I am home and while my visits to Brighton, Shoreham and Worthing are already part of the past as I cope with the demands of today and tomorrow some experiences remain vivid and noteworthy and appropriate for public communication.
While Brighton had become a cosmopolitan seaside city catering for everyone from the cultured and sophisticated to the partying yob, Worthing remains a traditional seaside resort favoured by those seeking to raise their children in a family orientated community. Brighton also appeals to families as somewhere to visit for events or special shopping but for day on day life Worthing appears to tick all the family boxes, and where for older people like me I suspect there is more of community atmosphere, although one can feel isolated or lonely, without a purpose or sense of involvement in whatever environment one is in.
I cannot remember if the resort was visited during my childhood when the “aunties” spent two week summer stays at Hasting, Littlehampton and Bognor Regis. My memory until this week was of a two night stay at the Worthing seafront Travel Lodge three years ago in a cell like single bedded room over a weekend although for only £10 a night in summer one cannot complain. I had a delightful Sunday morning listening to traditional Jazz in a Piazza sitting on a provided bench seat as well as enjoying the Promenade and Pier.
As with many seaside resorts there are hotels, apartments restaurants on the promenade roadside, including a traditional Tea Rooms adjacent to the local information office on either side of the entrance to one of several places of entertainment, a cinema, the Dome one of the oldest working cinemas in the UK. the Ritz Digital has 3D and Dolby sound while the Connaught Theatre also functions as a Cinema. There is everything from rock to classical concerts at the Assembly Halls, and the Pavilion Theatre off the Promenade at the entrance to the pier offers traditional fare.
There is a prize Bingo Hall, the Aquamarina, Ten Pin bowling for those seeking more participative activity as well as a range of leisure and sports centres and open spaces. It is also possible to park albeit at premium rates alongside the beach a few feet across from the pavement although it was free overnight and throughout Sunday when I previously visited.
There is a good range of shops along Montague Street and Brighton Road parallel to the coast with Chapel Road and the High Street Steyne run from the sea front inland with the Montague and Guildbourne Shopping centres There is off road family housing within walking of the town centre and reported excellent schooling. There are also a good price range of places to eat and drink to suit all pockets including several showing live sport.
My visit provided the opportunity to experience the Worthing Museum and Art Gallery with exhibits on two floors and an outside garden area used to show sculpture. The Museum and Gallery building is situated next to the Town Hall and adjacent to the Public Library at one end of the shopping area on the way from the station although not in as advantageous position for the outside visitor as that in South Shields created from the former public Library building and located in the main pedestrian thoroughfare for those using the Metro train terminus and adjacent bus station. Having said this it is in an ideal location for residents with the public library and other council and public use buildings.
The weather cleared sufficiently for me to view all the available work of local creative artist Serena Thirkell who counts Edward Bourne Jones among her ancestors. While her work makes use of bits of machinery and discarded garden tools her human likeness figures, creatures and objects are skilfully and cleverly professionally finished to the highest standards but which nevertheless enable anyone to own one of her works from a few hundred to a few thousand pounds and will find a place in a contemporary living room or any form of garden or patio area. I would have purchased if my circumstances were modestly different.
There is opportunity to view her work in a three minute video on You Tube from the present exhibition which has been extended until September, Serena Thirkell @ Worthing Museum and Art Gallery or at her own site SerenaThirkell.co.uk where she has two albums of work of insects from 2009 and Sculptures 2008-2009 available. There are 12 videos of present and former exhibitions from the museum and art galley linked on You Tube, including one on Punch and Judy which attracted the attention of a group of the disabled adults with learning difficulties during my visit. There was a local BBC news feature on the exhibition recently and which was given an Arts Council grant associated with the 2012 Cultural Olympiad. I was also interested to see the Patching Coins on display and the recently restored 18th century court dress from the impressive costume collection.
