Gary Hart

Men must stop behaving badly

Posted on 10/01/2018 by Gary Hart

Men should start behaving themselves was the message from University of Brighton honorary doctorate Paris Lees, who has become the first openly transgender person to feature in the British Vogue magazine.

The award-winning writer, TV personality, presenter, equality campaigner, and University alumna is one of seven influential women featured to mark the 100th anniversary since women were granted the vote.

The Meet the New Suffragettes feature also includes politicians Stella Creasy and Sophie Walker, artist Gillian Wearing, founder of gal-dem Liv Little, blogger Dina Torkia and writer Reni Eddo-Lodge.

Paris graduated from Brighton University in 2009 in BA(Hons) English Language and Literature and was awarded an honorary degree of a Doctor of Letters by the University in 2016 in recognition of her major contribution of transgender identity in contemporary society and of her work as a journalist and social commentator.

Paris says: “One thing that would improve the lives of women is if men would behave themselves – hashtag not all men, just a significant proportion.”

“Feminism is about pushing for the rights of women and that includes all women – because if you are not pushing for the equality and dignity for all women then it’s not equality you want, it’s diplomacy.”

Sports fundraiser at Bar Broadway tonight

Posted on 22/12/2017 by Gary Hart

Customers at Bar Broadway will be RUCKING around the Christmas tree this evening to raise money for Brighton & Hove Sea Serpents RFC.

Brighton & Hove’s Gay Rugby Club will be raising funds to provide more coaching and help encourage more LGBT+ people take up rugby in a safe, non-judgemental environment.

Your host for the evening will be Chris Hibbert one of the teams hunks, who will be leading the fun and games and Christmas carolling.

Special guest for the evening will be madame vice Kara van Park.

Get down to Bar Broadway at 8pm for an 8.30pm start and warm your chestnuts for the big day on Monday, singing O SCRUM all ye faithful and Deck the MAULS with boughs of holly!

Event: Fundraiser for Brighton & Hove Sea Serpents RFC

Where: Bar Broadway, Steine Street, Brighton

When: Friday, December 22

Time: 8pm for an 8.30pm start

COMPETITION: Win a pair of tickets for War Horse at Brighton Centre

Posted on 07/12/201707/12/2017 by Gary Hart

Gscene has a pair of tickets to give away in a competition for The National Theatre’s acclaimed production of War Horse which comes to the Brighton Centre from January 25 – February 10.

The tour of War Horse coincides with the Centenary commemorations of the end of the First World War and follows the production’s enormously successful tour of the UK and Ireland in 2013-2014.

War Horse, which has been seen by over seven million people worldwide, has won 25 awards including the Tony Award for Best Play on Broadway.

Nick Stafford’s adaptation of Michael Morpurgo’s remarkable story of courage, loyalty, and friendship, about a young boy called Albert and his horse Joey, set against the backdrop of the First World War is the most successful play in the National Theatre’s history and features ground-breaking puppetry work by South Africa’s Handspring Puppet Company, which brings breathing, galloping horses to life on stage.

Michael Morpurgo said: “After a few months rest, out at pasture, Joey, the War Horse and his great team from the National Theatre, will be touring the UK again, from 2017 through to 2018 and the centenary of the end of the First World War, taking their show all over the country, to towns and cities, many of them places War Horse has not been seen before. I am so pleased this is happening; that so many more people will have the chance to enjoy this unique theatrical event. Steady boy, steady Joey. Trot on!”

War Horse is directed by Marianne Elliott and Tom Morris, designed by Rae Smith, with puppet direction, design and fabrication by Basil Jones and Adrian Kohler for Handspring Puppet Company, lighting by Paule Constable, and movement and horse choreography by Toby Sedgwick, with video design by Leo Warner and Mark Grimmer for 59 Productions, songmaker John Tams, music by Adrian Sutton and sound by Christopher Shutt.

Tickets are valid to see War Horse at the Brighton Centre on Thursday, January 25 only at 7.30pm. At least 1 adult must be present (parental guidance suitable for 10 years+). Tickets are non-exchangeable.

Closing date for entries is December 20 at noon. Entries received after this date will not be counted. Winners will be required to collect their tickets from box office on the night of the show. Any travel and accommodation will not be included in the prize.

To win a pair of tickets email your answer to the following question to info@gscene.com by Wednesday, December 20 at noon.

What is the name of the famous War Horse in the play?

