The Brighton Babbler

The fate of the Brighton General Hospital remains uncertain, seemingly destined for redevelopment as housing. But a re-energised community campaign is determined to keep the site in public hands, incorporating social housing and living rents as well as NHS services. The Babbler talks to former Green Party councillor David Gibson about the aims of the campaign – and begins by asking him about its structure.[To contact the Community Campaign for the Brighton General Hospital site, email: [email protected]]Produced by Martin Shelley... contact: [email protected]

The bodies of 4000 mental health patients are buried, mostly in unmarked graves, in the grounds of St Francis Hospital, formerly the Sussex County Asylum. The last known address of nearly half of those patients was in Brighton. In this episode of the Babbler, historian James Gardner talks to Kevin McDonnell (pictured), head of a team painstakingly uncovering the personal stories of some of those patients, and later catches up with one of Kevin's research team to focus on one particular case study – George Aquila Dubbin, who lived and worked in the city.If you'd like to know more about the Sussex Asylums Burial Grounds Project... visit https://sussexasylumsburialgrounds.org/Produced by Martin Shelley... contact: [email protected]

The ongoing US economic blockade of Cuba rarely makes the headlines these days, but a dedicated group of Brighton activists is still raising funds to help this Central American country, as they have been doing since the 1960s. Ann Hallam (pictured), chair of the local arm of the Cuba Solidarity Campaign, talks to The Babbler about the group, and explains how she first got involved...If you'd like to know more about this campaign, visit cuba-solidarity.org.uk, or check out the Brighton Cuba Solidarity Campaign page on Facebook. Produced by Martin Shelley... contact: [email protected]

Garry Dodd runs a flooring business out of a landmark, double-fronted site – formerly home to the family-run carpet shop where he’d spent most of his earlier working life – in Hove’s Blatchington Road. In this interview about the shop, Portslade-born-and-bred Garry fondly recalls a time not just of deference and smart attire, but also of police stake-outs, dead bodies and naked neighbours, when famous authors and rock stars regularly featured among the clientele.Produced by Martin Shelley... contact: [email protected]

In the second of our series on George Street's independent traders, The Babbler talks to 80-year-old Julian Pelling (pictured, proudly holding some rare Primal Scream vinyl), the proprietor of Fine Records for the past four decades. Sharp-eared listeners will notice the interview took place outside, in the shop's back garden, hence the occasional squawk from passing seagulls...Produced by Martin Shelley... contact: [email protected]

AI looks set to finish off many high streets across the UK, but for now George Street in Hove remains a refreshing 'blast fom the past', attracting shoppers from Brighton and beyond. In (hopefully) the first of a series on the thoroughfare's traders, The Babbler chats to local biker Matthew English (pictured, standing in the doorway), the driving force behind one of the street's more characterful shopfronts – tattoo studio Nine Lives – alongside his younger brother (apprentice and fellow biker) Ash... and starts by asking them to describe a typical day in the shop...Produced by Martin Shelley... contact: [email protected]

Feeding a worrying fascination for all things motorcycle-related, this week the Babbler talks to fellow Brighton biker Paul about unhappy Harley riders, law-breaking escapades to Paris, and whether it's really necessary to have more than one bike when you're in your late-70s. And... just as importantly... about whether Brighton itself is a good place to be... and a good place to be when you're old?Produced by Martin Shelley... contact: [email protected]

The Babbler returns after a short break to quiz budding theatrical impresario and Brighton resident Tommaso di Vincenzo – a contortionist, circus performer and occasional stuntman – on the development of his new stage show ‘Oh! Darling’. But first, some questions about his career so far...Produced by Martin Shelley... contact: [email protected]

Opening next month (3-4 May) during the Fringe festival is 'Joan the Musical', a new stage production written and produced by Hannah Doyle and Melanie Bell, and directed by Summer Tewkesbury. In an exclusive interview, writer Hannah talks us through the development of this Brighton-focused project, from its inception last September through to the rehearsal stage. We then take up the story with cast member Geraldine Afifi, who takes the title role of Joan (and incidentally tickles the ivories at the beginning of this podcast), before signing off with Hannah, as she performs one of the songs from the musical.Produced by Martin Shelley... contact: [email protected]

The story of the BN Three – arrested and fined for a graffiti protest marking the ongoing genocide in Gaza – highlights how fragile established norms of political access and media coverage have become. Maggie Clifford and Mary Stuart, two of those involved in the protest, share details of that story with the Babbler. Produced by Martin Shelley... contact: [email protected]

Born-and-bred Brightonian Linda Morley, now 84, has led a fascinating life, hard to do justice to in a single podcast, so this episode we're focusing mostly on her abiding passion – riding motorbikes – and her first-hand account of a mods vs rockers confrontation back in the 1960s.  But first, Linda remembers some of the colourful characters she grew up with, in the 1940s and '50s.Produced by Martin Shelley... contact: [email protected]

It was a shocking case of double infanticide, but one that was all too common in the Victorian era, and the defendant's costs were met by public subscription, such was the level of sympathy generated by the trial. Here Liza George talks to James Gardner, the author of a new book – A Victorian Tragedy: Sabina's Story, available in a Kindle format from amazon.co.uk – about the defendant (pictured in 1902, with three of her children), and focuses on the issues of class, poverty and misogyny that sparked the case.Produced by Martin Shelley... contact: [email protected]

Two Europeans (not the denizens in the attached photo!) tell the Babbler what living in Brighton means to them, each touching on its indefinable 'vibe'. We chat briefly to Beatrice – originally from the Burgundy region in France, and now thinking about moving away after more than 30 years – and then talk to Greek national Maria, a relative newcomer who moved down from London just months before the the pandemic forced most of the city to pull down the shutters.Produced by Martin Shelley... contact: [email protected]

We catch up with Alastair Hignell, the former England rugby player, county cricketer and BBC commentator. He shares some Brighton-based highlights from his past career, tells us about his current involvement with the Sporting Memories and Walking the Talk groups in the city, and 'ramps up' a new campaign idea for improving accessibility. But first, he explains why he now lives in Brighton, with special mentions for the Amex stadium, Brighton & Hove Albion... and Whitehawk FC.Alastair was interviewed by James Gardner and the Babbler. Listeners wanting to join the Sporting Memories and Walking the Talk groups in Brighton can email Alastair at [email protected] by Martin Shelley... contact: [email protected]

As part of a narrow but select demographic – ageing, male, motorbike-riding petrol-heads living in Hove – the Babbler is heartened to share a garage with French anglophile Bea, a much younger, braver person who delights in going fast. Late last year we caught up with her to talk about two-wheeled transport of various kinds... and kicked things off, like all true bikers, by discussing machinery.Produced by Martin Shelley... contact: [email protected]

In this episode, we hear from Graeme Taylor, whose career in stage management at the Theatre Royal in Brighton lasted more than four decades. In conversation with historian James Gardner, Graeme – now retired – talks about life backstage and the peculiar demands of working in a 'hemp house'. He also reveals a very personal connection with this historic venue.Produced by Martin Shelley... contact: [email protected]

In the second episode of our vox pop on life in Brighton, we hear from residents whose observations about 'London-by-the-Sea' stretch back as far as the late 1950s.Produced by Martin Shelley... contact: [email protected]

Is Brighton genuinely diverse? Has property become too expensive, forcing those who've grown up here to move away? And where do people go to find local news? Is there a Brighton accent? For answers to these and other questions about life in the city, we've quizzed a typical cross-section of working-age residents, from newcomers and returnees, to 'never lefts'.Produced by Martin Shelley... contact: [email protected]