Founded in 1908 with the help of Carnegie funds and the first Mayor of Worthing the Museum and Galley continues to fulfil the ambitions of it’s founder to provide an education heart in the town with a series of ten sessions between February and August for families with children as well as twice weekly programme designed for local schools. There is also an important Friends organisation which in addition to a series of lectures and to special showings and other events has raised substantial funds in support of new ventures.
On the Monday evening I had watched England play France and in truth this was the first time I got into the Euro 2012 competition. I had been torn between supporting the home side Poland and their opponents Greece in the 1.1 opening match and hoped both side went through to the quarterfinals although Russia looked invincible against the Czech Republic who they whipped 4.1 and when Poland drew with Russia these looked the two likely tems as Greece lost to the Czechs. However the maths left any of the four teams still able to progress depending on the results of the two games played at the same time last night. The outcome was extraordinary because Greece beat Russia 1.0 with a dramatic defensive game throughout the second half and went through despite having the same points and worse goal difference because of the head to head win and did so the night before they go to the Polls again to see if they can achieve a government prepared to carry out what is demanded of them to stay in European Currency and moved towards greater financial integration which implicitly means greater political integration. It should not be forgotten that Greece was the unlikely winners of the competition in 2004. In the other game the Czechs beat Poland who and their chances early on and also went through heading the mini league.
The England game against France was a dour affair with both teams concentrating on not losing. England scored first with a header from Olson Lescott from a captain Steven Gerrard free kick in a controversial line up which and seen him give a chance to 18 year old Oxlade-Chamberlain the surprise selection in the squad as well as well as Welbeck who I had watched when playing on loan at Sunderland from Manchester United. Andy Carroll was not selected. France looked the more attacking team so it was not a surprise when they equalised and England had to hold out for much of the second half. Having said that I was impressed with the team spirit and approach although in reality they could not pass accurately when playing under pressure and at speed. The overall team playing skills are not good enough. The other co hosts for the competition the Ukraine beat Sweden 2.1 which was not a surprise.
France then beat the Ukraine in the early match on Friday evening which I was able to view while unpacking and settling back home 2.0 and looked good value as head of the group and should also win against Sweden on Tuesday although the Swedes have a vast travelling army and will not want to go home without at least a point. This gives the game away as obviously it means that England beat Sweden on the evening match. However the outcome was far from certain until the final whistle and which led some commentators claiming it had been the match of the competition to date.
For this game the new Manager had included Andy Carroll and left out Oxlade-Chamberlain who had performed well enough without being outstanding. The decision proved a brilliant one when captain Steven Gerrard hit another brilliant free kick at pace onto the head of a rising Carroll who executed a copy book move into the back of the net giving the goal keeper no chance. There was great excitement in the land and the commentary team as England had failed to win a competitive game against Sweden for decades.
I continued to watch after Sweden equalised but turned away to the cricket when they went 2.1 up and all appeared lost. Unbeknown to me at the time the Manager decided to bring on Theo Walcott, the Arsenal player who had also been brought to an important international competition at the age of 18 but had not played. It can be argued that giving him experience proved a good decision because I switch back on to the game to see him hit what in truth was a speculative long range shot with a swerving finish into the net at 64 minutes and it was game on. He was also instrumental in the winning goal in the best move of the match as he darted into the penalty area and passed the ball to Welbeck who did a brilliant, extraordinary back flick into the net with no other route possible because of the tight defence.
A draw against the home side the Ukraine on Tuesday will see England into the quarter finals, a development which many suggested would not happen. I have two £10 bets for them to win the competition to kick start the Olympic Games season where I read that the BBC is going to add 20, yes 20 extra channels to provide live coverage of every event plus repeats and where Sky 3D channel will take 8 hours of the live Eurosport 3D coverage plus 4 hours of highlights programmes a day.
It is time to add a word about the new Manager Roy Hodgson whose appointment I favoured over the push Harry Rednapp who has his supporters. Harry has now been sacked by fourth place finishing Tottenham Hotspurs with the official reason given that he did not achieve a Championship League position, a ludicrous reason given that in any other year when a team reaches fourth they would be placed and that only a win by another home side will prevent this. Harry says he is not retiring so we will see given his refusal to move home from the south coast and his ill health. Hodgson in my view could deliver the next World Cup so if he does not achieve the Euro championship, as everyone expects, then the way he is carrying out the present mission augurs well. However the Ukraine at home will prove a challenge. There is a report that England fans are being investigated for an attempted pitch invasion at the end of their game against Sweden in which they were outnumbered five to one by the Swedish fans.
German and Portugal are expected to go through in the third group with Germany certain while Spain and Croatia who play against each other will both go through if they draw and whoever was to win while the defeated side in this game would not progress if Italy beat a poor Northern Ireland side in their final game. My last day in Brighton was not a great one with poor weather and wanting to watch the appearance of the Prime Minister at the Lord Leveson Inquiry. I managed to find a Timpson’s to replace my shoe laces which were coming undone every time I went walking and I purchased a three pack of chicken sandwiches from Boots for the journey home. I had hoped to have a good walk in the evening after the meal at the Wethersoon’s but it came on to rain hard so I retreated to my room
I set the alarm for six am using both mobile phones just to make sure and had completed most of the packing before going to bed. I was ready to depart after a cup of coffee around 6.45 and with good weather outside I decided to walk the half mile to station up the hill taking time as I was a good hour in advance of my original schedule. I arrived just after seven and went to the ticket office to check if I could travel by any route as I suspected was possible as I had not been allocated a seat on a particular train.
This was confirmed and I was therefore able to take a seat in the Thameslink stopping train to St Pancras which left at 7.30 and which should have arrived around 9 taking the same time as the First Capital Connect to Victoria and then Underground and long walk. However the train crawled after East Croydon arriving just before at 9.30. I have yet to work out if this because the train appears to now go via Tulse Hill and Herne Hill to the Elephant and Castle bypassing London Bridge before going to the platform increased to take 12 coach trains at Blackfriars and Farringdon. Despite the two hour journey and the train crowding out making use of the computer difficult avoiding having to use the Tube, the stairs and the walking was well worth it.
At Kings Cross I debated buying a bacon roll and coffee but settled for eating the chicken sandwiches followed by coffee and crisps on the train from the trolley. At 10 15 and no announcement about a departure platform I made my way to the area before the platforms passing through the entrance barrier and with one of the two trains in stations was announced as for Leeds I assumed the other was for Newcastle. Then the announcer explained that the there was a delay with boarding not for another ten minutes. This was because the train had not arrived although it did so few minutes later and because of my position and holding the other passengers before the departure board; I was able to get on as soon as the arriving passengers departed. Finding the allocated compartment had seats with fixed arm rests and checking out the next which was the same I took the first table available.
The station announcer had explained that seat reservations were cancelled as a consequence of the short turn around period. It was quickly evident that not everyone understood the implications of this and made their way to the seats shown on their tickets with the consequence of several heated exchanges when they discovered the seats already occupied. Some were willing to change including one man on his way to York who was persuaded to move by two couples who had arranged to pass the journey playing bridge. He switched to my table sitting in the aisle seat opposite and although the compartment quickly filled we had the table to ourselves for the remainder of the journey. Apart from a coffee and a packet of crisps which cost an exorbitant £3 and remembering to ensure I took the right case off the train there was nothing noteworthy until I entered the house at the front forgetting that I left the key for the door between the hallway and the rear in the day room and then when I went to the rear I could not find the back door key which was among the change I had emptied from my suit. I had to return for the spare before having full access to the property.
I checked the plants and then went for milk and other supplies before unpacking and getting ready to watch England play Sweden in the European Cup while listening to Durham play Yorkshire in their first 20 20 game of the season at Headingley while going through the post which included the tickets for the one day 50 over game against Australia in July. I was well and truly home and Brighton was quickly becoming another memory.
