A union representing Sussex railway station ticket office staff will hold talks with Southern bosses over proposed cuts to opening hours.
Govia Thameslink Railway unveiled proposals earlier this year to introduce ‘station hosts’ selling tickets on the concourses, limiting ticket office opening hours to weekday peak times only at most of its stations in the county.
Station staff represented by the RMT union are already planning to strike on Wednesday September 7, while the Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association are currently balloting its members on industrial action.
The RMT strike coincides with a separate 48-hour walkout planned to start at the same time over GTR’s plans to change the role of conductors on Southern services to on-board supervisors, with drivers operating train doors instead.
The TSSA is attending talks with GTR, hosted by conciliation service ACAS today (Wednesday August 31) in an attempt to head off the cuts.
The results of the TSSA’s strike ballot will be announced on Friday (September 2).
Yesterday Lorraine Ward, TSSA’s organising director, said: “Govia Thameslink’s management of Southern is running the service into the ground.
“It is clear to passengers and staff alike that to serve the public effectively and ensure a safe running of the service, Southern should not reduce current staffing levels.
“This is the largest and busiest franchise in the UK rail network and, up to now, the measures Govia are proposing will simply slash passenger and staff safety standards on this dangerously over-strained service.
“All unions have been resolute in standing firm in the face of this plan and we are now optimistic that Govia will be showing willing to abandon it at tomorrow’s talks.”
Responding to the RMT’s decision to strike over proposed cuts to ticket office opening times late last week, GTR explained that after talks with both unions it had decided to take the original proposals off the table.
Instead the rail operator would be conducting a six months pilot at eight stations using volunteer staff to test the new station host role.
Alex Foulds, GTR’s passenger services director, said: “These pilots would be manned by volunteers on a secondment basis and would allow concerns around personal safety and cash handling to be addressed. Staff would keep their jobs, get more money and many would work fewer hours.
“To call a strike over proposals that no longer exist is a stunning own goal by the RMT leadership.”
Under the original proposals ticket offices at Lancing and Falmer were due to close completely.
Stations at Angmering, Barnham, Bexhill, Bognor Regis, Burgess Hill, Chichester, Crawley, East Grinstead, Eastbourne, Hassocks, Horley, Horsham, Hove, Lewes, Littlehampton, Polegate, Portslade, Shoreham, and Worthing were also due to be affected by the cuts.
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Union in talks over cuts to station ticket offices


A union representing Sussex railway station ticket office staff will hold talks with Southern bosses over proposed cuts to opening hours.


Brighton Early Music Festival prepares for its 15th outing this October, with tickets going on sale on September 5 – the latest chapter in a story of remarkable success.
Festival co-artistic director Clare Norburn said: “I think we have been successful because we take quite a different approach to other classical music festivals in the way that we work with artists, and that’s becoming clearer and clearer every year. We have now started calling ourselves a development agency for early music. We don’t just take off-the-peg programmes from artists. We do that, but what is so distinctive about what we do is that we are also about commissioning work.
“We have always commissioned works, right from the start, but in the first ten to 12 years, we commissioned works and they were performed at BREMF and that was it. But what is exciting now is that one of our 2013 productions is now on tour. We put together a tour of 13 promoters.”
The piece explores the life and music of the Renaissance composer Carlo Gesualdo and is being performed by The Marian Consort: “And it is great for them because it has really accelerated their development, which is great for everyone. I think that is the kind of model we want to be working on.
“Brighton is at the forefront of creating new work with artists that then goes on tour, and this year we are commissioning at least a couple of works that will definitely follow that model. For one of them (recorder consort Palisander, Saturday, November 12, 11.30am), we have already approached promoters, and their performance will be the first performance of a tour if they can get their Arts Council funding. We are increasingly helping artists in a much more holistic long term way rather than just giving them a platform in Brighton. Increasingly we have had promoters that have given engagements to artists, but now we are much more proactive in helping them be much more forward-thinking.
“We are aiming to put our energies more into things that go on to have another life. It is great that we get the premieres in Brighton, but we want to support the artists further. The fact is that it is incredibly difficult for young performers to get started.
It has never been harder for young groups to make headway.
“Young people coming out of college might know a lot about music, but they probably don’t have any administrative experience or contacts, and that makes it terribly difficult. We passionately believe that the arts should be a meritocracy, that you should have an audience, that it shouldn’t just be about who you know.”
This year’s Brighton Early Music Festival takes the theme Nature & Science and runs from October 28 to November 13, with flagship events including a new play with music about the life and work of Galileo (Oct 29 and 30). Set during his final days, the play will relive key moments in Galileo’s life including his trial and excommunication.
www.bremf.org.uk or 01273 709709.
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Brighton Early Music Festival prepares for its 15th outing this October, with tickets going on sale on September 5  – the latest chapter in a story of remarkable success.


Ambitious programme for Brighton Early Music Festival


The suspected murder of a teenager has been reported to the body that oversees complaints against the police, Sussex Police has said.
The Independent Police Complaints Commission was notified by Sussex Police following the discovery of the 19-year-old woman’s body at an address in Chrisdory Road, Mile Oak yesterday.
Sussex Police said: “The death has been notified to the IPCC owing to there having been previous police contact with the deceased and other people.
“Her family have been informed of this development. We await the IPCC’s decision as to how any internal investigation will be conducted.”
As previously reported, a 27-year-old man from Portslade was arrested in Burgess Hill yesterday on suspicion of murder after the body was found. Click here for the full story.
Police added that a post-mortem is expected to take place in Brighton later today, and that the address is still a crime scene as forensic work continues.
They are not formally identifying the dead woman at this stage but said they will do so as soon as possible.
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UPDATE: Murder reported to police complaints body


The suspected murder of a teenager has been reported to the body that oversees complaints against the police, Sussex Police has said.


