The Brighton & Hove Wrap - 13th December 2024
Magpie Recycling ends household collections, Winter Fayre returns + schools in the red
♻ Magpie Recycling is discontinuing its household recycling services with immediate effect for some collection rounds and a final date of 24th December.
➡ In a Facebook post, the co-op company that has operated in Brighton for more than 30 years said rising costs, new legislation and ageing vehicles have led to he “incredibly difficult decision” to end the service.
💩 Royal Mail wants to erect a new 6ft fence to prevent anti-social behaviour affecting its North Road deliery office. Access and exit routes to the building have been littered with “human faeces, drug paraphernalia and other hazardous materials”, reports The Argus.
⛄ The Brighton Winter Fayre is back after Storm Darragh forced the site to evacuate on its opening night and cancelled last weekend’s festivities at Valley Gardens.
👕 More than 100 costume items from ITV’s Brighton-based drama, Grace, have been donated to the Brighton and Hove Refuge, a safe space offering accommodation and support to women and children to live a life free from domestic abuse. The Argus’ Annabel Stock has the scoop.
🎹 Is WaterBear College of Music sizing up a second venue? It’s submitted a change of use application to the council that would allow the former Latest Music Bar venue on Manchester Street, Kemptown, to be used additionally for “educational purposes”.
🏫 Teachers at Brighton, Hove & Sussex Sixth Form College (BHASVIC) and Varndean College will strike again today (Friday) between 8am and 9am.
🚨 Sussex Police have put out an appeal for information after a man was injured in a fight over an upaid bill at the Giggling Squid restaurant, Church Road, Hove, on Sunday 17th November.
🥅 Local Democracy Reporter Sarah Booker-Lewis has the lowdown on a divided community response to plans by Longhill High School in Rottingdean for a new synthetic sports pitch, floodlights and fencing.
📈 More from Sarah in Sussex World: 31 schools in Brighton & Hove are expected to overspend this year. Two of these schools haven’t submitted a plan to balance their budget either.
♿ The council and Sussex Police’s new Operation Bluebird initiative wants to fight blue badge fraud in the city. An estimated 20% of the 36,000 blue badges issued in East Sussex are misused, says the council.
🔨 Homebase in Hove is up for sale - it’s one of 74 branches that could close after the company went into administration in November, reports Brighton and Hove News.
🎶 Want to support your local music scene? The Whistler has this handy round-up of 10 bands to watch in Brighton & Hove in 2025.
🎾 You can now book a game at Hove Beach Park’s new padel courts, which will officially open on Saturday 11th January 2025. Padel combines elements of squash and tennis according to the Game4Padel website.
🗝 Brighton and Hove Albion FC has been given the Freedom of the City to recognise its service to the community. More from the BBC.
📄 Councillors Julie Cattell and Leslie Pumm have an update on their work in Westbourne & Poets’ Corner. Abandoned phone boxes, blocked drains and more greenery in the area are priorities.
🏃 There are charity places still available for the Brighton Half Marathon next year. Brighton Journal has the list of charity partners for the event on 2nd March 2025.
🎨 Phoenix Art Space is offering one year of rent-free studio space through its Phoenix Studio Award 2025 scheme. More details on how to apply and eligibility here.
🖌 The University of Brighton and beauty brand Charlotte Tilbury have launched a new scholarship for interior architecture students in honour of former student Isabella Ramasco who passed away in 2022.
🏊 Congratulations to Sea Lanes - the open water swimming centre was named best new business at the Sussex Business Awards on 5th December.
🥧 Brighton Open Market hosts a Christmas food and drink market this weekend - Saturday 14th from 10am to 5pm. There is a makers’ fair at Wagner Hall on Saturday and Sunday too.
🐾 Okay, it’s not news, but it’s hard not to share this video from the Theatre Royal of two dogs going on a date ahead of 101 Dalmatians coming to town:
