School protesters try to hit right note

The youngsters and their parents from The Children's Music Playhouse want to persuade council planners to allow the music school to stay at its premises in Circus Parade, New England Road, Brighton.

The popular music school moved into a former shop in the parade six months ago but now may have to move or close following complaints about noise from neighbours.

Councillors will consider an application for change of use of the premises at a planning meeting on Wednesday.

The playhouse, which was set up five years ago by singer and pianist Jackie Chase, hosts a range of music clubs and lessons for children aged from four months upwards, operating six days a week.

Complaints about noise forced the school to move from its previous base in Havelock Road.

Parents do not want to see it close.

The school has so far raised £390 towards the £1,350 cost of installing false ceilings at its premises in Circus Parade, which it hopes will eliminate the noise problems.

Ms Chase said: "We don't want to be a nuisance.

"We want to get along with our neighbours but we need a chance to work with people to make it work.

"We have written a campaign song which we will be singing to councillors arriving at the meeting and we hope it will persuade them there is more to this than a straight decision on noise nuisance.

"If we can't stay here we want the council to find us somewhere else we can go to."

Mother-of-two Gilly Smith sends her children for music lessons at the playhouse.

She said: "The centre is one of the only places where children can mix with real musicians - there's nowhere else like it.

"My children are encouraged not only to play instruments but to write theirown music and, through the community events the playhouse is involved with, take music out to the rest of Brighton.

"I started taking my youngest to a baby group at the playhouse when she was six months old to learn an appreciation of music.

"It will be terrible if has to close."