to see them there, and nice to think that people will enjoy them for years to come. Thanks to everyone involved for that."
Sven is of course Sven Rufus, councillor for Regency Ward and Ivy is his daughter. The "man who gave out the sweets" was Bill Cowell, co-chair of EBRA. It is nice to be appreciated once in a while!
Posted 27 May 2010
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The Floral Garden, Palmeira Square
Taken early this month, this gorgeous view of the floral display in Palmeira Square is by Laurence Cartwright. You can find more of his
highly professional work on Flickr, just click here. |
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You will be pleased to know that the long hot Madrid summer has already started. Temperatures are up in the mid 30s centigrade (95F in old money) every afternoon and the sun shines from dawn to dusk. This will last until October; rain will be confined to the odd spectacular thunderstorm. August will be far too hot for comfort, so we may come to the UK to cool off. The BBC weather forecast says that in Hove the temperature will lurch up to 15C this afternoon. I loved living in Brighton & Hove but I would rather be too hot than too cold.
Us expats are all agog at the recent political events in the UK. No, not the Con-Lib coalition, but the election of an EBRA member to the Mother of Parliaments! Could this presage the formation of an EBRA party? It would be apolitical of course since that is written into our constitution. But having no policies would surely not be an impediment. Of course there are more MPs than EBRA members so that may be a difficulty, but we shall watch developments with interest.
We were also interested to read the maiden speech of the new MP for Hove, Mike Weatherly. It was actually about his constituency, informative and interesting, and not at all party political. You can read it at the link below.
As for Madrid, you would like it. It is a lot like Brighton, very cosmopolitan, architecturally very interesting (yes really!), culturally well served, but a long way from the sea, which is a pity. It is also 2,000 feet higher up than Brighton. Madrid is worth a visit (but not in August). Don't bring a brolly.
EBRA SAYS: The Editor's view are not necessarily those of EBRA but as he doesn't get paid we have to let him have the
occasional rant. | |
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About EBRA
EBRA was founded in 2005 as a forum for the views of those who live and work in East Brunswick.
EBRA is staffed on a voluntary basis by people who live in the area. We are committed to
preserving and improving the unique qualites of our area. EBRA works hard to improve the environment in the East Brunswick area,
for cleaner, greener, quieter streets and a better quality of life for all those who live and work here, and to protect our unique heritage.
On the About EBRA page you can find more information on what we do, details of committee
members and minutes of our proceedings. Read all about EBRA.
Join EBRA now! It costs next to nothing to join, nothing at all for some. Make your voice heard!
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