Brighton & Hove City Council’s report on free Sunday parking has been slammed by local Liberal Democrat, Jeremy Gale, as “inept, biased and covered with the Green Party’s fingerprints.”
Jeremy Gale, LIB DEM candidate for Central Hove
Following the presentation of a petition, signed by 1,282 people, calling for the introduction of free Sunday parking across the city, the Council were asked to draft a report costing the implementation of both full and partial introduction of free Sunday parking.
The report, however, has been criticised by Jeremy Gale as biased, and overlooks the positive impact free Sunday parking would have on the city.
Jeremy Gale, the Liberal Democrat candidate for Central Hove, said: “The Officers were asked to produce a fair, balanced and impartial report costing the full and partial implementation of free Sunday parking. This has not happened. The report is inept, biased and covered with the Green Party’s fingerprints.
“The report has failed to highlight the money that would be saved by not employing parking enforcement officers on Sunday – a figure which we believe costs the council hundreds of thousands of pounds a year.
“Surprisingly, the report states the proposal would have a negative impact on our economy. The proposal would have positive ramifications on our local economy, with an increase in visitors to the city who, through free Sunday parking, would have more money to spend in the shops and with the retailers across the city.
“The Committee are due to make their decision on the proposal on Thursday, but I can’t see how they can make an informed, balanced and well-judged decision with the report that is available to them.”
An evening of music, cabaret and cocktails to increase awareness of HIV among young gay men.
The Bridge Bar in Clapham is hosting a night of music and cabaret with Julez Hamilton on Sunday, July 13 in support of GMFA’s HIV-prevention campaign Think Again.
The Think Again campaign, which Stephen Fry described as “brilliant”, urges younger gay men to think again about HIV, challenging some of the myths and misconceptions about HIV and how it is transmitted.
GMFA currently receives no statutory funding for its HIV-prevention work and relies on the generosity of the community to fund this vitally important health promotion and education work.
The evening at the Bridge Bar will also feature a grand auction and a raffle to help raise funds. The Bridge Bar team has created their very own special Red Ribbon cocktail and will donate 50 per cent of the proceeds from the sale of the cocktail to the Think Again campaign. We’re not telling you what’s in it – you’ll have to go along and try it for yourselves.
The Think Again campaign urges young gay men to make sure they know the facts, protect themselves and get tested regularly for HIV. Since the campaign was launched at the end of April, it has been seen by over three million people, increasing the number of young gay men who access GMFA’s sexual health information on their website and leading to a four-fold increase in the number of HIV home-sampling kits ordered by young gay men from GMFA.
Money raised at the fundraiser will enable the campaign to reach an even wider audience by paying for high profile adverts on bus shelters in Clapham, Vauxhall and Shoreditch.
Temporary Theatre and The Pink Fringe in association with The Marlborough Theatre present Cleavedon Road, two one-act comedies set on the same street.
Emerging gay writers give a fresh new insight into how messy break ups can get with two hilarious, poignant and dramatic shorts that we can all relate to! Famously thought to be worlds apart, maybe gay men and women have more in common than we think.
Breaking up is hard right? We’ve all been there; the tears, the tantrums, the tangled mess that your life has become. It’s shit. There’s dumping, getting dumped and feeling down in the dumps either way, so sometimes it’s hard to believe in love when everything gets so messy. But all around us people fall in and out of love (and bed) every day- it’s probably happening in your street right now, next door perhaps?
It’s heartbreak hotel down on Cleavedon Road, there’s Alice at number 57 and Kyle at 61; two separate houses, two separate couples, two doors apart. Temporary theatre presents a couple of witty, charming and observant tales of relationships at their breaking point that’ll make you want to laugh, cry and tear your hair out in frustration because when it comes down to it, ‘It’s not me, It’s you and I’m keeping the dog!’
Jack McMahon graduated from The Oxford School of Drama in 2012 and since has worked predominantly as an actor in various theatres including The Arcola, Southwark Playhouse, Theatre 503 and is making his writing debut at the Marlborough Theatre.
Yasmin Zadeh has written for the Soho, The Park, and Arcola theatres in the last year. Recently she was invited to judge the Chicago Pride and Films festival for 2014 and was nominated for the BBC writers room competition.