In our weekly column, Back of the Net Ltd round-up the week’s football in Sussex and Surrey.
AFC Uckfield 2-0 Littlehampton Town FC
Back of the Net
AFC Uckfield recorded their first league victory of the season with a 2-0 home win against Littlehampton Town FC. They now have four points from their first three league games.
Their star man on the day was Andrew Dalhouse who scored both goals for the U’s. The goals came either side of half time in what looked a convincing victory. The match was not all plain sailing though as Littlehampton still looked dangerous and won a penalty for their troubles. The resulting kick was admirably saved by new signing Matt Dann, who is looking to solidify his place as the first choice keeper.
This was the perfect result for Uckfield going in to the Bank Holiday Monday fixture against title favourites Haywards Heath Town, who have won their opening three games and scored 13 goals in the process.
Chester 4-0 Sutton United
Sutton United’s three-game win streak came to an abrupt halt as they were hammered 4-0 at Chester, who themselves had not won in three games.
The U’s were undone by two early goals and two late goals, in a match that was played in heavy rain. Chester’s Blaine Hudson opened the scoring after three minutes, and the lead was doubled four minutes later when Ryan Lloyd tapped in after Sutton ‘keeper Ross Worner did well to save Kane Richard’s effort. The U’s came back at the hosts and had decent chances, but were denied by an excellent Jon Worsnop performance between the Chester sticks. The competition was over on 83 minutes when Tom Shaw converted a penalty, and Richards added insult to injury in added time with his first of the season.
It was a blow to the U’s who have enjoyed a strong start to their National League campaign, despite being brandished ‘just a pub team from Sutton’ by other supporters. Sutton host 2nd place Dagenham & Redbridge on Monday.
Chipstead 3-3 Hastings United
Chipstead allowed a three goal lead to slip as spoils were shared at High Road. Raheem Sterling-Parker put The Chips ahead from the penalty spot after only 7 minutes, having been bundled over by the visiting keeper. He had the chance to score a second penalty 5 minutes later, when he was upended by a defender, but saw his effort saved. A great team goal then set up Chris O’Flaherty to double the lead on 18 minutes, and he slotted home with just 3 minutes later for 3-0.
However, a spirited Hastings side didn’t give up and were back in the game on 24 minutes, when their in-form striker Jay May seized on to a loose ball in defence and scored. He then converted a penalty 3 minutes later and completed his hat trick on 33 minutes with a lob from well outside the penalty area. Both sides had chances to score in the second half, Hastings coming closest after hitting the woodwork, but the action never quite matched that of the busy first half.
Up next for the Chips is a visit to Carshalton Athletic on Monday.
Crawley Down Gatwick 2-3 Eastbourne Town
The Anvil’s poor start to the season continues, and are still looking for their first win of the season after Saturday’s home defeat to Eastbourne. It was a terrible start for the hosts, who found themselves two goals down at half time.
Manager Paul Cooper’s half time team talk clearly made an impact, as a completely regenerated side came out and eventually drew level through goals from Kerran Boylan and Oli Leslie. The Anvils pushed for a late winner, but were caught on the break, conceding a penalty after a desperate challenge. Wes Tate converted the penalty on 87 minutes to steal all three points and break Anvil hearts, who must now look ahead to their trip to Broadbridge Heath and attempt to bring an end to their bad form.
Crawley Town 1-3 Notts County
Dermot Drummy’s side had not been beaten in the league going into this game, and we sitting pretty in second in League 2. An entertaining first half with plenty of chances for both sides finished goalless, James Collins coming closest for Reds when he broke through one-on-one with the keeper, who tipped his shot agonisingly past the post. The hosts came flying out of the blocks in the second half, taking the lead on 47 minutes with Enzio Boldewijn’s cool low finish from a well worked Crawley corner. The lead didn’t last long though, after some sloppy defending resulted in Collins knocking a low cross into his own net on 54 minutes. The visitors were ahead 10 minutes later; Adam Campbell bending in a strike from a tight angle at the edge of the box into the bottom corner.
Crawley struggled to get back in to the game after that blow, and the game was over four minutes from time when Jon Stead fired in a penalty after Andre Blackman handled in the area. After the game, Drummy said “I’ve told the boys they need to keep their heads up. We go again on Tuesday and we stay together on this journey.”
Dorking FC 1-5 Ash United
Dorking FC continued their poor form after they conceded five goals for the second home match in a row. The game started strongly for the Chicks, but strong play in possession was squandered by lack of composure in the final third. They were punished when Ash took the lead, but drew an equaliser just before half time from Owen Hunt to see the second half open nicely for a good contest.
However, the whistle had only just blown for the second half when two goals in the space of two minutes from United killed off the game. Heads dropped and whilst Dorking tried to build their way back into the game, their tired and inexperienced legs saw the side concede another two goals.
Press officer Roger Mahony:
“The scoreline didn’t reflect balance of play; it reflects the inexperience of players in the squad. We have brought in a manager to recruit local, young players and make them better that won’t happen overnight. There is already progress in the team, and it was all us in the first fifteen minutes. The next thing is to cut out the silly mistakes; two of Ash’s goals were breakaways. 1-1 was fair at half time, we had a hatful of chances and when we grabbed the equaliser we thought we could push on. Their two goals meant it took a bit of time to get our heads up again, and we played well in the last 15 and created some great chances, and at 3-2 we could have had the lift. We probably need one or two experienced players to help the squad develop.”
Horley Town 2-1 Hanworth Villa FC
Horley Town are still unbeaten after a 2-1 victory against Hanworth Villa. At the start of the day Hanworth were top of the league and favourites to win the match, but goals from Wetton and Robson saw Horley snatch the three points.
The home side were dominant in the first half, with the first goal coming fifteen minutes in. New signings Kyle Hough and Tate Greenway worked a corner into the box for Richard Wetton to put in at the front post. Then in the 28th minute, the right back Scott Robson went on a solo run and hit a fierce strike into the bottom corner from 20 yards out.
Hanworth came out stronger in the second half and took one of their chances in the 65th minute to send a few scares around the New Defence. They continued to press but the Horley defence stayed strong and even threatened a third on the counter. After two wins and two draws, Horley now sit in 7th on eight points.
Manager Ant Jupp was happy with the result:
“It was a very tough game against an unbeaten Hanworth. The first half we were very good and totally dominated. Hanworth got more into the game in the second half as expected and got a goal with a neat finish. We defended them well and had a couple of chances to wrap it up late on but their keeper made some good saves. Overall, a very good 3 points. Now onto Epsom away which once again will be very tough.”
Hythe Town 3-3 Horsham
Horsham earned a point against Hythe Town on Saturday, who finished 4th in the Isthmian League Division One South last season. Matt Dale stated that before the game, which finished 3-3, the side “would be happy to take a point.” However, he also stated:
“It’s disappointing we couldn’t hold onto the lead when we were 2-0 and 3-2 up, but Hythe are a good side and we would have expected them to throw everything at us.”
Most importantly, he said:
“It’s a point that’s got us off the mark and hopefully we can build on that on Monday against Lewes.”
Leiston 2-0 Burgess Hill Town
An 80th minute goal and 86th minute penalty saw Leiston grab the points late against Burgess Hill Town.
Before the match, Leiston had won all four of their opening fixtures and looked in a strong position to do so again. The Hillians had a few good chances at the start of both halves, but for most of the game focused on remaining solid defensively and kept Leiston away from their box. It saw an impressive goal from Matt Blake to break the deadlock, and the game was over when Josh James took down the Leiston forward.
Burgess Hill will be hoping for better as they face Folkestone Invicta this Bank Holiday Monday; a win could see them propel from 15th up to 6th.
After the game Ian Chapman said:
“We played some good football at times and we defended well. We had good chances to take the lead early in the 2nd half. If we had taken that we may have been able to have held on and take something from the game. As we found last season, this league is about fine margins and they took their chances in the last ten minutes.”
Merstham 3-4 Hendon
Merstham kept their first clean sheet of the season against Folkestone Invicta last Tuesday, taking a 0-0 draw, despite the absence of right back Michael Abnett. However, on Saturday, the side were involved in a seven goal thriller against Hendon, losing 4-3. Dan Bennett opened the scoring after nine minutes, but an own goal from Marc Okoye shortly followed.
Hendon fought back, scoring two more goals before Merstham managed to pull a goal back approaching half time. The opposition restored a two goal margin in the second half, but the Moatsiders netted a third before the final whistle.
Newcastle 3-0 Brighton
After a confident 4-2 win over Oxford United in the EFL Cup last Tuesday, Brighton were defeated 2-0 by promotion rivals Newcastle. Despite this result, Brighton are only five points adrift of first place as the side have accumulated eight points in five games. 3-0 wins against Nottingham Forest and Rotherham in the league exemplify the firepower which the Seagulls possess with the likes of Glenn Murray and Tomer Hemed.
The side will take a break this weekend, but on Saturday 10th September Brighton host Brentford. Three days later, the Seagulls encounter first placed Huddersfield.
Oakwood 2-2 Storrington
Oakwood came from behind to take a point against Storrington on Saturday as the final result ended 2-2. The side conceded two goals in the first half, scored by Liam Bouzan and Ross Fraser. In the 73rd minute, Gerald Manville pulled a goal back. 2-1. At last, in the 87th minute, Jack McNab netted the equaliser which earned the team a point. This afternoon, the club will face Midhurst & Easebourne.
Redhill 1-2 Balham
A promising start to the season saw Redhill defeat St. Francis Rangers 4-1 in the FA Cup and also win their opening league fixture against Frimley Green, defeating the side 2-0. Three days later, the side lost 2-1 against Chessington & Hook United and suffered a 6-1 defeat in the FA Cup to Lewes on Saturday 20th August.
Over the weekend, the Reds were on the end of a 2-1 loss to Balham. The latter are new to the Combined Counties League, finishing 2nd in the Surrey Elite Intermediate League last season and subsequently earning promotion. Today, Redhill take a trip to Worcester Park and will encounter Eversley & California on Saturday.
Rochdale 1-1 AFC Wimbledon
AFC Wimbledon are yet to record their first win in League One this season after a 1-all draw against Rochdale. The Dons came excruciatingly close though after they conceded an equaliser from 10-man Rochdale in the 5th minute of added time at the end of the match.
The game started well for Wimbledon after a quick counter attack saw Andy Barcham open the scoring with a header in the 12th minute. But Dale looked increasingly strong as the match went on with Allen rattling the crossbar and Dons keeper Ryan Clarke making a host of saves. When Rochdale player Camps was sent off for a second yellow card in the 82nd minute, the game looked all but over. Yet in the 95th minute with the final attack, Allen whipped a corner in that Clarke diverted into his own net.
After the game, manager Neal Ardley was in a reflective mood:
“We’ve lost a little bit of quality with the ball. We had fleeting moments when we looked good, but too often in the second-half we made bad decisions and lacked quality... There is loads to work on, but we are certainly positive about what we are doing. I said to the boys afterwards that ‘we do not turn on each other’. Part of what we had last season and what we want this season is team spirit and an unbelievable work ethic. We will try to keep that going.”
Sittingbourne 2-0 South Park
South Park take on Surrey rivals Dorking Wanderers in the first qualifying round of the FA Cup on Friday 2nd September after defeating Phoenix Sports 2-1 on the 20th August. In the league, the Sparks lost 2-0 against Sittingbourne of the weekend but will face Guernsey FC this afternoon.
Southwick 1-2 Lingfield
After thrashing Halisham Town 5-0 in a cup fixture on Saturday 20th August, Lingfield carried that confidence into their following league game as the side defeated Southwick 2-1 at the weekend. A penalty in the 68th minute was converted by David Heaton, followed by another goal in the 74th minute by Dan Frith.
Tomorrow night, Lingfield face St. Francis Rangers on the road. Another couple of away trips follow, including fixtures against AFC Varndeanians, Seaford Town and Halisham.
Tooting & Mitcham United 2-1 Dorking Wanderers
Dorking Wanderers’ 100% start to the season is over after being beaten at Imperial Fields. The hosts took the lead after Jordan Wilson slotted home after 23 minutes. Wanderers then held firm after more pressure from Tooting & Mitcham, and were level just before half time when Tom Tolfrey, continuing his fine goalscoring form, converted a penalty.
Wanderers were behind again just after the break, failing to deal with a quickly-taken Tooting thrown-in, the ball found Danny Bassett who hit early to grab the winner. Dorking Wanderers now sit 5th in the Ryman League South Division table, ahead of the visit of Molesey on Monday.
Walton Casuals 1-0 Three Bridges
Three Bridges are still without a win this league campaign after losing away at Walton Casuals thanks to Gabriel Odunaike’s goal. It was a closely contested game throughout, but it was Odunaike who proved to be the difference; his 41st minute goal coming just 10 minutes after having one ruled out for offside.
The Bridges have not won in all competitions so far this season, but will be hoping their luck changes on Bank Holiday Monday when they host Goldalming Town, who are yet to pick up a point in the league.
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Back of the Net: Sussex and Surrey football round-up


In our weekly column, Back of the Net Ltd round-up the week’s football in Sussex and Surrey.


