The column where we respond to your complaints and opinions

Brighton and Hove is the Place to Be. You will know this because we and loads of other people have been shouting it from the rooftops.

Kicking up quite a din, as we want the Queen to hear us loud and clear at Buckingham Palace. Then when she takes the historic bodkin to prick the name of the town to become a city - if that is the way such things are done - she will remember the clamour and choose us.

I am sure Her Majesty knows, thanks to the efforts of the city by the sea's indefatigable campaigners, Brighton and Hove has so much to offer it deserves the accolade.

We at the Argus have been among the most enthusiastic champions. But, Emma Weston, that doesn't mean we have jettisoned our duty to report what is going on in this town, warts and all.

Emma, from Brighton, e-mailed this week to challenge us: How could we still promote the city bid yet also run articles highlighting the homes crisis? Local people are leaving the town, she says, because they cannot afford homes, making it anything but the place to be.

It is a matter of real concern, not just here but all across the South East and the Government is talking about help for people on lower incomes. We would be failing our readers, and our town, if we did not make our contribution.

But I can square that with support for the city campaign. We have been among the cheerleaders but, of course, life has its sharp edges and we won't gloss over them for the campaign's sake.

Deprivation, poor or expensive housing, snarled-up traffic, graffiti. We are not alone in facing such issues but city status surely can do us nothing but good. It will raise our profile and, hopefully, encourage investment. It won't solve our problems overnight.

Everyone knows that but, Emma, trenchant reporting of those problems and backing for the campaign are not mutually exclusive. After all, if we and others don't bang the drum to get help for Brighton and Hove in every way we can, what hope is there to make it a better place to be?

There were no April Fool jokes in last Saturday's paper, no special socks to make you slim or stuff like that. Our lead story about estate agent Glen Mishon ending up £100,000 poorer when he refused to take advantage of spiralling house prices was the real thing.

A rather cheerful and, given what many people say about estate agents, cheering tale for a Saturday paper, I thought. Not so, said Colin Gurden, from Hove.

Disgraceful journalism, unverifiable conjecture, lack of analysis and a free plug for an estate agent, he thundered. Oh, come, come. Mr Mishon was gazumped twice and by the time he had found the house he wanted prices had risen. He kept faith with the people who had agreed a sale price on his home, even though he could have put it back on the market for much more.

No, it wasn't an in-depth probe into gazumping - we've done that else-where - and despite what you say, Mr Gurden, the fact the sale went ahead implies all involved behaved with honour.

I don't deny Mr Mishon will have been delighted to have been on the front page but we weren't trying to fool anyone, just tell a tale of honesty and fair play.

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