VOICE OF THE ARGUS

ARGUS readers will know all about our campaign to save the French Convalescent Home from destruction.

Now the campaign has been given a huge boost after council bosses pledged to back it.

On the advice of the planning committee a leading councillor has written to the Department of Culture, Media and Sport to call for the building to be listed.

It is an unprecedented move because planners have always kept mum about issues they are due to vote on.

The move will be a big thorn in the side of developers who hope to raze the building to the ground and put up a modern block of sheltered apartments in its place.

The 101-year-old building is home to 40 elderly and frail residents and employs 50 staff.

Now they are keeping their fingers crossed - and so are we. Let's hope Mr Smith listens to Sussex and does the decent thing.

Not-so-gay side

The popular image of gays in Brighton is of a successful, vibrant community with plenty of money to spend.

But many homosexual men and

lesbians in the town are unemployed and do not have decent housing.

Their plight is often made worse because of prejudice that still exists against them.

Now the Brighton and Hove Regeneration Project has put in a bid for millions to help disadvantages gays in the resort.

Plenty could be done to help those in need and to make better use of Brighton's undoubted attraction as a gay resort.

Colour problem

There's just one little problem for Worthing Operatic Society in its attempt to put on the classic musical Showboat.

Owners of the copyright are insisting only black actors can play the numerous black parts in the show.

And, as Worthing's not exactly noted for its large black population, the show can no longer go on.

The society will have to accept that blacking up is not considered politically correct. So don't expect many productions of Porgy and Bess, Carmen Jones or even Othello in Worthing.

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