Job losses at a sub-contractor working on Sussex’s patient transport service have been announced.
Since private company Coperforma took over the contract from South East Coast Ambulance Service in April, patients have complained about numerous incidents of crews being late or not turning up at all.
While performance has improved recently, one of the company’s sub-contractors VM Langfords went into administration earlier this year, forcing Coperforma to step in to guarantee jobs, pay, and conditions.
Now Docklands Medical Services (DMS), which took on some of the former Langfords employees, said it would be informing some of its staff that the company will be ‘terminating their employment’.
In a letter to staff, Christopher Arnall, chief executive officer at DMS, said: “I have no choice as my company finances dictate that I act quickly and decisively in order to secure the stability of the company and maintain a solvent and stable company going forward in order to provide our valuable service to the patients and maintain stable secure jobs for employees who remain with the business.”
He added: “When former Langford’s employees joined DMS I gave an undertaking to these employees that all such staff would remain on ‘the same terms and conditions that they were previously on’.
“At this time I was hoping to attract additional business/work into DMS in order to be able to finance this undertaking. Again sadly this has not happened.
“Having now had the time to review the finances of my business, my work load and also my resourcing requirements I can advise that unfortunately I am no longer in a position to be able to sustain the current headcount or the previously mentioned terms and conditions.
“Over the coming days I will be meeting with employees to discuss this situation in more detail and unfortunately I will need to advise some of our colleagues that I will be terminating their employment.”
He explained that any former Langfords employees who stayed with the company would be offered DMS’ standard terms and conditions.
Last week the GMB union, which represents staff at Docklands, called on Coperforma to be stripped of its contract, and is due to hold a strike on Monday September 5.
Gary Palmer, GMB organiser, said: “No more chances, no more waiting until the dust hopefully settles, the time has come to remove Coperfoma and all those that would put profit before patients and staff.”
A spokesman for Coperforma explained that after ‘early teething problems’ the PTS was now ‘working well’, and the contract dispute between DMS and its employees would not affect the service ‘in any way’.
Working with the CCG, Coperforma had put in place a plan to mobilise extra vehicles from other providers to fill any shortfall should the need arise during the dispute.
The spokesman said that all contractual payments from Coperforma to DMS, totalling £525,000, were up to date, and justified claims from previous employees at VM Langfords would be paid, but since many of these went back several months it would take the company some time to verify them all.

Job losses at patient transport service sub-contractor planned


Job losses at a sub-contractor working on Sussex’s patient transport service have been announced.


A body has been found on a busy Sussex beach.
Sussex Police confirmed officers are currently dealing with a deceased person on Brighton beach, opposite the Grand Hotel and near the British Airways i360.
Brighton beach, taken in July this year by Eddie Mitchell
A police spokesperson said they were called at just before 1.50pm to the scene, and one vehicle was dispatched.
They confirmed that the ambulance service was also at the scene and undertakers had been called.
They also dismissed rumours that the body had been washed up.
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A body has been found on a busy Sussex beach.


Tom Johnson was Man of the Match with 62 to help Horsham lift the Gray-Nicolls T20 Cup at the County Cricket Ground in Hove.
They beat Middleton by 53 runs to win the Sussex knock-out competition for the 13th time.
DM16130895a.jpg Cricket: Gray-Nichols T20 semi-final, Horsham (batting) v Brighton and Hove. Tom Johnson. Photo by Derek Martin SUS-160724-192055008
Having won the toss, Horsham batted and made 161-5 in their 20 overs.
Tom Johnson masterminded the Horsham innings by hitting his 62 in just 32 balls and featuring four huge sixes.
Middleton in their reply ended up well short of their target on 108-9.
Horsham’s win was based on a great start to their batting as they reached 90-0 in the ninth over thanks to a fine opening partnership by Tom Johnson and Will Beer (26).
After Tom Johnson got out, Beer followed the next ball as Middleton’s Jamie Thompson took three wickets in four balls.
As wickets tumbled, Horsham’s rapid advance slowed and the game looked like it might become competitive as they slipped to 99-4 off 12 overs.
However Michael Thornely continued the push by scoring an unbeaten 47 and shared in a 29-run stand with Thomas Haines (13) and an unbroken 36-run stand with skipper James Johnson for the fith and sixth wickets.
Playing in the final for the second successive year, Middleton could not cope with Horsham’s bowling attack, and slipped to 35-4 and then 71-7 as Johnathan Whiting took 3-21, George Garton took 1-0 and spinner Michael Munday took 2-17.
Middleton’s reuired run-rate increased from 12 per over with eight to go to an unlikely 24 per over from the last three.
Although Thompson hit a late 21, the Horsham target proved too much as Middleton kept losing wickets and overs left to bat.
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Tom Johnson was Man of the Match with 62 to help Horsham lift the Gray-Nicolls T20 Cup at the County Cricket Ground in Hove.


University of Chichester graduate Joe Perkins tries to capture a little bit of chaotic Quo in his new album.
Joe, who studied commercial music graduating in 2012, has long been a huge Status Quo fan: he first saw them, aged ten, in Bristol 16 years ago.
“And I have seen them with the modern line-up loads of times, always the perfect Quo. But then they played with their original line-up, and they were just all over the place in terms of the timing and the notes, but in terms of the musicality, they were just so exciting.
“They had the danger back, and it was just so much better for not being perfect, and I think that is one of the lessons I have learnt.
“You record a song and then you can edit it and edit it until it is perfect, but that’s not necessarily the best way to do it.
“You want the edge, which is what Quo had. They looked terrified! But that nervous energy made it the best Quo show I’d ever seen. It was so much more exciting for being edgy and dangerous. It was four humans all playing together with the whole thing likely to implode at any point. It was pure rock & roll!
“We are human beings. We are not perfect. We all make mistakes. With technology, you can make it perfect, but you lose the fact that we are all musicians playing together. It’s about the spontaneous things that can happen, and that’s what I have wanted to capture.
“There are little mistakes, but the album is what I sound like when I play the guitar. And it is the first album I haven’t done in a recording studio. I did it in the dining room at home. It was about giving free rein to the music.”
It was while he was at Chichester that Joe did his first album: “It was a very good course, but for me the most important thing was the studio facilities that we could book out. The course was very wide-ranging, but in your spare time you could get into the studio and having the studio was great. You got taught all the basics of making a record, but then you could develop it all further.
“I did my first album then which I released free online. So many people had got involved and given their time for free that it wouldn’t have been right to try to sell it.
“It was call Host of Other Artists. It was all songs I had written and played pretty much every instrument, but it was other people doing the lead vocals. I did some backing vocals, but I am not strong enough a singer to do the lead vocals.”
Now comes the new album, purely instrumental. Double Denim is released on Friday, September 2, as a vinyl + CD bundle (limited to 300 copies) and as a download – both available from joeperkins.co.uk. Both are priced at £7.99.
“Releasing the album on vinyl isn’t purely nostalgic,” Joe says. “Sure, I personally prefer buying music as a physical entity and enjoying it as a piece of art, and I think vinyl is the best for that.
“But the audio is actually much higher definition than the CD and has a more dynamic master. You’ll have to turn it up a bit, but it sounds more natural. Nowadays we all need to own our music digitally too, so with the enclosed CD you get that as well.
“So that’s Double Denim. There’s rock; bluegrass; ballads; a snare drum with far too much reverb on it; potentially the world’s loudest cajón; an army of pots and pans; an outrageous amount of guitars; a sense of humour; and real human musicians playing their instruments.
“And who else gives you all that on an outdated format from the 1930s?”


University of Chichester graduate Joe Perkins tries to capture a little bit of chaotic Quo in his new album.


Musicians are planning a 21-hour marathon piano concert to raise funds for the Steinway grand piano in St Luke’s Church, Queens Park, Brighton.
Event organiser Adam Swayne, of the University of Chichester, who will be among the performers, said: “Thirty-five professional and amateur pianists will play the entire 840 repetitions of Erik Satie’s Vexations in a concert starting at 7.30pm on August 26 and continuing without a break until 4.30pm the next day.
“The performance will be accompanied by a live tweetalong from the @TheVexator account, and the performers are seeking sponsorship via www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/piano-restoration.”
Adam explained: “Our beloved Steinway is going to piano hospital for a few months, and the bill will come to £10,000. The old piano is a great asset to the church, but it needs a complete overhaul – repairing splits in the soundboard, replacing felts, re-stringing the piano, regulating the keys, action, dampers and pedal mechanism etc.
“Satie composed this atmospheric and mesmeric piece in 1893 following a difficult break-up with his girlfriend, and it wasn’t performed in its entirety until 1963 in a concert organised by notorious experimentalist John Cage.”
A complete programme for the performance may be found at www.adamswayne.com/vexations. To find out more about the series, visit www.stlukesconcerts.webeden.co.uk or contact musicandwineatstlukes@gmail.com to join the mailing list.


