Swan House boutique B&B, Hastings, Crowhurst Park Holiday Village and Rye Tourist Information Centre are among the South East’s leading tourism businesses to have been chosen for the finals of the Beautiful South Tourism Awards 2014.
Rye Tourist Information Centre
THIS YEAR saw over 120 entries from the cream of the tourism industry in the South East submitted, with 61 businesses selected as finalists. The winners of the prestigious Gold, Silver and Bronze awards will be announced at The Grand Hotel in Brighton on Thursday, December 4.
Should the 1066 Country finalists win Gold Award in their respective categories they will be invited to represent the South East in the National Visit England Awards in 2015.
Interior Swan House Guest House
Co-owner of Swan House, Brendan McDonagh said: ”We are delighted to be shortlisted for this prestigious award again. The judging criteria have changed markedly since our last winning entry in 2009.
“Now much more emphasis is placed on our success at social media marketing initiatives, involvement in the local community and our green business credentials.
“Obviously, good old fashioned customer service and a unique guest experience, are still as important as ever to us. Hopefully that comes across to the judging panel as much as it has done for our visitors”.
Rye TIC Manager, Tracey Young added:“We are delighted to have been shortlisted for the prestigious Beautiful South Awards. The team at Rye Tourist Information Centre welcomes many visitors to the area, and enjoys supporting and inspiring them to make the most of their stay, not only in the Rother area, but also the wider 1066 Country. It is wonderful to be recognised for the level of service that we deliver”.
Kevin Boorman, manager of 1066 Country Marketing, concluded saying:“We’ve always known that we have got some fantastic tourism businesses here in 1066 Country, and I am delighted that the judges have also recognised this. There is a lot of competition in the market, and excellent quality is vital:-and as the short-list shows, we have that here. Tourism is vitally important to 1066 Country, supporting over 11 000 jobs locally, and businesses such as these show that we can be optimistic about the future of our tourism economy here.”
In a speech to the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) this morning the Prime Minister, David Cameron MP announced a massive investment in upgrading the UKs road networks which will include the 27.
Simon Kirby MP for Brighton Kemptown & Peacehaven
THE PRIME MINISTER revealed a plan to invest £15 billion between 2015/16 and 2020/21 in the biggest upgrade to the country’s roads in a generation. The £15 billion is in addition to £9 billion already being spent over this parliament.
Simon Kirby, Member of Parliament for Brighton Kemptown chairs the A27 reference group, an influential group of MPs, council officials and other organisations from the East Sussex area who came together to lobby the Government to improve the A27.
Simon said:“This is a clear signal of intent from the Prime Minister and is most welcome. Our road network helps connect us and gives people more choice about where to work and creates jobs. I have been lobbying hard on behalf of residents and businesses here in East Sussex.
I know that improving the A27 would make a huge positive difference to the economy here in East Sussex as well as easing pressure on other roads in my constituency like the A259.“
He continued: “There are a number of possible schemes to improve the A27, with different spending implications and any of the potential solutions would be beneficial for our area. I will therefore continue to keep putting the case forward and it is good that our message appears to have been heard by those at the very highest level.
Last Friday (November 7) campaigners asked the three Brighton & Hove MPs to vote in favour of the Tenancies (Reform) Bill which will be voted on in the House of Commons on Friday, November 28.
HOME SWEET HOME campaigners met with Mike Weatherley MP, Caroline Lucas MP, and Simon Kirby MP and presented them with petitions signed by residents from across the city calling for them to vote in favour of the bill.
The petitions, in the shape of a door, were signed by hundreds of people from across Brighton and Hove.
The Bill will protect renters from retaliatory eviction when they ask landlords to carry out repairs or improvements to properties.
Caroline Lucas, MP
Caroline Lucas, Green MP for Brighton Pavilion agreed to vote in favour of the Bill and meet Home Sweet Home in Parliament on November 28, as well as work with them to make sure if passed it is properly enforced by the local authority.
Simon Kirby, MP
Simon Kirby, MP for Brighton Kemptown & Peacehaven agreed to meet with the campaigners ahead of November 28 to discuss the Bill.
Mike Weatherley MP for Hove & Portslade agreed to work with campaigners ahead of November 28 to make his decision about the Bill, but has not yet committed to vote in favour.