Temporary Theatre employ gay actors and writers at the beginning of their careers to nurture new and exciting talent.
What: Cleavedon Road: Written by Jack McMahon and Yasmin Zadeh: Directed by Ben Buratta and Adam Colborne: Cast Includes: Yasmin Blake, Louise Trigg
After the success of the first Women V Cancer Ride the Night challenge, registration for 2015 is now open.
The first Ride the Night challenge staged last weekend raised £850,000 for three Women V Cancer charities Breast Cancer Care, Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust and Ovarian Cancer Action.
The 2014 challenge was fully booked in less than 10 weeks so register now to avoid disappointment.
To register for this very special event, CLICK HERE:
One of the North East’s biggest free events is taking the biscuit after adding a pop-up art exhibition to its extended three-day line-up.
Newcastle Pride, which takes place from Friday July 18, has teamed up with the UK’s largest art, craft and design gallery, The Biscuit Factory, to bring a selection of art to the heart of Newcastle’s Town Moor.
The art, which will be on loan from The Biscuit Factory’s two-storey gallery at Stoddart Street, will displayed in the festival’s specially – erected Platinum Lounge marquee, which opens exclusively to ticket holders on Saturday July 19.
The Biscuit Factory owner, Ramy Zack, said:“Newcastle Pride is an amazing event and offers us the perfect opportunity to bring art out into the community to be showcased in a fun and unusual way.”
Newcastle Pride 2014, which is expected to attract around 65,000 visitors, will feature three-days of live music and family entertainment spread across the Town Moor and Newcastle’s Times Square.
The festival’s Platinum Lounge, which is being sponsored by the Biscuit Factory, will be open at the Town Moor for one day only, coinciding with Main Stage performances by stars such as Sinitta, Steps singer Faye Tozer and X Factor winner, Shayne Ward.
Along with access to the Biscuit Factory’s pop-up gallery, Platinum Lounge ticket holders will also benefit from catering and hospitality provided by 1879 Events Management, including a welcome drink and three course meal, as well as access to private toilets, bar facilities and a designated viewing area for the concert.
Mark Nichols, Chair of Northern Pride, which organises the event, said:“While Newcastle Pride is free to attend, we wanted to give visitors the chance to make the most of their experience with a range of ticketed packages getting them closer to the action.
“The Platinum Lounge is the most luxurious of these packages and we’re delighted that the Biscuit Factory have agreed to not only support the marquee, but to loan us a selection of artwork for visitors to enjoy.”
Tickets for the Platinum Lounge at Newcastle Pride 2014 are priced at £55 per person, with discounts available for a table of £10. All proceeds will be used to help keep Newcastle Pride free in the future.
To book the Platinum Lounge at Newcastle Pride 2014, CLICK HERE:
Applications now open for Pride Stars to be involved across the 2014 celebrations at Manchester Pride Festival.
The award-winning lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) event is seeking out hundreds of people to become Pride Stars and help deliver this year’s festival.
From June 1 2014, to tie in with the start of National Volunteers Week, people can apply to fill a range of roles, from Big Weekend Crew and Artist Liaison, to Marketing and Promotions.
Chief Executive of Manchester Pride, Mark Fletcher said:“Our volunteers make a huge difference and are an integral part of the successful running of Manchester Pride. Be it helping us raise money through bucket collections, assisting our visitors in navigating the site or being on hand during the parade, every volunteer has a vital role to play.
“There are loads of opportunities to get involved and make a real difference while meeting new friends, or learning some brand new skills. The events we host could not happen without the enthusiasm and dedication of the people who offer their valuable time in this way. We look forward to welcoming this year’s wave of new volunteers.”
Online applications are open to everyone who would like to volunteer from Sunday June 1.
Early submission is encouraged to avoid disappointment.
The theme for Manchester Pride 2014 is LOVE and will be rolled out across the festival, whether it be to honour the same sex marriage act, or challenge the final pieces of the legislation.
Volunteers’ Week is an annual celebration of volunteering, this year celebrating the 30th Anniversary in Northern Ireland! The theme for this year is Time To Say Thank You – offering communities the chance to celebrate and recognise their local volunteers and challenge people to take part.
