It's really great that the Brighton Festival is on again so I can look through the brochure and pick one show to go to.

For all the Londoners and affluent people who have moved here it's a great time to socialise but the majority of residents, who can just about pay their now extortionate council tax bills, can't afford to go to see a show - especially if they want to take their kids.

There are no discounts on most shows for children and no late sales at the door for performances.

Brighton has lost its uniqueness and freedom of expression - as shown by the council evicting artist Declan O'Reilly from his own beach hut (The Argus, April 23) - and is full of wannabe artists and people who want to be seen to be cultured.

Brighton is elitist and egotistical - so much so that the carnival's chief executive thinks he should be paid ten times more than the average wage to run this city when we are still left with overflowing bins, badly run schools and run-down council houses.

Brighton used to be "right on" but we even have poor animals still performing in circuses. Only a few years ago people cared about things and masses demonstrated against live exports.

The only thing the new Brighton yuppies care about now is what type of kitchen or tile to put in their trendy new loft conversion - that and picking on the seagulls for ruining the precious grass.

If you don't like seagulls, don't live by the sea - they were here first.

-Clare Gath, Brighton