Musicians are planning a 21-hour marathon piano concert to raise funds for the Steinway grand piano in St Luke’s Church, Queens Park, Brighton.


The Festival Players Theatre Company bring their outdoor summer tour of Shakespeare’s Hamlet to the Brighton Open Air Theatre (BOAT) on Thursday, August 31.
Spokeswoman Su Gilroy said: “This year is the 400th anniversary of the death of the nation’s (arguably the world’s) greatest playwright, William Shakespeare, and The Festival Players Theatre Company is proud to present his most famous play, Hamlet. This theatre company from Gloucestershire, which has been touring professional outdoor Shakespeare productions for over 30 years, is taking the play across the UK and into Europe.
“Presented in full costume, an all-male company brings the excitement of this great thriller: intrigue, ghostly visitations, passion, a play-within-a-play, a gripping duel, and humour, in a crystal-clear and fast-paced two-hour production.
“The players perform more than 80 shows over the summer across England, Scotland, Wales and the Isles of Scilly and as far afield as Belgium, Berlin, the Netherlands and Norway, at an increasingly varied number of locations from stately homes to London commons, Scottish castles to English village greens, island botanical gardens to Roman amphitheatres.”
Su added: “Thought to have been first performed in 1600 and possibly the greatest tragedy in the English language, Hamlet is a story of revenge. Hamlet, the Prince of Denmark, is haunted by the ghost of his father, who tells him that he was murdered by his own brother, Claudius. Claudius not only wears the late king’s crown but has also married his wife, Gertrude, Hamlet’s mother. Hamlet has lost his father and his opportunity to be king, and possibly his sanity; can he believe the ghost, and if so how should he exact revenge? And who else will suffer along the way?”
Festival Players Artistic Director Michael Dyer has reduced the play to two hours.
He said: “Our shows are an amalgam of energy, entertainment and colour, and we aim to make them clear and transparent, as well as keeping them short for the comfort of our patrons. We set out to take audiences of all ages on a journey and make them feel very much part of the production.
“A small cast of six play multiple roles demanding quick costume changes, as well as performing as singers and musicians. This gives an exciting opportunity for the actors to show their energy and versatility.”
This will be Michael’s 12th all-male production in a row for the Players: “It is, of course, totally authentic. We are following in the footsteps of Shakespeare’s own Globe Theatre when all roles were taken by men. The Players have built a reputation for strong, all-male shows over the past eleven years.”
Last year The Festival Players toured As You Like it and Henry IV and many of those actors have returned this year. The title role of Hamlet will be played by Benjamin Way, who was Rosalind in As You Like It and Poins, Justice Shallow and Prince John in Henry IV. Mark Spriggs was Falstaff in Henry IV and Touchstone in As You Like It, and this year will play Claudius. Joel Daffurn, who has been with the company since 2013, will play Laertes, Guildenstern and the First Player, and taking the roles of Polonius, Gravedigger and Second Player is Paul Mills, also with the company since 2013. Michael Dyer himself will play the part of the ghost of Hamlet’s Father.
Newcomers to the company this year are Lee Peck and Jonny James-Jones, both of whom trained at East 15 Acting School. Lee Peck will be playing Gertrude and Horatio and has previously played Romeo in Romeo & Juliet and Bottom in A Midsummer Night’s Dream for the Young Shakespeare Company, and was Malcolm in a radio production of Macbeth. Jonny James-Jones will be playing Ophelia, Rosencrantz and Osric.
Tickets on www.thefestivalplayers.co.uk/tour.
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The Festival Players Theatre Company bring their outdoor summer tour of Shakespeare’s Hamlet to the Brighton Open Air Theatre (BOAT) on Thursday, August 31.


New images have shown the ongoing siege between police and an armed man in West Sussex.
As previously reported, Sussex Police were called to Harbour Road in Pagham following reports of a 72-year-old man with a gun using threatening behaviour.
Police are still at the scene of the armed man siege in Pagham. Picture: UKNIP
Police said negotiations with the man are still ongoing at this stage.
The siege is well into its second day. Read more here.
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Police are still at the scene of the armed man siege in Pagham. Picture: UKNIP
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Police are still at the scene of the armed man siege in Pagham. Picture: UKNIP
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COUNTY NEWS: New images show armed man siege


New images have shown the ongoing siege between police and an armed man in West Sussex.


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The investigation into the suspected murder of a 19-year-old is still underway, police have said.
As previously reported, a 27-year-old man from Portslade was arrested in Burgess Hill yesterday on suspicion of murder after the woman’s body was found in Chrisdory Road, Mile Oak.
The scene of the suspected murder at a property in Chrisdory Road, Mile Oak. Picture: Eddie Mitchell
The house is still a crime scene as forensic teams continue their work, Sussex Police has said.
The murder has also been reported to the independent body which deals with police complaints. Click here for the full story.
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The investigation into the suspected murder of a 19-year-old is still underway, police have said.


Police are preparing for a second night of discussions with an armed pensioner holed up in a house.
The 72-year-old man remains inside the house with police security cordons and a road closure in place as negotiations continue.
Emergency services were first called to the property at around 4.10pm on Sunday to a report of threatening behaviour.
A woman known to the man was also in the house in Harbour Road, Pagham, at the time, but she left shortly after police arrival and is safe and well.
The man, who is on his own and believed to have a gun, continues to communicate with trained police negotiators.
Chief Superintendent Neil Honnor said: “I appreciate this must be a little disconcerting and frustrating for local residents having a continued large police presence outside their homes.
“The safety of the local community is paramount and we are doing all we can to resolve this ongoing incident in a controlled way.
“The road closure and cordons remain in place but residents are still free to come and go as and when they need to with police support.
“We would once again like to thank the local community for their patience and understanding.”
An earlier report from Sussex police confirmed armed officers were at the scene as negotations continued.
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COUNTY UPDATE: Armed siege enters second night


Police are preparing for a second night of discussions with an armed pensioner holed up in a house.


A disposable barbecue may have started a fire that temporarily closed a Sussex rubbish tip last week.
The incident happened last Friday evening (August 26) at the Hop Oast site near Horsham and was thought to have started in a metal container due to a disposable BBQ igniting material on a camping chair.
After using disposable barbecues, residents are being advised to not throw away the charcoal until it is completely cool.
David Barling, West Sussex County Council’s cabinet member for residents’ Services, said: “Thankfully this fire was contained, disruption to normal services was minimal and on this occasion no-one was hurt.
“This incident serves as a reminder to take care when using disposable BBQs.
“Always make sure the charcoal is completely cool before disposing of it, which might take several hours. It is not worth the risk.”
West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service declared the Horsham Household Waste Recycling Site safe to the public later on Friday evening.
Mr Barling added: “If you have any doubts about safely disposing your barbecue you can speak with a member of staff at your local Household Waste Recycling Site.”
For more information on the safe disposal of barbecues visit www.recycleforwestsusex.org
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COUNTY NEWS: Disposable barbecue warning after rubbish tip fire


A disposable barbecue may have started a fire that temporarily closed a Sussex rubbish tip last week.


A coastguard helicopter has been spotted circling above Camber Sands days after five men lost their lives on the beach.
It follows reports that a swimmer has been reported missing.
The Royal National Lifeboat Association has been contacted for more information.
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COUNTY NEWS: Coastguard helicopter circling above Camber Sands


A coastguard helicopter has been spotted circling above Camber Sands days after five men lost their lives on the beach.


Search comes after RNLI provided lifeguards to patrol beach over Bank Holiday weekend
Member of the public sounded alarm after seeing abandoned pair of flip flops
Police have confirmed they are looking for a missing swimmer at Camber Sands – days after five men lost their lives at the beach.
A coastguard helicopter is circling above Camber Sands, and a spokesperson for the RNLI confirmed they had lifeboats at the scene.
Sussex Police said they were called to the scene after a member of the public contacted them and the coastguard at Camber Sands after seeing an abandoned pair of flip flops next to the sea and a female diving into the water at this location.
A spokesperson added: “Officers at the scene are doing coastal checks to see if there are any persons swimming having difficulty”.
An RNLI spokesperson said the search for the ‘potentially missing swimmer’ was being co-ordinated by Sussex Police and the coastguard, and that their lifeguards were keeping watch from the beach with binoculars.
This search comes after five men lost their lives at Camber Sands last week, and the RNLI donated lifeguards to patrol the beach over the Bank Holiday weekend. Click here to read more.
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BREAKING: Search for ‘missing swimmer’ at beach days after tragedy


Police have confirmed they are looking for a missing swimmer at Camber Sands – days after five men lost their lives at the beach.


Police want to trace a man with connections in Horsham after he failed to appear in court.
Michael Newland (also known as Smith), is wanted in connection with two serious assaults at a property in Chertsey on July 26 and August 9, police have said.
The 22-year-old was due to appear at Guildford Crown Court on August 8.
Surrey Police said he has links to Addlestone, Chertsey and Horsham and is also known to frequently visit Langley and Stanwell.
Newland is described as white, of slim build around 6ft 2” tall with short brown hair.
A spokesman for Surrey Police said: “Officers are keen to locate and arrest Newland who is believed to be in the Surrey/Sussex area.
“Members of the public are advised not approach him but instead contact Surrey Police on 101 quoting reference 45160069426. Or you can use the online reporting system found at https://report.police.uk and enter the reference number in the ‘Additional information’ section.
“If you do not want to leave your name the independent charity Crimestoppers can be contacted on 0800 555 111.”
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Police want to trace a man with connections in Horsham after he failed to appear in court.