For more information about Manchester Pride, CLICK HERE:
Graham Munday chats to Chris Murphy about Brighton Bear Weekender, on June 20-22 and this years Pride.
So how did Brighton Bear Weekender come about? “It started in 2009 when the original Kings Arms in London was around. At that point it was the city’s bear bar. I was going to call it BBC, Brighton Bears and Cubs. Unfortunately the King Arms closed and that put a kibosh on that. It was a transitional time and The Camelford Arms was just opening and establishing itself as the new bear bar. I contacted David Silver. Initially they did not take me that seriously. The first one had to happen to prove that it could be done. No money was made that year. That was 2010 as we are now in our 4th year. In year two people were supportive as it had been shown it could bring guys into the city for the weekend.”
So where does Brighton Bear Weekender find itself this year? “It is continually growing and becoming easier to organise as more people want to get involved making it less of a struggle to organise. The weekend takes a lot of planning and organising. The amount of meetings we go to and attend for one weekend of the year is quite incredible. The hard work pays off and we end up with a great weekend for everybody.”
Graham Munday asks the questions
So is the weekend raising money now? “Yes last year we raised £2,800 plus with the sale of raffle tickets, clothing and wristbands. All profits go to The Rainbow Fund. None of the people who help organises it take any money from it. We have no overheads. So all the donations and money you kindly give us goes to the Rainbow Fund. It is important that we support them because it is umbrella organisation that does not raises money itself, but looks after the money that is raised for them. They then give grants to local LGBT charities that offer frontline services to the LGBT community in Brighton and Hove. Brighton Bear Weekender is now the second biggest contribute to the fund after Brighton Pride. We are very proud of that.”
So what can we expect over the weekend? “A welcome smile. Last year we had about 130 people attend the Saturday afternoon picnic which is always a good benchmark. You don’t even have to bring food as Lunch Postive have a great stand full of delicious reasonably priced food. All the events bring in more people each year. Last year we had guys from Germany, France, Scottish guys and even someone from the USA. So word is getting out there. Brighton is a great place to visit.”
Are you selling merchandise again this year? “We are selling T- shirts and hoodies again. The t shirt design changes every year. We also have different colors for the hoodies and t shirts from year to year. This year’s t shirt design has been done by the talented illustrator Nicholas Maguire. It has a subtle Royal Pavillion motif in it. Very Brighton and it has been selling very well. You can buy it online at our website or if you can’t wait then pop into Prowler in Brighton that are kindly stocking it for us this year.”
Are wristbands being sold? “Wristbands are £5 which give you discounts in shops, drink deals in the bars and clubs offering discounted/free entry.
You can buy these at Prowler Brighton or at the welcome night at the Royal Oak, St James Street on Friday June 20.
Chris Murphy gives the answers
After the weekend are they any plans for Brighton Bear Weekender? “We are taking part in this year’s Pride Community Sports Day and Picnic on July 27. We are entering a team and hopefully Tug of War will be our event. We are going to get some big strapping lads at the end of the rope. I don’t think we are going to do so well at the running events. Its all about joining in and supporting.
And Pride day itself? “We are entering the parade for the first time this year. In the past lots of our associates have joined the Bear Patrol float but this year as we are growing we feel we need to come out of the shadows and have our own identity. So this year we are going to enter as the Village Bear People. The theme for the parade is The World’s a Disco. Back in the 80’s The Village People were out there with their gay anthems. I am sure we can dress up and look the part in the parade.”
Do you have an idea for an outfit already? “Ooooo! I am looking at leather, maybe chaps.. The good thing about Village People you can easily pick one of them and put an outfit together.”
And in the park? “We are going to be in the Bear’s tent area and dancing the day and night away.”
So how can people join Brighton Bear Weekender on the Pride float? “You can contact us though our Facebook page, our Twitter account or just come and see us over the weekend itself on June 20-22.”
Thanks to Chris Murphy for those insights. Time for me to go and buy t shirts, hoodies, wristbands and lots of raffle tickets. See you all there.
