Our next business meeting is on Tuesday, 21st April at 7.30 pm. Come along to meet neighbours and chat about issues in the area – including planning, community safety, refurb if the area outside the Duke of Yorks – and more.
Meeting starts at 7.30, 147 Ditchling Rise, and lasts about an hour and a half.
In case anyone hasn’t noticed – there is a general election on 7th May. On Monday 20th a Community Hustings is being hosted by Calvary Church. Five parliamentary candidates – Chris Bowers – Lib Dem, Nigel Carter -UKIP, Caroline Lucas – Green, Clarence Mitchell – Conservative and Purna Sen – Labour, will be taking questions from the community – so its a great chance to find out what prospective MPs would like to do for us. You can submit your question for the candidates by email by midday 20th April or in writing by 7.30 pm on the night. Doors open 7.15 for 8 pm start.
Following a campaign to keep the 144 year old Rose Hill Tavern as a pub, planning permission to convert it into flats as been refused. Current owners have now put the pub back on the market. The pub has been listed as an asset of community value (ACV), meaning now it is up for sale, the community has six months to raise enough money to buy it and realise hopes of turning it into a community pub.
Organised by neighbours north of London Road Station, Southdown Rise Residents’ Association (SRRA), hear about the history of London Road Station (will we ever find out why it was once pink?), around which our neighbourhood grew. Former railway telecoms engineer Jim Grozier and co-ordinator of London Road Station partnership Elspeth Brody will tell the station’s story.
Following some technical difficulties beyond our control, the Drara website is back online with a newish look and a new web address (or url for you techie types). Over the coming weeks we’ll be adding posts and pages to get us back on the cyber map.
