The "rival" proposal for the restoration of Brighton's West Pier, put forward by Birch Restorations, is a house of cards - little substance in reality and more in danger of collapse than the pier itself.

After what the group claims is five years of work, all it has is an outline and some unsubstantiated promises of financial support.

The design for the enabling on-shore development is so drab the architect found it necessary to propose a "high-rise" sculpture to break the monotony.

But what was more striking was the complete lack of any sense of urgency among the panel presenting the scheme at last week's public meeting.

While the pier was creaking in the wind outside, timescales not only went unmentioned but also were positively brushed aside when questions were raised from the floor.

The whole experience was surreal and left me wondering whether these are just the delaying tactics by the opposition to the West Pier Trust-St Modwen scheme, a way of putting another spoke in the wheel for what has already been a tortuous journey to put together a realistic plan for the survival of the West Pier.

It seems Save Our Seafront is not averse to deploying dirty tricks to canvas support - a point well illustrated in its message on the web site thisisbrightonandhove, where its own computer-generated image shows a gross misrepresentation of the St Modwen scheme.

So, come to your senses all you who love the West Pier. Don't be fooled there is an alternative to the plans put forward by the West Pier Trust. The only other alternative is goodbye West Pier.

-Karin Janzon, Hove Park Villas, Hove