· A – Sebastian

· B – Joey

· C – Kelso

Uber license in Brighton & Hove renewed for 6 months

Posted on 03/11/2017 by Gary Hart

Following a meeting on October 31, Brighton & Hove City Council extends Uber’s license to operate a taxi service in the city for a further six months while it monitors London’s final decision.

The decision on the length of the extension was taken to allow the council to monitor the outcome of the Transport for London Uber decision, and consider whether any of the information arising from the case had direct implications for the operation in the city. It also allows the council more time to negotiate with Uber about a number of proposed conditions for operating in the city.

In making the decision, officers studied reports and written submissions from interested parties. While there was no evidence to suggest that public safety had been compromised, there are a number of concerns, and Uber are working with the council to address these and reassure residents and visitors about their safety.

Under national law, licensed drivers can operate anywhere in the country, so drivers licensed elsewhere are allowed to operate in Brighton & Hove. Many authorities have fewer conditions attached to their licensing than is the case here.

When licensing operators, Brighton & Hove City Council work with them to maintain and enhance standards of safety, which includes trying to ensure that drivers not licensed locally are as accountable as possible. The council are working with Uber to ensure safety standards are maintained and address the challenges brought about by technological changes.

All Brighton & Hove private hire and Hackney Carriage drivers in the city operate under the same licences and the same guidelines contained in the Blue Book, whichever company they drive for. Likewise, all drivers undergo the same background checks.

Following the council’s standard procedure for renewing taxi operators’ license renewals, the decision was taken by officers under delegated authority. A decision on the process to look at the license at the end of this six month period will be taken in the new year.

Research indicates ‘no deal’ Brexit will cost Brighton & Hove dearly

Posted on 28/10/201728/10/2017 by Gary Hart

A ‘no deal’ Brexit will cost the Brighton and Hove economy nearly £2 billion over the first 5 years after we leave the EU according to new joint research by the LSE’s Centre for Economic Performance and the Liberal Democrats.

The research data suggests a ‘no deal’ Brexit will mean an economic hit of £1.96 billion over the first five years after we fall out of the EU.

David Davis MP, the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union and other members of the cabinet have recently been talking up a no deal Brexit and this research indicates that the country simply can’t afford it.

If the UK exits the EU in March 2019 without a deal, the research shows Britain’s economic output (gross value added) in the five years after Brexit would be reduced by 5.3%, or £430 billion.

Even if the UK agreed to a Norway style arrangement with full single market access, this would still result in a reduction to five-year economic output of 2.9%, or £235 billion.

Local LibDem Parliamentary Candidate Carrie Hynds, said: “These figures are a real indictment of the government’s strategy. David Davis is still talking up the possibility of a no-deal Brexit, yet these figures suggest that would cost Brighton and Hove a ruinous £1.96 billion over five years. Even a relatively soft Brexit could cost the City over £1 billion in lost economic activity.

“The government must rule out a no-deal to end the uncertainty and confirm its commitment to stay in the single market and customs union.

“Once the negotiations are over the people must be a given a say on whether we accept the deal on offer. The LibDems are the only party that offers the country an ‘Exit From Brexit’.”

The Prime Minister, Theresa May MP, confirmed in Parliament this week, that MPs would have the opportunity to vote on any Brexit deal before we finally leave the EU, despite David Davis MP earlier suggesting that a vote could happen after leaving.

For national figures outlining the cost of no deal to each local authority area and also the cost of a softer Brexit to local economies. Click Here:

Brighton & Hove flytipping fines double in 2017

Posted on 18/10/2017 by Gary Hart

Brighton & Hove City Council is one of the most active in the country for tackling flytipping.

In figures collected by the Press Association, Brighton & Hove issued 276 fines to flytippers in the 12 months to May 2017, the fifth highest in the country. The council’s updated figures show that 618 fines have been issued to date compared with 196 last financial year.

Improving the environment is a priority for the city council and officers have been highlighting the environmental impact of all kinds of discarded waste, from dog poo to litter.

Enforcement has also been stepped up. Since March 2016 more than 5,000 fixed penalty notices were issued. Of these 594 were for flytipping, including 346 where businesses were using council owned bins to illegally dispose of waste. Fines for flytipping are set at £300.

Cllr Gill Mitchell, chair of the city’s environment committee, said:

“Residents are fed up with people simply dumping things on the street, around existing bins or on our open spaces, creating eyesores and leaving it up to the council to clear up and taxpayers to pay for it.

“On average we get about 160 flytips reported to us each month, not including those identified and cleared by our streets teams. The message is that those responsible will be fined and in extreme cases prosecuted.”

Staff from the council’s Cityclean have highlighted the issue by putting ‘environmental crime’ tape round flytips. This is part of their Crime not to Care campaign which has also involved community engagement and the installation of CCTV at known flytip ‘hotspots.’

Due to the increased awareness there has been a big jump in reported flytips from 466 in the first quarter of the year to 776 from April to June.

Top five councils issuing fines for flytipping:

Westminster 747
Haringey 288
Redbridge 284
Waltham Forest 281
Brighton & Hove City Council 276

What it costs the council:

Based on average weights, the waste disposal costs for large bulky items (not including staffing, vehicle costs or overheads), is:

Double mattress 40kg   £4.80
Sofa 40kg   £4.80
Fridge/freezer           45kg   £5.40
Washing Machine 75kg   £9.00

On average a cage vehicle carrying approximately 750kg will tip four times per day averaging three tonnes per day of fly-tipping. That’s more than 1,000 tonnes per year for one cage van at a cost of £120,000 for waste disposal alone.

More people recycling in Brighton & Hove

Posted on 10/10/2017 by Gary Hart

Recycling rates in Brighton & Hove are improving thanks to initiatives such as new wheeled bins for recycling, garden waste collections and recycling street sweepings.

Rates in the city have increased to just over 29% from 26.7% last year.

Announcing the new figures at the Environment, Transport and Sustainability Committee today (Tuesday, October 10), Chair, Cllr Gill Mitchell said: “For the first quarter of this financial year, April to June, our rates have increased by 2.46% on the same period last year.

“We’ve delivered 45,000 new recycling wheelie bins in the city and they are proving popular. This, coupled with our new garden waste collections scheme which costs residents just £1 a week, is giving people more opportunities to recycle.”

The council is also responding to areas in the city where residents have difficulty storing larger recycling bins.

Cllr Mitchell added: “We are taking the time to look at what works best for residents in areas such as Poets Corner to ensure those that would prefer smaller bins get them as quickly as possible.

“There is no one size fits all, and anyone who is unable to store a wheeled bin has the option to continue using black boxes. Our aim is to make it easy and convenient for people to recycle more and I’d like to thank residents for taking the time to recycle.”

In 2015 around 4,000 households in Hangleton and Portslade took part in a wheeled bin trial that led to a 4% increase in recycling.

FILM PREVIEW: Grace Jones: Bloodlight and Bami

Posted on 06/09/2017 by Gary Hart

Grace Jones and Friends Live (a one night only event on October 25) promises an enlightening evening with the inimitable icon.

Grace will discuss her life and work with some of her closest collaborators, from the worlds of music, fashion, art and film, following an exclusive preview of Sophie Fiennes’ highly anticipated new film Grace Jones: Bloodlight and Bami.

To find your closest cinema (Duke of Yorks Cinema) and book tickets for Grace Jones and Friends Live, click here:

Grace Jones: Bloodlight and Bami (opening in cinemas nationwide on October 27) re-invents the music film as an electrifying journey through the performance, private and public worlds of pop cultural icon Grace Jones, whose bold aesthetic echoes throughout the film.

Director Sophie Fiennes (The Pervert’s Guide To Ideology, The Pervert’s Guide To Cinema, Over Your Cities Grass Will Grow) creates a powerful cinematic experience, contrasting breathtaking musical sequences with intimate personal footage, ultimately reaching beyond the iconic mask. In Jamaican patois, Bloodlight is the red light that illuminates when an artist is recording and Bami means bread, the substance of daily life.

Grace Jones: Bloodlight and Bami is produced by Katie Holly (Love & Friendship, The Queen Of Ireland, Citadel) of Dublin-based Blinder Films, alongside Sophie Fiennes, Shani Hinton and Beverly Jones. The film is backed by BBC Films (Brooklyn, I Daniel Blake), the BFI (45 Years, Lady Macbeth), the Irish Film Board (Room, Love & Friendship) and Roads Entertainment (Being AP, Forever Pure).

Executive producers also include James Wilson (Under The Skin, Shaun Of The Dead, 20,000 Days On Earth), Francesca Von Hapsburg (Marina Abramovic: The Artist Is Present) and Émilie Blézat.

The hats worn by Grace in the film are created by haute couture designer Philip Treacy. The staging for the performance sequences are based on the concepts designed for Grace Jones by Oscar-winning designer, the late Eiko Isioka.

