“ As a non-cool person, this is the coolest thing I’ ve ever been involved with”
“ We are the first generation to feel the effect of climate change and the last generation who can do something about it.” Barack Obama
Buy a song, restore the sea. As catchphrases go, it works. We’ ve written about Sussex Bay before. 100 miles of coastline from Selsey in the west to Camber Sands in the east where our seascape and rivers flourish. A healthy blue ecosystem in which nature, people and local economy can thrive.
Sussex Bay has just had its first birthday, and as it’ s been from the beginning, it’ s all about invention and collaboration, working with different people to help nature.
As chance would have it, there’ s another organisation, Gen R- Generation Restoration, which is also based in Brighton, led by Sam Zindel of Propellernet. Gen R put their energies towards working with Sussex Bay. Sam’ s Big Idea was a“ restoration jukebox”, a way people could have a dance and a smile and a good time- and raise money at the same time. But how was it all going to fit together?
While they were pondering that question, Fate stepped in.
Sam went to Glastonbury earlier this summer and- as you do- bumped into Norman Cook who owns the Big Beach Cafe in Hove Lagoon.
As Nor … Oh, OK, Fatboy Slim, says on the Gen R webiste“ I bumped into Sam in the summer and he told me about this crazy jukebox that planted trees every time you put money in it and you got a seed as well”. The proceeds go to seascape recovery, and for things like dolphin research, a new vessel for the dolphin project. And when you pick a song, you also get a seed as well, which you can plant in your garden and that’ s pretty cool. It all helps, because Sussex Bay receives no public funding or charities and donations.
“ As a non cool person, this is the coolest
thing I’ ve ever been involved with” said Dean Spears, head of Sussex Bay.
The jukebox will be at the Big Beach Cafe until the end of October, and we welcome ideas about where else we could put it over the year ahead.
In the meantime, head to the Big Beach cafe, select your favourite song, have a dance and help restore nature to our sea, reefs and riverbeds.
www. sussexbay. org. uk / restorationjukebox @ gen _ r _ jukebox
Conservation Matters Jim Gowans
Demolition of what remained of the previous building on the corner of Buckingham Road and Upper Gloucester Road has resumed eight years after a planning permission for redevelopment was first granted for the site. The application site includes 76 to 79 Buckingham Road( the adjacent four Victorian houses) but these have already been converted into 14 apartments which have now been occupied for about two years.
The four Victorian houses were nicely restored, the reinstatement of the original cast iron railings being a notable enhancement. It was also pleasing to note that the plaque to E J Marshall, the pioneering headmaster of the Brighton Grammar School, was refurbished and retained.
Planners have requested that the developer install historic street name signs( in cast iron and ceramic) to replace the existing signs in several nearby roads; this is not a planning condition, however, and depends on the goodwill of the developer( Martin Homes).
The southern end of Buckingham Street has been closed to facilitate the demolition works etc. as has the footpath adjacent to the site. The closures are for eighteen months from 16th June 2025 or until such sooner time as the works are completed. The 2018 planning permission contains a condition( no. 7) which implies that there is a garden for the use of the public, but it should be noted that the garden is in fact a“ shared private amenity space” for the use of residents only. There will be a community room for the use of local residents, however.