THE COLUMN WHERE WE RESPOND TO YOUR COMPLAINTS AND OPINIONS

WE HAVE been taken to task this week over our campaign to bring the Albion to a new stadium to be built at Falmer on the outskirts of Brighton. Not only have we been accused of one-sided reporting but also some readers have been saying we should not take a stand on the issue.

Let me remind you we devoted six pages over three days last October to the football club's search for a permanent home. On Day One we investigated the realistic sites for the club. Given the pros and cons of all the contenders, Falmer seemed best, unpalatable though that is to some people. Back then we endorsed Falmer, as we have continued to do regularly in our opinion column.

On Day Two we followed up with insights into how a modern stadium could be built and financed and finally we had an interview with club boss Dick Knight about his vision for the Seagulls. Subsequently we carried a major article in which the people of Falmer protested vigorously that they did not want the football club to come and spoil their village.

It is important the Argus takes a stance on issues like this, it is part of our role as a newspaper serving the community. Of course, some people will not agree with us and we respect their views. Our promise to all our readers is that we will strive to be fair and balanced in our reporting. And we welcome your views about the issue, as we have shown already by publishing letters from readers either criticising us or demanding Albion should not be allowed to go to Falmer.

Astory about a pregnant woman who claimed at an industrial tribunal that her bosses had made her life a misery came to an abrupt halt on Saturday's front page.

It should have continued inside the paper but as several writers and callers noticed, it didn't. My apologies. The rest of the article was schemed into the paper but unfortunately the wrong printing plate was put on the press. The hearing was adjourned to a day to be arranged but we will be reporting the eventual outcome.

Iam happy to set the record straight about events at the Hikers' Rest pub in Coldean Lane, Brighton, one evening a couple of weeks ago. We reported that a fight inside the pub escalated and spilled on to the street, information that came from the police and was published in good faith.

After complaints from the pub and the disc jockey there that night I made further inquiries. In fact, there was no fighting at the pub. A heated discussion among a group of people inside continued outside. Subsequently a fight did develop but it was nothing to do with the pub.

We were many years too early with the Roman invasion of Britain in our story last week about clearance work at Hollingbury Camp, near Brighton.

In reporting that the Iron Age hill fort had not been destroyed by bulldozers we were well adrift to put the Romans there in 250BC. As retired teacher Maurice Packham from Horsham pointed out, the legions were too busy with the First Punic War to bother about an insignificant little island in the north.

The boys with the short swords did not turn up here until 55BC. Looks like lines for someone.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.