Police seek man with Horsham connections after failing to appear in court


Police are calling for information about the whereabouts of a 79-year-old man with dementia who has gone missing.
Police are concerned about the welfare of 79-year-old Geoffrey Davis from Copthorne after he did not return home yesterday.
We are concerned about Geoffrey because he has dementia and this is out of character for him Inspector Andy Sanford
Mr Davis was last seen leaving his address in Pembley Green yesterday at 6.15pm to go for his usual half-hour walk, from which he did not return. Police believe he may have travelled to the East Grinstead area.
Police have described him as white, 5’ 10”, of medium build and bald.
They say he was last seen wearing a blue rain hat, red jacket, grey trousers and a striped shirt. He was also carrying a blue umbrella.
Inspector Andy Sanford said: “We are concerned about Geoffrey because he has dementia and this is out of character for him. Please contact us if you have any information which can help us find him and make sure he is ok.”
If you see Geoffrey or have any information about his whereabouts please email 101@sussex.pnn.police.uk or call 101 quoting serial 1461 of 28/ 08. If he is in danger or in need of urgent medical attention please call 999 immediately.
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Police appeal to find vulnerable missing pensioner


Police are calling for information about the whereabouts of a 79-year-old man with dementia who has gone missing.


Motorists from around Sussex are being advised to avoid using the M20 if travelling to Kent after a bridge collapsed.
Kent Police said that officers were called at 12.10pm today to a report of a bridge collapsing between Junction 4 and Junction 3 on the M20 London-bound.
Police said a lorry collided with a pedestrian bridge which collapsed onto the carriageway below.
Officers are in attendance along with Kent Fire and Rescue Service and South East Coast Ambulance Service.
No people are believed to be trapped in the debris, however one person is believed to have suffered injuries, not reported to be life threatening at this time, Kent Police said.
Police are treating this as a major incident and the M20 has been closed in both directions to allow this incident to be dealt with.
The scene on the M20 between Borough Green and Leybourne in Kent after a lorry hit a foot bridge and it collapsed. Picture: @emmaraphaelx / SWNS.com
Motorists are advised to avoid the area and take an alternative route.
Highways England has said that the road closure will last until at least tomorrow. For the latest updates, click here.
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The scene on the M20 between Borough Green and Leybourne in Kent after a lorry hit a foot bridge and it collapsed. Picture: @emmaraphaelx / SWNS.com
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COUNTY NEWS: Traffic chaos as bridge collapses


Motorists from around Sussex are being advised to avoid using the M20 if travelling to Kent after a bridge collapsed.


Forget the usual barbecue fare this bank holiday weekend. Impress your friends with a whole joint of lamb. It’s easier to do than you think, says Tony Staples, executive head chef of the Arora Hotel...
I much prefer to cook one joint of meat on the barbecue as it’s much easier than trying to keep an eye on lots of sausages and burgers. This spicy lamb is a family favourite producing a succulent tender meat with a slight kick – so it helps to have a cooling bowl of tzatziki to go with it.
The trick to cooking joints on the barbecue is to remove the bone, and butterfly the meat with a sharp knife. This gives a flatter joint of meat, letting it cook more evenly.
Just because it is a large piece of meat, don’t feel you can walk away while it’s cooking. Turn it every few minutes to prevent charring. Have a spray bottle of water handy in case the fat causes a flare up – but spray the coals not the meat. The longer the lamb is allowed to marinade in the spicy rub the more tender it will be, so at least 24 hours if possible. All that is needed to go with this is the tzatziki, grilled pitta breads and a green salad. If the heavens open, this joint cooks just as well in the oven, 140 oC for 45 mins.
A new summer menu is available at The Grill, Arora’s AA-rosette restaurant. Call 01293 530000. Follow us on Twitter, ‘like’ us on Facebook or visit www.gatwick.arorahotels.com.
Spicy Barbecued Shoulder of Lamb with Tzatziki
Serves 10
2kg shoulder of lamb, bone removed
For the wet rub:
1 tbs dried oregano
1 tbs cracked black pepper
2 tbs of sea salt,
1 tbs paprika
Half a bulb of garlic crushed
Zest and juice of one lemon
1 tbs of chilli flakes
4 tbs of olive oil
For the tzatziki
500g tub of Greek yogurt
3 sprigs of dill, finely chopped
3 sprigs of mint, finely chopped
Half a cucumber
Pinch of salt
Half a garlic clove crushed
2tsp of olive oil
Method
Remove the butcher’s string from the shoulder of lamb and carefully cut into the folds of meat, not all the way through, and open out to create a flatter joint.
Or ask your butcher to butterfly it for you.
Mix all the wet rub ingredients together and spread over both sides of the meat, working in with your hands. Place on a tray, cover with cling film and leave in the fridge to marinade for 24 hours.
When ready to cook, wait until the barbecue coals have gone white (or turn the gas barbecue down to low) and raise the grill has high as it can go.
Place the lamb on and cook for 45 mins in total, turning every few minutes.
To make the tzatziki – cut the cucumber in half lengthways and scoop out the seeds. Dice finely and place in a clean tea towel to squeeze out the moisture.
Stir the cucumber into the yogurt with the herbs, salt, garlic and olive oil. Serve with slices of the barbecued lamb and some grilled pitta breads.
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TONY STAPLES: Go large on the barbecue with spicy lamb this bank holiday


Forget the usual barbecue fare this bank holiday weekend. Impress your friends with a whole joint of lamb. It’s easier to do than you think, says Tony Staples, executive head chef of the Arora Hotel...


Sussex motorists who are travelling to Kent are being told the M20 motorway will be shut until at least this evening.
Highways England issued a statement saying that the M20 is closed between junctions one and four, and ‘is likely to remain closed until at approximately 6pm’.
The collision on the M20 is causing problems for anyone driving to Kent. Picture: Eddie Mitchell
The closure comes after a lorry struck a footbridge in Kent yesterday, causing it to collapse. Read more here.
Highways England said that diversions are also in place and it is likely the M26 which links the M25 to the M20 will also remain closed until the incident is cleared.
The diversion for the M20 is via the A2 or M2 using the A229 and A228, and the diversion for the M26, closed at M25 junction five, is to use the M25 junction two and then travel on the A2 or M2.
Highways England south east operations manager Gary Coleman said everything was being done to reopen the motorway again, but safety had to come first both for workers and drivers.
The collision on the M20 is causing problems for anyone driving to Kent. Picture: Eddie Mitchell
“We are facing a real challenge to lift two HGVs and a motorbike clear of the scene and deal with all of the rubble from the collapsed bridge strewn across both carriageways. “There is also the issue of the remaining part of the footbridge, which is still in place over the coast-bound side of the motorway. We have crews on scene ready to take action as soon as the police have completed their investigation. We also have cranes en route and lighting so work can continue through the night.
“We are doing everything we can to safely reopen the motorway, but we’d ask drivers to please bear with us as this is a complex operation and it will take time and skill to complete. We’ll keep everyone updated.”
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TRAFFIC UPDATE: Motorway closed until ‘this evening’


Sussex motorists who are travelling to Kent are being told the M20 motorway will be shut until at least this evening.


The Hawth in Crawley is always looking for new ways to get young people involved in events, shows, clubs and classes.
This coming season is no exception with September offering children the chance to audition for Peter Pan on Sunday, September 11.
Now The Hawth Youth Theatre, in partnership with the world-famous Russian State Opera, is looking for boys and girls to star in their world-class production of Carmen, at the Crawley venue.
Featuring an impressive cast of professional opera singers and a live orchestra with more than 30 musicians, this is a fantastic opportunity for boys and girls aged 10-13 years old to gain stage experience and perform in front of a sell-out live audience.
The auditions will be held in The Hawth’s new arts space, The Loft, on Friday, September 2, from 4pm-6pm.
Those selected will be required to commit to the rehearsal dates: Friday, September 16, and Friday, September 30 (4pm-6pm).
They must also be available for the performance on Friday, October 7 (4.30pm-9.30pm).
If a one-off performance isn’t enough and you love performing why not join The Hawth’s weekly Youth Theatre?
Each term The Youth Theatre (THYT for short) rehearse a show for performance on one of The Hawth’s professional stages.
From classical to new plays, THYT perform it all and even find time to create their own.
So if you love acting and want to be in the spotlight, this could be the youth theatre for you.
The Youth Theatre meet at the following times:
l Junior Company (11-14 years, key stage 3), Mondays 5pm-7pm and/or Thursdays 5pm-7pm.
l Senior Company (14-18 years, key stages 4 and 5) Thursdays, 7.15pm-9.15pm.
On Monday, September 5, and Thursday, September 8, there will be free taster sessions for anyone who is thinking of joining.
Being part of THYT also gives members opportunities to appear alongside professional companies performing at The Hawth and you can take advantage of discounted tickets to see selected shows.
To find out more contact hawthyt@parkwoodtheatres.co.uk.
Visit www.hawth.co.uk to see what else is on at the venue.
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Boys and girls get chance to star in world-class opera at The Hawth


The Hawth in Crawley is always looking for new ways to get young people involved in events, shows, clubs and classes.


