Author: James Anderson, FRSA, CMgr MCMI

 Since 2014, St Peter’s Church in York Place, Brighton, has been covered in scaffolding due to urgent repairs to the building’s tower. In August 2024, leaders at the church hoped the scaffolding would be removed that year having received further funding for the restoration project. However, it is only now, more than a year on from then, that it has finally been taken down. Scaffolding has been removed from the tower after over a decade (Image: DBR (Southern) Limited) The project to restore the Grade II listed landmark was undertaken by building conservation specialists DBR (Southern) Limited and was funded…

A Sussex police officer accused of using police cameras to stalk a woman has appeared in court.PC Peter De Silvo, 48, from Worthing, West Sussex, is alleged to have stalked a woman who was known to him for two years between October 2021 and 2023.He also faces charges of fraud by false representation, two counts of computer misuse and five charges under the Data Protection Act, the earliest dating back to 2018.At Staines Magistrates’ Court, PC De Silvo spoke only to confirm his name, address and date of birth.The officer is alleged to have hacked accounts and misused police equipment…

Tile Shop Holdings, Inc. MINNEAPOLIS, Dec. 12, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Tile Shop Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: TTSH) (“Tile Shop” or the “Company”), a specialty retailer of natural stone, man-made and luxury vinyl tiles, setting and maintenance materials and related accessories, today announced the effective date for the previously announced Stock Splits (as defined below) and the effective date of the Company’s voluntary delisting from The Nasdaq Capital Market. Following the approval of the Company’s stockholders at the special meeting of stockholders of the Company held on December 3, 2025, the Company’s Board of Directors approved a 1-for-3,000 reverse stock split…

Several homes have been evacuated after a car crashed into a gas substation in West Sussex.Residents from six flats and one house have been taken to a church hall after the incident on Pagham Road, Pagham, near Bognor Regis. Fire officials said a 100-metre evacuation zone has been put in place as a “safety precaution”, and people told to avoid the area.Reports said residents in the village had heard a loud bang early on Monday. The fire service was called to the scene at 3.48am.West Sussex Fire And Rescue Service said “crews found a vehicle that had collided with a…

As we head into a period of cooler weather, spider season is among usHouseholds are being advised to keep windows closed during this time(Image: Getty Images)Households in the UK are being urged to keep their windows shut from 7pm onwards over the next four weeks. With temperatures dropping this week following the heatwave, the UK is heading into a period of cooler weather.As autumn is on its way, so is spider season, meaning house spiders are on the move. As the nights begin to draw in, these eight-legged invaders start seeking warmth indoors.Experts are warning that it is not just…

Southern Water has said there is a risk people in and around Hastings, East Sussex, may lose their water supply on Christmas Eve due to a burst mains pipe.Bottled water is being delivered to roughly 15,000 people on the water company’s priority register in TN31, TN33, TN34, TN35, TN36, TN37 and TN38 postcodes.A spokesperson for Southern Water said it was delivering the water “as a precaution” and that supplies had not yet been affected.Hastings MP Helena Dollimore said she was “deeply frustrated” at the situation, adding: “A burst pipe has left our town with a limited water supply and this…

Households have been warned about home electrical safety this Christmas.TrustMark, the UK’s only Government-Endorsed Quality Scheme for tradespeople, has issued a guide to ensure people safely enjoy the festive season in the comfort of their own home.Christmas lights can be electrical hazards if not properly managed, so homeowners are encouraged to inspect all lights for frayed cables, cracked bulbs, and loose fittings, replacing any damaged sets.Use the appropriate lights for indoors or outdoors, and try to use LED lights wherever possible, as these are lower risk.People are also being warned against overloading sockets.For kitchen safety, appliances should be given enough…

Dimensions: 50.8 x 40.6 x 38.1cm As Lomi puts it, “compositing is nature’s magic trick,” and helping to seamlessly move that process along from the comfort of your own home is an equally magical experience. If you weren’t quite sure how composting helps the environment – other than making land more arable – let us briefly explain.Approximately 8-10 per cent of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions is related to food waste. When food waste is taken to landfills alongside your regular household waste, it generates methane and CO2 as it breaks down. This is released into the atmosphere, contributing to…

This time last year, industry commentators were suggesting that the UK economy remained on “recession watch”. This brought with it some significant challenges for UK construction going into 2025. Heading into 2026, it would appear that the situation is looking a little more positive. Predictions are of a “measured recovery” and “opportunity for reset”, hot on the heels of an interest rate cut by the Bank of England intended to help further stimulate growth. This can be set against a background of significant transformation for the industry, in economic, regulatory and technological terms. While the overall view might be…

Speaking to BBC Radio Solent’s Dorset Breakfast show, Ms McGregor said: “We had a leak in a corridor a couple of days ago which switched on the cinema lights during our showing of La Traviata. “The lights just suddenly came on because of the water building up.”Ms McGregor, who joined the theatre six months ago, said the fundraising campaign reached 70% of its target “in the first couple of weeks”.”I had people calling me to donate from other parts of the country saying they’ve always come to Swanage or they came as children and remembered the Mowlem,” she said.”It’s been…