I am appalled to read of Councillor Jason Kitcat’s decision to demolish such a historic building as the old police station in St Andrew’s Road, Portslade (The Argus, March 22).

I was a young police officer posted to Hove police station (now sold) in Holland Road in 1966. Now the police station is reduced to a poky old room at Hove Town Hall.

We used to rotate the beats of Hove and Portslade. When it was your turn to cover the beats west of Hove Street and Sackville Road, you were moved to operate out of the St Andrew’s Road police station.

Although it was not opened as a functioning police station, it was manned and used as a police box with an outside telephone for the public to use.

I have photographs of the inside unchanged from when it was built, with white-tiled cells, decontamination showers to be used in case of nuclear explosion during the Cold War, and a boiler with instructions dated 1940. Above the main door you can still see the carved lettering of ESCC (East Sussex County Constabulary).

The building holds a lot of memories of laughter and tears of all the people who worked there over the years.

This is a historic building and is part of Portslade’s history, just like the air raid shelters at St Peter’s School. It should be classed as a listed building.

I appeal to you Jason to change your mind.

John Packham, Applesham Avenue, Hove

I am not surprised there is fury over the demolition of Portslade police station. I am Portslade born and bred and proud of it. I always think of myself as a Portslade person, although I have lived behind Portslade Station for 50 years.

The police station was always a place to be aware of in my youth. Inspector Hunt was in charge in those days and later I acquired a son-in-law who worked for Sussex Police who has memories of it. Surely the history of it is worth keeping.

Jason Kitcat only thinks of Brighton. I wonder if he has even visited Portslade?

I am sure people like the late Councillor Harry Parker and my late uncle Bob Martin who served on Portslade Urban District Council are turning in their graves.

Mrs Jean Cranfield, Hallyburton Road, Hove