While Brighton had become a cosmopolitan seaside city catering for everyone from the cultured and sophisticated to the partying yob, Worthing remains a traditional seaside resort favoured by those seeking to raise their children in a family orientated community. Brighton also appeals to families as somewhere to visit for events or special shopping but for day on day life Worthing appears to tick all the family boxes, and where for older people like me I suspect there is more of community atmosphere, although one can feel isolated or lonely, without a purpose or sense of involvement in whatever environment one is in.
I cannot remember if the resort was visited during my childhood when the “aunties” spent two week summer stays at Hasting, Littlehampton and Bognor Regis. My memory until this week was of a two night stay at the Worthing seafront Travel Lodge three years ago in a cell like single bedded room over a weekend although for only £10 a night in summer one cannot complain. I had a delightful Sunday morning listening to traditional Jazz in a Piazza sitting on a provided bench seat as well as enjoying the Promenade and Pier.
As with many seaside resorts there are hotels, apartments restaurants on the promenade roadside, including a traditional Tea Rooms adjacent to the local information office on either side of the entrance to one of several places of entertainment, a cinema, the Dome one of the oldest working cinemas in the UK. the Ritz Digital has 3D and Dolby sound while the Connaught Theatre also functions as a Cinema. There is everything from rock to classical concerts at the Assembly Halls, and the Pavilion Theatre off the Promenade at the entrance to the pier offers traditional fare.
There is a prize Bingo Hall, the Aquamarina, Ten Pin bowling for those seeking more participative activity as well as a range of leisure and sports centres and open spaces. It is also possible to park albeit at premium rates alongside the beach a few feet across from the pavement although it was free overnight and throughout Sunday when I previously visited.
There is a good range of shops along Montague Street and Brighton Road parallel to the coast with Chapel Road and the High Street Steyne run from the sea front inland with the Montague and Guildbourne Shopping centres There is off road family housing within walking of the town centre and reported excellent schooling. There are also a good price range of places to eat and drink to suit all pockets including several showing live sport.
My visit provided the opportunity to experience the Worthing Museum and Art Gallery with exhibits on two floors and an outside garden area used to show sculpture. The Museum and Gallery building is situated next to the Town Hall and adjacent to the Public Library at one end of the shopping area on the way from the station although not in as advantageous position for the outside visitor as that in South Shields created from the former public Library building and located in the main pedestrian thoroughfare for those using the Metro train terminus and adjacent bus station. Having said this it is in an ideal location for residents with the public library and other council and public use buildings.
The weather cleared sufficiently for me to view all the available work of local creative artist Serena Thirkell who counts Edward Bourne Jones among her ancestors. While her work makes use of bits of machinery and discarded garden tools her human likeness figures, creatures and objects are skilfully and cleverly professionally finished to the highest standards but which nevertheless enable anyone to own one of her works from a few hundred to a few thousand pounds and will find a place in a contemporary living room or any form of garden or patio area. I would have purchased if my circumstances were modestly different.
There is opportunity to view her work in a three minute video on You Tube from the present exhibition which has been extended until September, Serena Thirkell @ Worthing Museum and Art Gallery or at her own site SerenaThirkell.co.uk where she has two albums of work of insects from 2009 and Sculptures 2008-2009 available. There are 12 videos of present and former exhibitions from the museum and art galley linked on You Tube, including one on Punch and Judy which attracted the attention of a group of the disabled adults with learning difficulties during my visit. There was a local BBC news feature on the exhibition recently and which was given an Arts Council grant associated with the 2012 Cultural Olympiad. I was also interested to see the Patching Coins on display and the recently restored 18th century court dress from the impressive costume collection.