Since Home Sweet Home began 18 months ago. Fear of eviction has repeatedly emerged as an issue for renters in Brighton and Hove. As part of their research, campaigners took to the streets of the city and asked members of the public about their experiences of eviction and to support the bill.
Home Sweet Home leader Rob Robinson, said: “I’ve experienced revenge eviction myself several times here in Brighton. Once was after complaining about a broken boiler which went unrepaired for several weeks over Christmas. I’d heard nothing from the agent for four weeks and thought I’d try one more time before giving up and so I called again, and I was told that the landlord’s response was in the post and would arrive in the next few days. The landlord’s response arrived the next day; I was being issued with a section 21, and was evicted from my home.”
Candice Armah, President of Brighton Students Union and Home Sweet Home leader, added: “When we did our research and went out listening to people I was surprised and deeply worried by the amount of students we talked to who had been on the receiving end of an unwarranted notice to vacate. Similarly, we talked to a significant amount of students who had been reticent to contact landlords/letting agents about issues with their houses as they feared this would happen to them.”
Home Sweet Home leader Chris Henry, said: “We have our own experiences of renting, but having spoken to private renters across the entire city we now that revenge evictions are a real issue her in Brighton & Hove. We have heard dozens of shocking stories of revenge eviction and have been overwhelmed with support and signatures on our petitions so we really hope that our city’sMPs listen and take action on our behalf.
“It’s great that we’ve got commitments from all three MPs to work with us ahead of the vote, I hope that we eventually see all three vote in favour of the Bill and make a real difference for tenants in the city”
The Tenancies (Reform) Bill will be voted on in the House of Commons on Friday November 28 and is a Private Members’ Bill proposed by the Liberal Democrat MP Sarah Teather.
The Bill clarifies how Section 21 can be used by landlords and removes the fear of eviction that stops tenants from asking their landlord for repairs and maintenance in their home.
Under the Bill, Landlords will be prevented from evicting their tenant(s) in response to a local authority intervention about the condition of their property. They will be unable to serve a no-fault ‘section 21’ eviction notice for 6 months following the issue of a local authority improvement notice, hazard awareness notice, or notice of remedial action.
Landlords will be prevented from evicting their tenant(s) in response to a legitimate, complaint about the condition of the property. Local authorities will have to confirm that this complaint is legitimate by serving an improvement notice, hazard awareness notice, or notice of remedial action. Landlords will be unable to serve a no-fault ‘section 21’ eviction notice for 6 months following the issue of this notice.
The campaign also has the support of the three Labour Parliamentary Candidates in the city.
Purna Sen, Peter Kyle and Nancy Platts
Purna Sen, the Labour parliamentary candidate for Brighton Pavilion, said: “For many residents their rental experience is not a bad one, but on Saturday morning in London Road, listening with members of Home Sweet Home, I heard far too many stories from local people about their awful experiences when they dared to complain about a problem.’
Nancy Platts, Labour Parliamentary Candidate for Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven, added: “No one should have to fear eviction for speaking up and asking their landlords to do the right thing. This Bill goes a long way to giving renters the protection they need to make sure they aren’t evicted unfairly. With so many people renting in Kemptown and Peacehaven, it’s important that their voices are heard and I’m happy to support people asking their local MPs to stand up for their wishes in Parliament”
Peter Kyle, Labour Parliamentary Candidate for Hove and Portslade, said: “I’m campaigning to make Hove and Portslade a fairer place to live, work and raise a family and a major part of that commitment is to make housing one of my key priorities in Hove and Portslade. I support the Home Sweet Home team’s work because it is so confidently speaking for our communities here; I sincerely hope the city’s Tory and Green MPs also support this campaign to stamp out evictions when tenants ask for repairs and improvements to their homes.”
The second Smirnoff Winter Pride Art Awards launches at Tobacco Dock in East London on Saturday, November 15, 2014.
Brendan Courtney
IRISH BROADCASTING personality Brendan Courtney will host the Awards Ceremony and a spectacular exhibition of artworks from a group of international artists and the Art Award’s Finalists, as well as live performances introducing the top talent from this year’s Performance Awards.
Stephen Fry
Stephen Fry, winner of the inaugural Smirnoff Winter Pride Luminary of the Year, said:“Winter Pride is a unique opportunity for up-and-coming artists and performers to showcase their creativity at a key LGBT artistic and cultural event – creative ventures of this kind are all-important for both the arts and LGBT communities.”