LGBT Catholics Westminster pay tribute to Cardinal Cormac Murphy O’Connor

Posted on 05/09/2017 by Gary Hart

The LGBT Catholics Westminster Pastoral Council honour the memory of Cardinal Cormac Murphy O’Connor, Emeritus Archbishop of Westminster, who died on September 1, 2017:

“As we pray for the repose of the soul of Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, the LGBT Catholics Westminster Pastoral Council expresses its appreciation for his invitation to us in 2006 to become embedded within a Soho Catholic parish, and thus a key part of Westminster Diocese. In this way, the LGBT Catholic community was able to express more clearly its communion with the local Church of Westminster and its Bishop. This pastoral initiative bears fruit even more effectively today through its outreach now based at Farm Street Jesuit Church, London and strongly supported by Cardinal Vincent Nichols, his successor as Archbishop of Westminster.

Cardinal Cormac’s invitation was a surprise to us, not least because he had not shown himself previously sympathetic to the needs of LGBT Catholics, parents and families. As with many clergy of his generation, Cardinal Cormac was not entirely at ease when confronted with issues of gender, sex, and sexuality. He had been trained in a Church where there was zero awareness of the complexities of sexuality and little human development input into seminary formation. It was no surprise then, that by his own admission, he was so unable to deal with the issues of sexual abuse by clergy. Indeed, he also had a reputation for being heavy-handed in dismissing some gay seminarians during his time as Rector of the Venerable English College, Rome.

It would be unfair to label him as homophobic, but challenged by a growing social acceptance of same-sex relationships, including by grassroots Catholics, he was prone to panic as to what the Church’s response should be. Nevertheless, his strongly pastoral sense enabled him eventually to exercise care not only for lesbian and gay lay-Catholics, but also for his gay clergy.

At his behest, our 2007 transition from the hospitality of Soho’s Anglican Parish Church to the Catholic Church of the Assumption, Warwick Street, Soho was accompanied by a formal Consultation Process. This involved Pastoral Council members alongside Cardinal Cormac’s own representatives: one of his Auxiliary Bishops, his Personal Secretary, and a Westminster Diocesan parish priest.

His links with the Vatican enabled the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith to be informed of the Consultation’s progress, with the establishing of this unique LGBT Catholic initiative also receiving initial CDF approbation. Significantly, a key principle in these conversations was one borrowed from the Anglican/Roman Catholic dialogue which the Cardinal had co-chaired for a number of years: that those involved listen to and respect the reality of the others involved and the language and ways in which they articulate their experience.

Cardinal Cormac ‘s rejection of aggressive complaints from some Catholic groups to this ground-breaking pastoral outreach prefigured the type of pastoral inclusion which we now see being promoted by Pope Francis. We give thanks that Cardinal Cormac’s motto Gaudium et spes (Joy & Hope) was for him not simply an idea, but a foundation stone upon which pastoral ministry could be firmly built.”

For more information about LGBT Catholics Westminster Pastoral Council, click here:

Government commits £11 million to greener buses

Posted on 01/09/201701/09/2017 by Gary Hart

The Big Lemon Bus Company, receives £500,000 for three electric buses to be used in the Brighton & Hove area.

Bus users in Brighton and Hove will benefit from cleaner and greener journeys as government commits £11m to roll out low emission buses in towns and cities across England.

Local authorities and bus companies in Bristol, York, Brighton, Surrey, Denbighshire and Wiltshire have been awarded the funding under the Government’s Low Emission Bus Scheme to help them buy 153 cleaner buses.

The successful bidders will use the funding to buy new electric and gas buses, and to install stations to fuel or charge them.

The government is determined to clean up air in towns and cities across the country, and the investment in green buses comes after they published their air quality plan last month.

Transport Minister Paul Maynard, said: “I am pleased that our funding will deliver 3 new electric buses for Brighton.”

“The Big Lemon’s plans will make a real difference in cleaning up emissions from buses in the local area.

“New greener buses will be more comfortable for passengers, they are cost efficient and are good for the environment.

