WHISPERING SMITH: Was that a buck passing by? Oh deer, what a farce

At last Wednesday’s (May 15) meeting regarding the future of the Windmill theatre and cinema, the buck was passed so many times between Inspire Leisure and Arun that one needed motion pills to cope.

It is clear I want a pukka cinema in LA and not a voluntary-run cinema club – our town deserves it – and it is also clear that certain members of Arun feel that although Bognor can support two cinemas, one a multiplex, (a miniplex if you are a small-minded person) LA does not even deserve a monoplex (my invention?).

Never, during all my misspent years as a senior local government officer, did I witness such a diversity of delivery during a debate as I saw that evening. Many of the councillors eloquent, sensible, asking questions, making points, speaking for the local electorate as opposed to the mish-mash of muddled thinking replies coming from the cabinet members who could in no way admit to being misguided, ill-informed or just plain old wrong.

The chairman, obviously not a great fan of the public gallery, demanded that the members be shown respect while they debated the total lack of respect shown towards the local electorate, as represented by the vociferous 300 Spartans in the public gallery!

n PICNIC in the Park was a great success. Over 500 adults and children enjoying a really fun evening out on Caffyn’s Field to the tunes of the TLA Junior Steel Band, Batala, a colourful drumming band from Pompey, and our very own LA Concert Band. celebrating a marvellous 25-year run.

This is how LA was meant to be, a real picnic.

It defines us as a summer resort, we need more such events and the various councils should be bending over backwards to ensure that we and our summer visitors can enjoy them.

Hey, even the migrating swifts arrived at the beginning of the evening, a great entrance, a stunning display, fluttering their wings to tell us they had arrived and just in time for the concert.

Super fun and ENCORE! So say we all.