WHISPERING SMITH: Yet another prospective victim for the wrecking ball?

Once upon a time in the long and distant past, Peter Sopp, Don Lee, Bill Merritt and myself, high on a couple of bottles of brown ale, climbed onto the stage at the Maltravers Club (back then it was, I believe, the United Services Club) and gave the dancers a somewhat off key rendition of '˜Wedding Bells Are Breaking Up That Old Gang of Mine'.

We then left, I think of our own accord, and made our merry way home to Rustington waltzing through the Wapple, past the hunting summer foxes and the haystack-hidden lovers, still warbling out of tune and off key yet very happy.

So long ago that now even that iconic building is under threat of redevelopment.

Littlehampton Town Council and, indeed, Arun District Council should do all in their power to ensure this attractive building is retained as a place of entertainment for the town as a whole.

Far too many of our heritage buildings are being given over to flats.

I am not against change or growth but a line has to be drawn somewhere, and with St James’ Church currently under threat this would be as a good time as any to ensure that line is not crossed.

It makes me so angry that so much of Littlehampton’s architectural past has been lost to the wrecking ball.

CALLED into my corner shop for a Crunchie bar last week and spotted some bottles of Mateus Rose on the wine shelf.

That sure enough took me back a few years, so I bought one.

I think the empty might make a novelty electric table lamp – I wonder if anyone else has ever thought that?

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