More than 40 artists and performers, including art and design students from Middlesex University, will exhibit and perform. A judging panel of arts and media professionals comprising celebrity sculptor Frances Segelman, “Queen of Harps” Catrin Finch, and Gallery director Andrew Lacey have selected 7 Finalists. Two of these will be awarded £1,000 prize money each and the chance to exhibit with a group of international artists at Lacey Contemporary Gallery from November 18-29 2014.
Simon Tarrant, Director of the Winter Pride Art Awards, said:“Representation is what all emerging artists are looking for and the Winter Pride Art Awards offers not only an incredible opportunity to exhibit at an international art festival but alongside leading artists at a top London gallery.”
Rory O’Neill, also known as Panti
As part of the Awards, Winter Pride will be presenting a Humanitarian Award to drag queen and gay rights activist Panti aka Rory O’Neill, who has made a significant contribution to the LGBT rights movement and society in general. The Winter Pride team was moved and inspired by Panti’s ‘Noble Call’ at the Abbey Theatre in Dublin, believing that emotive speeches of this kind help to change attitudes towards the LGBT community.
Winter Pride is also a fundraising platform that helps aid minority charities and this year is supporting the Albert Kennedy Trust, which supports lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT) homeless young people in crisis.
Winter Pride founder Rebecca Paisis, added:“We at Winter Pride passionately believe that the arts have the power to transform lives directly. Art inspires individuals in many ways, fuelling the imagination and allowing people to realise their potential.”
Following the Winter Pride Art Awards Ceremony a Frost Festival will be unveiled in the vast, vaulted Great Gallery at Tobacco Dock attended by personalities from the world of arts. Barry Lategan, the photographer who discovered Twiggy, will be photographing unisex visual and performance artist XXXora who says, “I will be exhibiting a performance piece called The Binary Heard, which will involve one black sheep and one white sheep each having their wool cut into a box by Europe’s leading creative groomer Su Eld Weaver.”
Other celebrity VIPs include Lucian Freud’s muse and model Sue Tilley, X Factor’s Lucy Spraggan and international hair and make-up artist Gary Cockerill.
To buy tickets for the Art Awards and Frost Festival, click here:
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Protesters will Reclaim the Night on Saturday, November 15 to take a united stand against gender based violence.
THE MARCH starts from Brighton Station at 6pm this Saturday, November 15 for the third Brighton-based Reclaim the Night demonstration.
The demonstration will be followed by a rally with speakers and performers at the Sallis Benney Theatre at 8pm.
Reclaim the Night is organised by the Brighton Feminist Collective, and will take a stand against gender-based violence, street harassment and sexual violence. Brighton Feminist Collective is a sex-positive, pro-choice, trans-inclusive feminist activist and social group that meets weekly at 7pm, at a cafe in central Brighton to plan campaigns and hold feminist focused discussions
The rally will raise funds for the National Ugly Mugs scheme, which strives to ensure sex workers’ safety, and Brighton based Survivors’ Network, which provides services for survivors of sexual violence.
Speakers from both organisations will be present, as well as speakers from the English Collective of Prostitutes, Black Women’s Rape Action Project, AllSorts, WinVisible, National Union of Students and poets Alice Denny, Caitlin HT and Jo Johnson.
Brighton Feminist Collective member Sophie van der Ham, said:“Previous years protesters have said they felt empowered by the event and we hope to build on that this year with fantastic speakers & performers, a child-friendly zone and a more accessible route.”
This years presenter, Jessica Gagnon, said: “As a sexual assault survivor, Reclaim the Night Brighton allows me to raise my voice alongside other survivors of harassment and violence and alongside our friends, loved ones, and allies to demand safer streets for everybody. We will come together in solidarity by the hundreds on 15th November and I cannot wait. The line-up of speakers and performers for the rally is incredible. This year’s Reclaim the Night is already shaping up to be the best yet.”
The event is open to all genders and none, and Brighton Feminist Collective strives to be as accessible and inclusive as possible. There will be a British Sign Language interpreter and accessible, gender-neutral toilets on site at the rally.
Event:Reclaim the Night Brighton
Where: March at 6pm from Brighton Station: Rally at 8pm at Sallis Benney Theatre, 58-67 Grand Parade, Brighton
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