Scottish alt blues singer Dave Arcari follows up the release of his latest EP Hellbound Train with a live show at Brighton’s Komedia on Thursday, September 22.
Released on Buzz Records, the EP features three new tracks from Dave plus a version of Son House’s classic Pearline.
Other than the release of McPherson’s Lament as a digital single to mark Burns’ Day earlier in the year, this is Arcari’s first release in three years – and pre-empts a full-length album Givers & Takers which is scheduled for release in early 2017.
“I’ve been working on a whole bunch of new songs for a while,” says Dave. “But despite plans to record and release them long before now, things have been so busy on the road there just hasn’t been time – not that I can complain about that!”
After his Brighton visit Arcari plays the Beaufort Theatre, Ebbw Vale (Saturday, September 24) and Balmaha’s Braw Weekend festival (Saturday, October 1) on the shores of Loch Lomond before heading across the Atlantic for a five-week USA tour through October and into November.
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Arcari offers Brighton gig ahead of album


Scottish alt blues singer Dave Arcari follows up the release of his latest EP Hellbound Train with a live show at Brighton’s Komedia on Thursday, September 22.


It was a sunny day in all respects, as Burgess Hill Girls celebrates another excellent set of GCSE results, maintaining its consistent record of over 30% of all entries gaining A* grades, with 65% A*/A and well over half the girls getting seven or more A* or A grades apiece.
Special congratulations were given to the following eight girls who gained straight A*/A grades: Eleanor Reffin from Isfield, Elizabeth Geraghty from Crawley Down, Anna Morgan from East Grinstead, Felicia Preen from Lindfield, Florence Merrett from Bolney, Phoebe Kinsman from Ardingly and international boarder Verna Wang.
A statement from the school said: “The outstanding results across STEM subjects (sciences, technology and mathematics) demonstrate the school’s growing record of success in this area, confirming the national picture that an all-girls environment delivers the strongest STEM results. 71% of all entries in STEM subjects were A*/A with the figure rising to 91% A*-B. A third of the pupils in the year group sat the more-demanding Certificate in Further Mathematics (in addition to GCSE Mathematics) gaining 11 A* or A grades. Five girls achieved much-prized distinctions in their Certificate in Further Mathematics – Eleanor Reffin, Verna Wang, Doris Chan, Coco Xia and Michelle Zeng – placing them amongst the strongest mathematicians in the country.
“Girls achieved superb results in every other academic subject too. 89% of all those entered for Fine Art gained A*/A grades. All girls studying German, Latin and Greek achieved A*/A grades. Over 75% of girls who sat exams in History, Drama and Philosophy and Ethics gained A*/A grades.
“Outstanding student of the year must go to Eleanor Reffin, who not only achieved 10 A * grades but is also a highly decorated horsewoman, representing the school in the equestrian team. In addition, Eleanor has won awards for debating and public speaking, performed in the school musical Les Misérables, and even taken a turn on the catwalk in the end of year fashion show: a true Burgess Hill Girl.”
Mrs Kathryn Bell, Head, stated how exceptionally proud she was of all the girls in the year group and how they should warmly celebrate these fantastic results,
“These results illustrate academic success goes hand in hand with an exciting and fulfilling extra-curricular, full of demanding activity, brilliance in creativity, performing arts and sport, and where life is lived adventurously. All girls achieve in this single-sex school and this demands recognition. The girls thoroughly deserve the accolades received on attaining these fabulous results!”
She added that: “GCSEs are demanding examinations, therefore it is particularly pleasing to see the strength of the girls’ success in core subjects including English, Mathematics, Science, Languages and the Humanities that provide them with the best possible platform on which to build their futures, whatever their passion or skill.
“Results day is a very special day for our school as it is a time when we can all come
together as a community to congratulate every member of Year 11 for not only what they have gained by being at the school but also for what they have given back.
“Individually our girls are superb, collectively they are brilliant! They and their teachers are to be heartily congratulated on a job well done.”
Searching for the right school in Sussex for your child? - Visit educationsussex.com for authoritative reviews and so much more.

Success in the sunshine - Burgess Hill Girls celebrate top GCSE results


It was a sunny day in all respects, as Burgess Hill Girls celebrates another excellent set of GCSE results, maintaining its consistent record of over 30% of all entries gaining A* grades, with 65% A*/A and well over half the girls getting seven or more A* or A grades apiece.


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This weekend, musical performances in a variety of styles will grace stages across the borough.
Tonight at 7:30 p.m., Flushing Town Hall hosts Toshi Reagon and her band BIGLovely. Singer-songwriter-guitarist Reagon has long moved audiences with her big-hearted, hold-nothing-back approach to rock, blues, R&B, country, folk, spirituals and funk. Her concert promises to celebrate all that’s dynamic, progressive and uplifting in American music. For more information, call (718) 463-7700 x 222 or go to www.flush ingto wnhal l.org
City Councilman Ruben Wills (D-Jamaica) and NYC Parks are bringing several big events to Jamaica on Saturday and Sunday.
From noon until 4 p.m. Saturday, District 28 Day 2016 will offer food and the sounds of a live DJ at the 150th Street extension between 130th and 133rd avenues. Then from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. the Southern Queens “Classic” Hip-Hop and Reggae Fest will feature the man known as the “Clown Prince of Hip-Hop,” Biz Markie. DJ Norie, Nice & Smooth are also among the acts that will appear.
On Sunday, at Sutphin and Rockaway boulevards, the sound of gospel music will fill the air as the Gospel Fest gets under way. Starting at 4 p.m. and running until 7 p.m., the event, hosted by Liz Black, boasts a stellar list of performers that includes Carol Maraj, Dave James, Robin Campos, Rayon Brandt, Jah Pierce, Perth and more). For more information, call (718) 206-2068
Updated 4:32 pm, August 19, 2016
©2016 Community News Group


This weekend, musical performances in a variety of styles will grace stages across the borough.


August 19, 2016 / News / Government / Sunnyside Van Bramer angered by mayor’s tone on Sunnyside project TimesLedger Newspapers
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A sudden rift has developed between Mayor Bill de Blasio and a key ally, City Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer (D-Sunnyside), the majority leader of the City Council, which has unanimously voted down a project in upper Manhattan that would have delivered 67 affordable apartments to Inwood section.
During an unrelated press event in the Bronx Thursday, de Blasio said without the necessary rezoning, there is no requirement for the developer to build affordable units on the Inwood site.
“So this one makes no sense to me,” de Blasio said. “I’m going to be very straight up with people in this community and every other community: Don’t cut off your nose to spite your face.”
And then the mayor turned the spotlight onto Van Bramer, who will hold sway over the final decision on the controversial Phipps Houses project that would deliver 209-units of 100 percent mixed income affordable housing just outside the Sunnyside Gardens historic district. Van Bramer, who has the power to determine the fate of the project as the area’s representative in the Council, renewed his opposition to the proposal after the City Planning Commission approved it by a vote of 12-0 Aug. 10. City Planning’s blessing was expected due to support from the mayor and the Department of Housing Preservation and Development Commissioner Vicki Been.
“This project now comes before the City Council where I will oppose it, vote against it and encourage my colleagues to do the same,” Van Bramer said. The Council rejected the upper Manhattan proposal Tuesday following the lead of Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez (D-Manhattan), another key ally of the mayor.
It was the first test case of de Blasio’s newly passed Mandatory Inclusionary Housing policy, which requires affordable units when a project benefits from rezoning. The Phipps Houses project will be the next test case of those rules.
“I am going to have a polite but firm conversation with the councilman, who I know very well and respect greatly,” de Blasio said Thursday. Van Bramer returned fire through social media, immediately tweeting “and he will be met with a polite and firmer response.”
In articles published Friday morning, Van Bramer went ballistic.
“I don’t work for the mayor. And I do not appreciate the tone that I will be spoken to in a firm manner,” Van Bramer told the Wall Street Journal. “I suppose if I disappointed my husband or my father, I might get that reaction, but you know, I am fighting for my community.”
When Van Bramer, a resident of Sunnyside Gardens, first rejected the Phipps House plan in the spring, he said he got more feedback from residents and neighbors that on any other issue in his 6 1/2 years on the City Council.
“I have gone back and forth for over a year, listened to my constituents,” Van Bramer told Politico New York. “He can be firm if he’d like, but I will be equally firm if not more so at this point in defending my position and the position of the vast majority of people in my community. The only people that I work for are the people of the 26th District, and I might add the mayor also works for them.”
Van Bramer said he and the mayor have not had one conversation about the project.
“If the mayor wishes to have a polite conversation about his arguments in support of the Phipps development and my reasons for being opposed, he has my phone number,” Van Bramer said Friday morning. “I gladly await his call.”
Reach reporter Bill Parry by e-mail at bparr y@cng local.com or by phone at (718) 260–4538.
Updated 3:04 pm, August 20, 2016
©2016 Community News Group


A sudden rift has developed between Mayor Bill de Blasio and a key ally, City Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer (D-Sunnyside), the majority leader of the City Council, which has unanimously voted down a project in upper Manhattan that would have delivered 67 affordable apartments to Inwood section.