The successful bidders are:

♦ The Big Lemon, £500,000 for 3 electric buses to be used in the Brighton area

♦ Denbighshire County Council, Wales – £500,000 for 4 electric buses to be used on services in mid-Denbighshire

♦ City of York Council – £3.3 million for 24 electric buses to be used on park & ride services in York

♦ South Gloucestershire Council – £4.8m for 110 gas buses for services around Bristol;

♦ Surrey County Council, Guildford – £1.5 million for 9 electric buses to be used on park & ride services in Guildford

♦ Go South Coast/Wiltshire County Council – £500,000 for 3 electric buses to be used on park & ride services around Salisbury

The Government’s support for Low Emission Buses is one part of a £600 million package of measures from the Office for Low Emission Vehicles by 2020, plus £270m announced in the 2016 Autumn Statement to support the roll out of low emission cars, taxis and buses and supporting infrastructure.

This follows an initial £30 million awarded to bus companies and local councils in July 2016 under the Low Emission Bus Scheme to help put over 300 more low emission buses on the country’s roads.

Later this year, the Government will also publish plans for a second round of the Low Emission Bus Fund with a view to putting more clean buses on the streets.

Call us now

Author: Gary Hart

Men must stop behaving badly

Men should start behaving themselves was the message from University of Brighton honorary doctorate Paris Lees, who has become the first openly transgender person to feature in the British Vogue magazine.

Sports fundraiser at Bar Broadway tonight

Customers at Bar Broadway will be RUCKING around the Christmas tree this evening to raise money for Brighton & Hove Sea Serpents RFC.

COMPETITION: Win a pair of tickets for War Horse at Brighton Centre

Gscene has a pair of tickets to give away in a competition for The National Theatre’s acclaimed production of War Horse which comes to the Brighton Centre from January 25 – February 10.

Uber license in Brighton & Hove renewed for 6 months

Following a meeting on October 31, Brighton & Hove City Council extends Uber’s license to operate a taxi service in the city for a further six months while it monitors London’s final decision.

Research indicates ‘no deal’ Brexit will cost Brighton & Hove dearly

A ‘no deal’ Brexit will cost the Brighton and Hove economy nearly £2 billion over the first 5 years after we leave the EU according to new joint research by the LSE’s Centre for Economic Performance and the Liberal Democrats.

Brighton & Hove flytipping fines double in 2017

Brighton & Hove City Council is one of the most active in the country for tackling flytipping.

More people recycling in Brighton & Hove

Recycling rates in Brighton & Hove are improving thanks to initiatives such as new wheeled bins for recycling, garden waste collections and recycling street sweepings.

FILM PREVIEW: Grace Jones: Bloodlight and Bami

Grace Jones and Friends Live (a one night only event on October 25) promises an enlightening evening with the inimitable icon.

LGBT Catholics Westminster pay tribute to Cardinal Cormac Murphy O’Connor

The LGBT Catholics Westminster Pastoral Council honour the memory of Cardinal Cormac Murphy O’Connor, Emeritus Archbishop of Westminster, who died on September 1, 2017:

Government commits £11 million to greener buses

The Big Lemon Bus Company, receives £500,000 for three electric buses to be used in the Brighton & Hove area.

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Call us now

Men should start behaving themselves was the message from University of Brighton honorary doctorate Paris Lees, who has become the first openly transgender person to feature in the British Vogue magazine.

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Customers at Bar Broadway will be RUCKING around the Christmas tree this evening to raise money for Brighton & Hove Sea Serpents RFC.

Share this:

Gscene has a pair of tickets to give away in a competition for The National Theatre’s acclaimed production of War Horse which comes to the Brighton Centre from January 25 – February 10.

Share this:

Following a meeting on October 31, Brighton & Hove City Council extends Uber’s license to operate a taxi service in the city for a further six months while it monitors London’s final decision.

Share this:

A ‘no deal’ Brexit will cost the Brighton and Hove economy nearly £2 billion over the first 5 years after we leave the EU according to new joint research by the LSE’s Centre for Economic Performance and the Liberal Democrats.

Share this:

Brighton & Hove City Council is one of the most active in the country for tackling flytipping.

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Recycling rates in Brighton & Hove are improving thanks to initiatives such as new wheeled bins for recycling, garden waste collections and recycling street sweepings.

Share this:

Grace Jones and Friends Live (a one night only event on October 25) promises an enlightening evening with the inimitable icon.

Share this:

The LGBT Catholics Westminster Pastoral Council honour the memory of Cardinal Cormac Murphy O’Connor, Emeritus Archbishop of Westminster, who died on September 1, 2017:

Share this:

The Big Lemon Bus Company, receives £500,000 for three electric buses to be used in the Brighton & Hove area.

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