OUT IN THE FIELD: Folk rescue me from senior moments

I love a tribute band and I mean it in the nicest possible way when I say that tribute bands are fine at the Bandstand but having received the Eastbourne Theatres Summer 2017 booklet advertising forthcoming shows, there seems to be a tribute act every other week.

Dotted in around the usual farces, typical murder mysteries and, of course, a night with Michael Jackson or some other tribute nonsense, is too few quality productions.

I know the Congress Theatre is in darkness as it undergoes a major facelift (there is still the Devonshire Park Theatre and Winter Garden available) but I hope when it re-opens it will have a better offering of shows that will rival the White Rock and De La War Pavilion at the other end of the A259. Thank heavens Eastbourne still has the Royal Hippodrome ...

I am a huge fan of the Printers Playhouse in Grove Road as not only is it right on my Little Chelsea doorstep, it has some super productions and musicians. Hot on the heels of seeing Tim Marriott play Nazi Angel of Death Josef Mengele last week, my former fellow Cavendish student and actor of this parish Julian Rivett returns to tread the boards next week in a play called Trippin’.

Julian, who is now living back in the borough, describes it as an Alice in Wonderland for adults that explores themes of suicide, depression and reality “while remaining grounded in a healthy bed of silliness”. It’s on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

My brain was fuddled last week and in the excitement of it all, I had a senior moment and jumped the gun when I said the Wimpy and Argos had been demolished. Thankfully Barry Earthrowl is far more astute than I.

He writes, “Gone are The Gildredge pub, Celly’s hairdressers, now moved across the road, Poppins Restaurant, Oxfam shop, the Kit Wilson charity shop, Amplifon hearing aid centre (likewise transferred to the other side of the road), Replay and Rockwell’s café. Still extant, but not for much longer, are South Coast Gifts, Argos, Wimpy, Nobles Amusements and Kwiktan Studios (relocated across the road), Specsavers (relocated to the Arndale) and the former Watson’s newsagents (long since moved into the eastern end of the centre). That’s the full extent of the premises due for imminent demolition along Terminus Road, after which the back wall of the former Bonmarché shop will be removed, followed by the HMV and Next stores in their entirety.” Cheers Barry.

Finally this week, the debate about how many stones there are in Stone Cross (there’s just the ONE!) and Langney and Langley rages on, Stuart Bailey very kindly sent me a reprint Ordnance Survey map circa 1890 of Eastbourne and in particular Langley and Langley Point, which I think clarifies the issue of the last few weeks very well.