Founded in 1908 with the help of Carnegie funds and the first Mayor of Worthing the Museum and Galley continues to fulfil the ambitions of it’s founder to provide an education heart in the town with a series of ten sessions between February and August for families with children as well as twice weekly programme designed for local schools. There is also an important Friends organisation which in addition to a series of lectures and to special showings and other events has raised substantial funds in support of new ventures.
On the Monday evening I had watched England play France and in truth this was the first time I got into the Euro 2012 competition. I had been torn between supporting the home side Poland and their opponents Greece in the 1.1 opening match and hoped both side went through to the quarterfinals although Russia looked invincible against the Czech Republic who they whipped 4.1 and when Poland drew with Russia these looked the two likely tems as Greece lost to the Czechs. However the maths left any of the four teams still able to progress depending on the results of the two games played at the same time last night. The outcome was extraordinary because Greece beat Russia 1.0 with a dramatic defensive game throughout the second half and went through despite having the same points and worse goal difference because of the head to head win and did so the night before they go to the Polls again to see if they can achieve a government prepared to carry out what is demanded of them to stay in European Currency and moved towards greater financial integration which implicitly means greater political integration. It should not be forgotten that Greece was the unlikely winners of the competition in 2004. In the other game the Czechs beat Poland who and their chances early on and also went through heading the mini league.
The England game against France was a dour affair with both teams concentrating on not losing. England scored first with a header from Olson Lescott from a captain Steven Gerrard free kick in a controversial line up which and seen him give a chance to 18 year old Oxlade-Chamberlain the surprise selection in the squad as well as well as Welbeck who I had watched when playing on loan at Sunderland from Manchester United. Andy Carroll was not selected. France looked the more attacking team so it was not a surprise when they equalised and England had to hold out for much of the second half. Having said that I was impressed with the team spirit and approach although in reality they could not pass accurately when playing under pressure and at speed. The overall team playing skills are not good enough. The other co hosts for the competition the Ukraine beat Sweden 2.1 which was not a surprise.
France then beat the Ukraine in the early match on Friday evening which I was able to view while unpacking and settling back home 2.0 and looked good value as head of the group and should also win against Sweden on Tuesday although the Swedes have a vast travelling army and will not want to go home without at least a point. This gives the game away as obviously it means that England beat Sweden on the evening match. However the outcome was far from certain until the final whistle and which led some commentators claiming it had been the match of the competition to date.
For this game the new Manager had included Andy Carroll and left out Oxlade-Chamberlain who had performed well enough without being outstanding. The decision proved a brilliant one when captain Steven Gerrard hit another brilliant free kick at pace onto the head of a rising Carroll who executed a copy book move into the back of the net giving the goal keeper no chance. There was great excitement in the land and the commentary team as England had failed to win a competitive game against Sweden for decades.
I continued to watch after Sweden equalised but turned away to the cricket when they went 2.1 up and all appeared lost. Unbeknown to me at the time the Manager decided to bring on Theo Walcott, the Arsenal player who had also been brought to an important international competition at the age of 18 but had not played. It can be argued that giving him experience proved a good decision because I switch back on to the game to see him hit what in truth was a speculative long range shot with a swerving finish into the net at 64 minutes and it was game on. He was also instrumental in the winning goal in the best move of the match as he darted into the penalty area and passed the ball to Welbeck who did a brilliant, extraordinary back flick into the net with no other route possible because of the tight defence.
A draw against the home side the Ukraine on Tuesday will see England into the quarter finals, a development which many suggested would not happen. I have two £10 bets for them to win the competition to kick start the Olympic Games season where I read that the BBC is going to add 20, yes 20 extra channels to provide live coverage of every event plus repeats and where Sky 3D channel will take 8 hours of the live Eurosport 3D coverage plus 4 hours of highlights programmes a day.