For more information about Brighton Bears Weekender, CLICK HERE:
The Marlborough Theatre has received the award for “Best Venue” in the Latest Festival Awards 2014
Following a successful Brighton Fringe 2014, the Marlborough has been crowned best of the fest, by The Latest.
The award was presented at a ceremony on Tuesday, June 2, at Latest Music Bar where an illustrious mix of artists, press and venues celebrated an intense month of Fringe performances.
The award for Best Theatre Performance went to Thief by Liam Rudden, which received brilliant reviews during its run at the Marlborough Theatre from May 13-18.
Other highlights from the Marlborough’s 32-show programme included Casual Violence who won an Argus Angel Award for Excellence; Sister by Rosana Cade, named Outstanding Show by Fringe Review; two sell out shows by Sleeping Trees Theatre, Mafia and The Sleeping Trees Treelogy; and Brighton Fringe favourite Lynn Ruth Miller in ’80!’. As well as two very popular queer shows for kids Romeo & Juliet by Pocket Oxford, and Aunty Ben by Super Paua – Ireland’s first LGBT play for children.
The Marlborough Theatre team send a massive thank you to everyone who voted for them.
A spokesperson, said:“We really appreciate all your love and support and as a smaller – scale venue we are so pleased to be recognised. We do it all for you and there’s so much more to come this summer!”
For a full list of Latest Award winners CLICK HERE:
East Sussex Fire Authority approves cuts to fire engines and fire fighters in Brighton and East Sussex.
At a meeting today fire service representatives voted to press ahead with the cuts despite opposition from residents and politicians.
The East Sussex Fire Authority has approved controversial cuts to remove two appliances from the Preston Circus station in Brighton and The Ridge station in Hastings and to reduce fire fighters across Brighton and East Sussex
At todays meeting ten Fire Authority members voted for the proposed cuts which had been opposed across the board locally, with eight members voting against.
Des Prichard, chief fire officer for East Sussex and Brighton and Hove, said:“I’m not happy with the changes because we’ve lost fire fighters, no-one is happy about the fire appliance leaving Preston Circus but cuts are inevitable.
“We had a goal of keeping 24 fire stations open before the meeting and after the meeting we still have 24 fire stations open.”
Nancy Platts
Nancy Platts, parliamentary candidate for Labour in Kemp Town and Peacehaven, added:“This is a terrible decision and I cannot believe the voices of residents have been ignored.
“There are other money saving options and I urge a rethink and a u-turn before it’s too late.”
Fire Authority members decided not to review the public consultation about the proposed cuts, which received 665 responses throughout Brighton and Hove.
A motion was put forward to review the public consultation after it was roundly criticised by members of the panel for failing to reach members of the wider public.
Voting for the motion was tied at 6 each but UKIP Cllr Phil Howson, chairman of the East Sussex and Brighton and Hove Fire Service, used his casting vote to deny the motion.
Three petitions were put forward at the meeting, arguing against the removal of the fire engines. All of the petitions received more responses than the public consultation.
Following the meeting Simon Herbert, firefighter and Fire Brigades Union chairman for East Sussex said:“I am deeply disappointed that the public, firefighters and local politicians have been ignored by the Fire Authority.
“Today East Sussex Fire Authority failed to put the safety of the residents of Brighton and Hove first.”
Nancy Platts, Labour Parliamentry candidate for Brighton Kemptown & Peacehaven is furious that the views of local politicians and thousands of local residents have been ignored.
After the meeting Nancy said:“This is a terrible decision and I cannot believe the voices of residents have been ignored.
“Keeping the public safe should be paramount and cutting frontline services should never have been considered as an option. We should be walking away from this meeting with a commitment to protect these essential services.
“I will not stop this campaign and we will make it clear how unpopular this plan is. There are other money saving options and I urge a rethink and a u-turn before it’s too late.”
Simon Kirby, MP for Kemptown and Peacehaven was saddened by the decision of the Chair of the Fire Authority, UKIP Councillor for Peacehaven, Phil Howson to use his casting vote.
Simon said:“Councillor Howson was elected as a Peacehaven Councillor to represent the interests of Peacehaven residents, not to support cuts to their local services. I have long argued that the Fire Authority should look again at all its non-frontline services to find savings so that fire stations could retain the equipment they need.
“Today’s vote, to proceed with the reduction in Brighton could also adversely affect East Saltdean, Telscombe Cliffs and Peacehaven. This decision is at the least shortsighted and I hope is not the thin end of the wedge. I shall be carefully watching the Fire Authority’s reserves, costs and expenses in the coming financial year. I genuinely believe there is a better way and the Fire Authority failed to find it.”
Local Conservatives have vowed to continue to fight the cuts. Conservative Group Leader on the Fire Authority, Patcham Ward Councillor, Carol Theobald, presented a 10,000 signature petition at the meeting opposing the fire service reductions in Brighton & Hove. Carol, and fellow Brighton & Hove Conservative, Wish Ward Councillor Garry Peltzer Dunn, both voted against the proposals and argued that they could potentially put lives at risk.
Prior to the decision being made, Conservative Group Leader on Brighton & Hove City Council, Geoffrey Theobald, and Hove & Portslade MP, Mike Weatherley, wrote a joint letter to the Fire Services Minister, Brandon Lewis MP, urging him to facilitate the merger of the East and West Sussex fire services. They argued that these frontline cuts would not be necessary if the two fire services in Sussex were to merge, creating significant savings in management and back office costs. Plans for a merger were drawn up a couple of years ago and got to an advanced stage, only for West Sussex County Council, as Fire Authority, to pull out.
Cllr Carol Theobald
Carol said:“I am extremely disappointed at this decision by the Fire Authority and I will continue to fight to retain our fire engine. The Fire Authority needs to make these savings over a 4 year period so if only we could get the merger back on track some of the frontline cuts that both East and West Sussex are having to make could be avoided. The strength of public feeling in the city against these proposals is huge as evidenced by the petition I presented at today’s meeting.”
Singer-songwriter and actress Heather Peace visits HMV in Brighton to perform short acoustic sets and sign copies of her new album The Thin Line.
Heather Peace at HMV Brighton on June 9
Having learnt piano from the age of five and led her local congregation in song as a child, Heather continued to write and perform music alongside her acting career, beginning professionally with a jazz residency on Manchester’s Canal Street.
Instigated by a dark time in her life, she eventually made the move into recording with 2012’s debut release Fairytales, which reached the UK Independent Chart’s top 10.
A familiar face on British TV screens, Heather is arguably best known for her role in drama Lip Service (2010 – 2012), which charts the romantic lives of four friends living in Glasgow. Amongst numerous other credits Heather has starred in London’s Burning (1998 – 2002), Ultimate Force with Ross Kemp (2005 – 2006) and most recently in mini-series Prey (2014) alongside John Simm.
Heather’s sophomore album ‘The Thin Line’ marks her full-time transition into a music career; as she explains “I’ve been two-jobs-Peace for almost 20 years and it felt like time to put my music first.”
When the artwork and release date were posted on twitter they trended for three hours, showing the eager enthusiasm of Heather’s fans. Its release follows Heather’s headlining performances at Sydney Mardi Gras and Manchester Pride’s Women’s Stage.
Produced by James Lewis (Arctic Monkeys, Superfood) The Thin Line has a summer feel drawing a wealth of inspiration from girl groups of the 1960s. Fans can expect plenty of doo-wops, sing-along choruses and even a gay anthem titled We Can Change, which was Richard Madelely’s BBC Radio 2 track of the week and inspired by children contacting Heather about their experiences with bullies.
As Heather explains, the message behind the song is “stop pointing out the differences and we can actually change the world for the better!”
This summer will see Heather embarking on her most extensive tour to date, which will include Pride Glasgow, Ella Festival in Mallorca and she will be playing the main stage at Brighton Pride on August 2.
What: Heather Peace HMV Live and Signing
Where: HMV, 48-50, Churchill Square Shopping Centre, Brighton, East Sussex BN1 2RG
The Marlborough Theatre has received the award for “Best Venue” in the Latest Festival Awards 2014
Simon Kirby, MP for Kemptown and Peacehaven was saddened by the decision of the Chair of the Fire Authority, UKIP Councillor for Peacehaven, Phil Howson to use his casting vote.
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