Van Bramer angered by mayor’s tone on Sunnyside project


August 19, 2016 / News / Government / Astoria Cuomo moves to replace 421-a tax credit TimesLedger Newspapers
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There may be hope for two residential mega-projects in Astoria.
Hallets Points, which was scaled back to just one building, and Astoria Cove, which was shelved entirely by its developer, may be back in play as Gov. Andrew Cuomo searches for an alternative property-tax plan. Such developments have ground to a halt across the state since the 421-a tax exemption program, which provided tax abatements to residential developers in exchange for a higher number of below-market-rate apartments, expired in January and Albany lawmakers have been unable to replace it.
The New York Times reported this week that Cuomo “has offered developers and union officials a wage subsidy for construction workers in the hopes of reviving” 421-a. His proposal went to developers Tuesday night as a single-page memo after two weeks of secret negotiations between the governor’s office and the leaders of the Real Estate Board of New York and the Building and Construction Trades Council, the paper said.
Neither The Durst Organization, the developers of the 2,400 unit Hallets Point, nor John Mavroudis, the developer of the 1,723-unit Astoria Cove project, would comment.
Mayor Bill de Blasio, who is depending on 421-a or a replacement as an important piece of his affordable housing plan, is pleased to see talks under way and would support a replacement program as long as it does not cost the city’s housing plan.
“As we’ve said all along, you break it, you fix it,” de Blasio spokesman Austin Finan said. “We look forward to Albany delivering a workable plan that will thaw the rental construction freeze and help deliver the affordable housing New York City needs. We’re pleased this proposal would lock in reforms we secured in 2015 that require increased affordable housing and prevent luxury condos from getting tax breaks.”
Cuomo needs to have a tax program in place to move forward on his own $2 billion affordable housing project.
“Affordable housing is a key priority for the state and we continue to work to reach an agreement on a successor program to 421-a,” Cuomo spokeswoman Dani Lever said. “It is clear through ongoing discussions with REBNY and the labor unions that the city’s original proposal does not provide the economics that would allow for union labor and that is unacceptable to the governor and Legislature. We are working on and considering new and various proposals with all stakeholders, but at this point there is no agreement on anything.”
Reach reporter Bill Parry by e-mail at bparr y@cng local.com or by phone at (718) 260–4538.
Updated 3:40 pm, August 19, 2016
©2016 Community News Group


There may be hope for two residential mega-projects in Astoria.


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A thief who held up a Rite Aid Pharmacy in Auburndale while allegedly brandishing a firearm fled on foot with $25,000 Sunday morning, NYPD said.
The manager of the store at 27-07 Francis Lewis Blvd. told police she was followed into the pharmacy at about 7:30 a.m. The man grabbed her with one arm and pressed a hard object against the victim’s back. He demanded that she open both safes, one under the register and another in the manager’s office.
According to police, when the victim asked what was being pressed against her back, she was told it was a firearm, although she never saw the weapon.
Officers from the 109th Precinct responded to the scene and the victim declined medical attention.
NYPD said the suspect was wearing a white mask but did not have on gloves.
Reach reporter Mark Hallum by e-mail at mhall um@cn gloca l.com or by phone at (718) 260–4564.
Posted 11:40 am, August 22, 2016
©2016 Community News Group

Thief robs $25K from pharmacy in Auburndale: cops


A thief who held up a Rite Aid Pharmacy in Auburndale while allegedly brandishing a firearm fled on foot with $25,000 Sunday morning, NYPD said.


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An elderly Fresh Meadows man has been charged in the murder of his live-in girlfriend, the Queens district attorney said Wednesday.
Chitwah Tse, 73, allegedly bludgeoned his girlfriend, Huizhen Zhan, 63, in their basement apartment in Pomonok July 31 and when officers were looking at him as a suspect, he attempted to commit suicide by jumping off a balcony in Tribeca, according to DA Richard Brown.
“The defendant is accused of fatally bludgeoning the woman with whom he shared an apartment and a life together and then fleeing the scene without telling anyone what he had done until many hours after,” Brown said. “He now faces serious charges that could lead to him spending the rest of his life behind bars if convicted.”
Zhan’s body was discovered Aug. 1 at about 7:15 p.m. by police inside her basement apartment, the DA said. Tse and Zhan shared a two- bedroom basement apartment on 65th Avenue with a third person.
On July 31 Zhan spoke to a friend and asked that they call her back at 5:30 a.m. the next day so she could wake up and go to Westchester, the DA said. The same day sometime after midnight their roommate allegedly heard loud banging coming from the rear bedroom shared by Tse and Zhan, the DA said.
The following morning on Aug. 1 at 5:28 a.m. Zhan’s friend called and Tse told the friend “We are awake, Goodbye” without Zhan speaking on the phone.
Later on at 9:15 a.m. the roommate saw Tse talk on the phone before leaving the apartment, the DA said. At 6 p.m. in Chinatown, Tse met with two relatives and said, “I’m sorry for all I have done, I don’t know if I’ll ever see you again,”according to DA Brown.
At 7:15 p.m. a lawyer, Garo Kapikian, called the 107th Precinct and told police a new client, Tse, walked into his office earlier in the afternoon and informed him there was a corpse in his basement apartment, the DA said. Officers responded to the Pomonok address and entered through the front door where there was no sign of forced entry and both doors to the bedrooms were locked.
When police broke down both bedroom doors they observed Zhan’s body lying on a bed in the rear bedroom, the DA said. Her body was covered with a sheet that was soaked in blood, there was also blood on the walls and ceiling and broken glass on the bed, the DA said. When officers removed the sheets they discovered deep lacerations on Zhan’s body, Brown said. Her cellphone was discovered on her bedside table, and police found blood in the adjoining bathroom’s shower stall and toilet, DA Brown said.
Zhan’s death was ruled a homicide due to blunt force trauma by the chief medical examiner Aug. 2
The following day on Aug. 3 at 2 p.m. the NYPD Hostage Negotiation Team went to the Manhattan law offices of Kapikian after Tse climbed over a balcony railing and then an I-beam on the adjoining balcony railing on the 22nd floor and threatened to jump, DA Brown said. Tse refused to leave the I-beam until after 6 p.m. when the Hostage Negotiation Team was able to grab him, the DA said. When police observed Tse he appeared to have scratches and lacerations on his fingers, hands and chest, and was sent to Bellevue Hospital, according to the DA.
Tse is currently being held without bail and will return to court on Sept. 27
Reach Gina Martinez by e-mail at gmart inez@ cnglo cal.com or by phone at (718) 260–4566.
Updated 4:14 pm, August 25, 2016
©2016 Community News Group

73 year-old Pomonok man charged with murder of live-in girlfriend


An elderly Fresh Meadows man has been charged in the murder of his live-in girlfriend, the Queens district attorney said Wednesday.


August 25, 2016 / News / Government / Sunnyside Sunnyside backs Van Bramer in rift with mayor TimesLedger Newspapers
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More than a week has passed since Mayor Bill de Blasio said he would have a “polite but firm conversation” with City Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer (D-Sunnyside) over his position on a City Hall-backed affordable housing plan in his district. While Van Bramer is still waiting for that phone call from the mayor, who is currently on a family vacation in New England, he has heard plenty of support from his constituents after he took umbrage with de Blasio’s tone.
“I went to Donovan’s 50th anniversary on Saturday and as I walked from my place I got stopped several times along the way,” Van Bramer said of his stroll from Sunnyside Gardens to the popular Irish pub in Woodside. “Outside of The Globe, Aubergine’s, The Copper Kettle and at Donovan’s there were people thanking me all the way up Skillman Avenue.”
The rift between the mayor and Van Bramer began last week after the City Council unanimously voted down an affordable project in Upper Manhattan. It was the first test of his Mandatory Inclusionary Housing policy, which requires affordable units when a project benefits from rezoning. During an unrelated press event in the Bronx Aug. 18, a frustrated mayor reacted to the project’s defeat.
“This one makes no sense to me,” de Blasio said. “I’m going to be very straight up with people in this community and every other community: Don’t cut off your nose to spite your face.”
And then the mayor turned the spotlight onto Van Bramer, who will hold sway over the Council’s decision on the controversial Phipps Houses project that would deliver a 10-story building with 209-units of 100 percent mixed- income affordable housing just outside the Sunnyside Gardens historic district. Van Bramer, who has the power to determine the fate of the project as the area’s representative in the Council, renewed his opposition to the proposal, because of its height and loss of parking spaces, after the City Planning Commission approved it Aug. 10.
“This project now comes before the City Council where I will oppose it, vote against it and encourage my colleagues to do the same,” Van Bramer said.
At last week’s Bronx press event, de Blasio said: “I am going to have a polite but firm conversation with the councilman, who I know very well and respect greatly.”
Van Bramer returned fire through social media, immediately tweeting “and he will be met with a polite and firmer response.”
In articles published Friday morning, Van Bramer went ballistic.
“I don’t work for the mayor. And I do not appreciate the tone that I will be spoken to in a firm manner,” Van Bramer told the Wall Street Journal. “I suppose if I disappointed my husband or my father, I might get that reaction, but you know, I am fighting for my community.”
When Van Bramer, a resident of Sunnyside Gardens, first rejected the Phipps House plan in the spring, he said he got more feedback from residents and neighbors that on any other issue in his 6 1/2 years on the City Council.
“I have gone back and forth for over a year, listened to my constituents,” Van Bramer told Politico New York. “He can be firm if he’d like, but I will be equally firm if not more so at this point in defending my position and the position of the vast majority of people in my community. The only people that I work for are the people of the 26th District, and I might add the mayor also works for them.”
“If the mayor wishes to have a polite conversation about his arguments in support of the Phipps development and my reasons for being opposed, he has my phone number,” Van Bramer said last Friday morning. “I gladly await his call.”
Van Bramer said Monday he and the mayor still had not had one conversation about the project.
Residents in Sunnyside and Woodside applauded Van Bramer’s opposition to the project and his stand against the mayor’s comment.
“I was quite proud that Jimmy Van Bramer stood up to de Blasio’s bully tactics,” Kevin Leddy, a Sunnyside Gardens homeowner since 1990, said. “He’s got my vote going forward.”
Keith Carter, a 26-year veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps and a resident of Sunnyside since 1993, is against the Phipps project because it would bring more riders to the No. 7 subway line, which is already operating at capacity. The extra population would further stress the 52nd Street station which is considered to be one of the worst in the borough.
“I like it. It tells me he’s not above the people, he’s for the people,” Carter said. “He’s clearly working for us and that’s a great attitude to have. I’d say de Blasio is a flawed leader who could use some professional leadership training.”
Carter’s friend, Kevin Butler, a veteran of the Vietnam War, who has lived in the neighborhood for 62 years, is adamantly opposed to the Phipps Houses plan.
“I think the mayor is a bum and I don’t like Van Bramer but I’m with him on this one,” he said. “I think that development would lower the whole community financially and every other way. It’s not a good thing for all of Woodside and Sunnyside.”
Van Bramer said he has no problem with de Blasio disagreeing with him but he will not be disrespected and the Council’s vote on the Phipps Houses project could not come soon enough, for him.
“It could happen as early as next month,” he said. “I would like to vote as soon as possible and get it done.”
Reach reporter Bill Parry by e-mail at bparr y@cng local.com or by phone at (718) 260–4538.
Posted 12:00 am, August 25, 2016
©2016 Community News Group


