A NETWORKING EVENT

Call me old fashioned if you will but I do believe parties were much better 30 years ago. I received an invitation to a networking event held yesterday at the i360 for those who renewed membership to Brighton and Hove Albion’s 1901 club. The 1901 club has various levels of membership. I am in the platinum club. I believe there are over 3000 members in all. The invitation was received by email and had to be downloaded. This created a problem for me and why assume every one has printer too? I succeeded eventually in printing off the invite. I miss the old copperplate invitation monte mantelpiece . I duly arrived at 6-30 to find a mass of the guests, none of whom I recognized, waiting to get into the  restaurant area. The only person I did know was Chris Hughton who typically was assisting a semi-disabled person down the steps. I congratulated him on his daughter’s marriage that took place in Rome last weekend. Then I was back on my own. Again a few years ago there would have been a host or hostess but I was not alone in milling around the hospitality area in the hope of recognizing someone. The attraction was the ride up the watchtower but I had already done this twice. I suppose I prefer smaller more intimate gatherings. I accept these invitations but, as often as not, leave wishing I had not.

The city centre of Brighton is a dirty, unwelcome and forbidding place. Having time to kill after seeing Alan Ayckbourn Relatively Speaking (a farce based on misunderstanding) which I shall leave Tim Horsfield Smith to review, I sat at  a cafe where I was assailed by a mad woman who hissed, put a curse on me and was out of all control. The restaurant seemed disinterested that a person was abusing their customers and I left as soon as I could. On the way back from the i360, near the main taxi ranks, there was a loud altercation between a group of dossers and a single man with provocation both sides. Those who arrive at Brighton without knowing our city and the low life that inhabit its centre may well take a stroll through them by walking from the station to the sea front. The i360 cost £46m and one of the justifications was that it will improve the seafront area. Policing this to ensure this so that pedestrians feel secure might prove to be the cheaper option.