It is time to add a word about the new Manager Roy Hodgson whose appointment I favoured over the push Harry Rednapp who has his supporters. Harry has now been sacked by fourth place finishing Tottenham Hotspurs with the official reason given that he did not achieve a Championship League position, a ludicrous reason given that in any other year when a team reaches fourth they would be placed and that only a win by another home side will prevent this. Harry says he is not retiring so we will see given his refusal to move home from the south coast and his ill health. Hodgson in my view could deliver the next World Cup so if he does not achieve the Euro championship, as everyone expects, then the way he is carrying out the present mission augurs well. However the Ukraine at home will prove a challenge. There is a report that England fans are being investigated for an attempted pitch invasion at the end of their game against Sweden in which they were outnumbered five to one by the Swedish fans.
German and Portugal are expected to go through in the third group with Germany certain while Spain and Croatia who play against each other will both go through if they draw and whoever was to win while the defeated side in this game would not progress if Italy beat a poor Northern Ireland side in their final game. My last day in Brighton was not a great one with poor weather and wanting to watch the appearance of the Prime Minister at the Lord Leveson Inquiry. I managed to find a Timpson’s to replace my shoe laces which were coming undone every time I went walking and I purchased a three pack of chicken sandwiches from Boots for the journey home. I had hoped to have a good walk in the evening after the meal at the Wethersoon’s but it came on to rain hard so I retreated to my room
I set the alarm for six am using both mobile phones just to make sure and had completed most of the packing before going to bed. I was ready to depart after a cup of coffee around 6.45 and with good weather outside I decided to walk the half mile to station up the hill taking time as I was a good hour in advance of my original schedule. I arrived just after seven and went to the ticket office to check if I could travel by any route as I suspected was possible as I had not been allocated a seat on a particular train.
This was confirmed and I was therefore able to take a seat in the Thameslink stopping train to St Pancras which left at 7.30 and which should have arrived around 9 taking the same time as the First Capital Connect to Victoria and then Underground and long walk. However the train crawled after East Croydon arriving just before at 9.30. I have yet to work out if this because the train appears to now go via Tulse Hill and Herne Hill to the Elephant and Castle bypassing London Bridge before going to the platform increased to take 12 coach trains at Blackfriars and Farringdon. Despite the two hour journey and the train crowding out making use of the computer difficult avoiding having to use the Tube, the stairs and the walking was well worth it.
At Kings Cross I debated buying a bacon roll and coffee but settled for eating the chicken sandwiches followed by coffee and crisps on the train from the trolley. At 10 15 and no announcement about a departure platform I made my way to the area before the platforms passing through the entrance barrier and with one of the two trains in stations was announced as for Leeds I assumed the other was for Newcastle. Then the announcer explained that the there was a delay with boarding not for another ten minutes. This was because the train had not arrived although it did so few minutes later and because of my position and holding the other passengers before the departure board; I was able to get on as soon as the arriving passengers departed. Finding the allocated compartment had seats with fixed arm rests and checking out the next which was the same I took the first table available.
The station announcer had explained that seat reservations were cancelled as a consequence of the short turn around period. It was quickly evident that not everyone understood the implications of this and made their way to the seats shown on their tickets with the consequence of several heated exchanges when they discovered the seats already occupied. Some were willing to change including one man on his way to York who was persuaded to move by two couples who had arranged to pass the journey playing bridge. He switched to my table sitting in the aisle seat opposite and although the compartment quickly filled we had the table to ourselves for the remainder of the journey. Apart from a coffee and a packet of crisps which cost an exorbitant £3 and remembering to ensure I took the right case off the train there was nothing noteworthy until I entered the house at the front forgetting that I left the key for the door between the hallway and the rear in the day room and then when I went to the rear I could not find the back door key which was among the change I had emptied from my suit. I had to return for the spare before having full access to the property.
I checked the plants and then went for milk and other supplies before unpacking and getting ready to watch England play Sweden in the European Cup while listening to Durham play Yorkshire in their first 20 20 game of the season at Headingley while going through the post which included the tickets for the one day 50 over game against Australia in July. I was well and truly home and Brighton was quickly becoming another memory.
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