More than a week has passed since Mayor Bill de Blasio said he would have a “polite but firm conversation” with City Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer (D-Sunnyside) over his position on a City Hall-backed affordable housing plan in his district. While Van Bramer is still waiting for that phone call from the mayor, who is currently on a family vacation in New England, he has heard plenty of support from his constituents after he took umbrage with de Blasio’s tone.


Sunnyside backs Van Bramer in rift with mayor


August 25, 2016 / News / Real Estate Amtrak raises rent 100,000 % for tenants below Hell Gate Bridge right-of-way TimesLedger Newspapers
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The Paratore family — Anthony, Michael, Mary and Rose — were born and raised in the single-family home their grandfather leased from Amtrak at 22-38 23rd St. in Astoria, below the right-of-way leading to the Hell Gate Bridge, in 1946. Since then the rent has not been raised since 1973. This all changed in early August when the Paratores and other residents received a letter from Amtrak informing the tenants their rent would be increased by as much as 100,000 percent starting in September.
U.S. Rep. Joseph Crowley (D-Jackson Heights), state Assemblywoman Aravella Simotas (D-Astoria) and Councilman Costa Constantinides (D-Astoria) held a press conference in front of the Paratore home Thursday to give them and neighbor Loretta Csikortis, 22-52 23rd St., the chance to speak about their family history beneath the railroad tracks and the decades of care put into their homes. According to Anthony Paratore, his grandfather who leased the home following his service in World War II went through the trouble of planting a fig tree in the back yard which his grandchildren still enjoy, a sign of intended permanence.
For the Paratore family, rent was $25 per year. Now Amtrak plans to have it raised to $26,560 per year, which translates into $2,213 a month. Csikortis, who also lives in the home where she was born, said her rent is going up from $50 per year to $40,000 per year.
Under the lease agreements signed with Amtrak, the tenants in the single-family houses are responsible for the upkeep of the property in return for rent at a nominal fee.
“These are the kinds of tactics we expect from slumlords, not from Amtrak. The truth is Amtrak is railroading hardworking families into renewing a lease with an unprecedented and obscene rent increase, and that’s just not right,” Crowley said. “These homeowners are doing the job that Amtrak has a lousy track record of doing – maintaining their property. Amtrak claims the premises are substantially undervalued, but what’s clear is that the longstanding members of our community are the ones who are truly undervalued in this situation.”
The congressman urged Amtrak to “not just be a better landlord, but to be a better neighbor and treat our homeowners reasonably and respectfully.”
Crowley said the rent hikes do not just apply to the Paratores or Csikortis, but are a problem facing Amtrak tenants all along the corridor under the shade of the railroad tracks.
Reach reporter Mark Hallum by e-mail at mhall um@cn gloca l.com or by phone at (718) 260–4564.
Updated 3:57 pm, August 25, 2016
©2016 Community News Group


The Paratore family — Anthony, Michael, Mary and Rose — were born and raised in the single-family home their grandfather leased from Amtrak at 22-38 23rd St. in Astoria, below the right-of-way leading to the Hell Gate Bridge, in 1946. Since then the rent has not been raised since 1973. This all changed in early August when the Paratores and other residents received a letter from Amtrak informing the tenants their rent would be increased by as much as 100,000 percent starting in September.


Amtrak raises rent 100,000 % for tenants below Hell Gate Bridge right-of-way


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To: Loretta Lynch, attorney general of the United States; Preet Bahara, U.S. attorney for the Southern District
In light of the Department of Justice’s recent amicus brief in Walker v. City of Calhoun arguing for the unconstitutionality of bail systems that insufficiently consider both a defendant’s indigence and alternative methods of assuring appearance at trial, I am writing to request that DOJ investigate the bail system in New York City, where thousands of low-level indigent defendants spend time on Rikers Island for being unable to make bail of $1,000 or less.
Rikers Island is populated primarily by poor people being punished for their poverty. Or, as former New York Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman stated last year, “Far too many people are trapped in pretrial detention simply because they are poor.”
In 2015 my committee led a hearing on the state of bail in New York City, featuring testimony from stakeholders across the criminal justice system. The numbers adduced were shocking. According to data provided by the New York City Department of Corrections, approximately 53 percent of all inmates incarcerated on Rikers Island were detained because of an inability to post bail. Pretrial detention statistics for low-level defendants are particularly striking. The New York City Criminal Justice Agency reports that in 2014, 85 percent of non-felony defendants — more than 6,000 people — were unable to make bail of $500 or less at arraignment and 46 percent of these defendants never made bail prior to final disposition of their case.
Then there’s race. A Vera Institute of Justice study of Manhattan Criminal Court found black and Latino defendants more likely than white defendants to be detained at arraignment for having bail set that they could not meet, and a Human Rights Watch study found that black and Latino defendants comprise 89 percent of pretrial detainees held on bail of $1,000 or less.
These numbers reflect numerous institutional failures, including:
1) the near universal failure of participants in the arraignment process to ensure (a) consideration of a defendant’s “employment and financial resources” as required by New York law and (b) utilization of any of the seven allowed five alternative forms of bail other than cash and commercial bond;
2) the city’s failure to make paying bail less onerous for the poor, so that (a) defendants aren’t rushed to Rikers Island before a family member can appear and pay bail, and (b) payments for those on Rikers Island can be made online without family members trekking to a city jail for a process that takes hours.
These failures mirror many of the concerns outlined by DOJ’s brief in Walker. Specifically, New York City reflects “a bail system that incarcerates indigent individuals without meaningful consideration of their indigence and alternative methods of assuring their appearance at trial.”
As such, I respectfully request that DOJ conduct an investigation to determine whether bail and pretrial detention practices as applied to indigent defendants here in New York City violate the constitution, and if so to take such action as is necessary to effect remedial measures.
Rory I. Lancman
City Councilman
Fresh Meadows
Posted 12:00 am, August 26, 2016
©2016 Community News Group

City bail practices disciminate against the poor


In light of the Department of Justice’s recent amicus brief in Walker v. City of Calhoun arguing for the unconstitutionality of bail systems that insufficiently consider both a defendant’s indigence and alternative methods of assuring appearance at trial, I am writing to request that DOJ investigate the bail system in New York City, where thousands of low-level indigent defendants spend time on Rikers Island for being unable to make bail of $1,000 or l


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The stepmother of a nine-year-old girl who was found dead at her home in Richmond Hill has been charged with second degree murder, according to the NYPD.
Shamdai Arjun was originally being questioned as a “person of interest” after police responded to a 911 call at 95-50 112th St. on Friday at about 6 p.m. Police discovered Ashdeep Kaur unconscious and unresponsive in the first floor bathroom of the building. EMS responded and pronounced the young child dead at the scene.
According to police sources, the cause of death was strangulation.
Reach reporter Patrick Donachie by e-mail at pdona chie@ cnglo cal.com or by phone at (718) 260–4573.
Posted 5:22 pm, August 20, 2016
©2016 Community News Group

Stepmother charged with Richmond Hill murder


The stepmother of a nine-year-old girl who was found dead at her home in Richmond Hill has been charged with second degree murder, according to the NYPD.