Are you looking to work in media in Brighton? Wired Sussex, in partnership with the University of Sussex, is putting on the ideal event for those looking to work in the internet, games or animation industries. ‘Make it into Media’ takes place Thursday 12 November from 12 to 4pm at the Brighton Corn Exchange and is free to attend; all you need to do is to register to guarantee your place. The event will showcase a truly comprehensive range of resources for people looking to break into the media industry.

Companies representing the very best of media in Brighton and beyond will be there, ready to talk about their industry and what they look for in potential staff. Perhaps you’re a web developer, graphic designer or games animator; or maybe you offer support services such as sales and marketing and want to move into this sector; or you could just be starting your career in media and looking for your first break.

Perhaps you’re pretty established already, but you’re looking to cut your commute and move your career to Brighton. You might even be a freelancer looking to improve your network of contacts with companies currently hiring in this sector. Throughout this free event there will be a wide range of experienced media professionals taking part in panel discussions and Q&A forums and offering their insights into how to get a first break in this very competitive sector.

There will be a drop-in careers service, providing one-to-one advice to attendees. Recent graduates can speak with careers experts from the local universities and sector specific guidance is being offered by top local web, games, animation and TV production companies Electric Sky, Fresh Egg, iCrossing, Relentless and Worth.

Experienced training providers from the region’s major academic institutions will be on hand with up-to-date information on their relevant degree, postgraduate and FE courses. With this event open to all, it looks set for a record turnout. ‘Make it into Media’ is funded as part of the Sussex Internship Programme but is open to all: graduates, students, the employed and the unemployed. Both the University of Sussex and Wired Sussex are thrilled with the enthusiastic response from local business.

‘Make it into Media’ will be held at the Brighton Corn Exchange on Thursday 12 November from 12pm to 4pm. Free registration and more information at www.sussexinternships.co.uk/makeitintomedia

Have you ever got to the end of the month and found yourself short of cash with a bill that needs to be paid fast? It happens to most of us at some time and we almost all turn to our banks for the money, sometimes without asking. Of course, the result is that the bank charges you for the overdraft and often for the letter telling you about the overdraft as well. You can end up paying a large amount of money for a very small and short-term loan.

But what is the alternative? Loans Direct2U (www.loansdirect2u.com) has come up with a new way of applying for quick cash that is simple and hassle free. They have removed the nightmare of dealing with paperwork and replaced it with a smooth, online application process which takes only five minutes to complete. Their simple loan process is designed to get you your money within minutes.

So how does it work? Well, initially you need to understand that Loans Direct2U only lend small amounts of money and only for short periods. It is not their intention that their service will draw you into long term and expensive debt, so they offer loans from £50 to a maximum of £200 and from seven to 28 days.

You simply move the sliders on their home page to indicate how much you want to borrow and the number of days you would like to borrow this amount for. The site then calculates the amount of interest and the total that you will have to repay, if you are happy with that sum then you simply select apply.

The agreement screen will advise you the full costs of borrowing the requested amount. Once you are happy, press apply again. You will then be prompted to enter your personal details, debit card and banking details which will be used to verify your identity with their identity checking agencies.

It sounds so simple and a quick flick through their website proves easy to navigate and understand. A quick look revealed that a loan of £50 for one week would cost £1.16 in interest and fees per day; a very affordable option compared to bank charges against an overdraft. And quick too, providing your request is approved, the money is transferred into your account within minutes.

The company
Loans Direct2U is a new and revolutionary small, online lender based here in Brighton. They launched their first website in September 2009 and are set to become one of the most innovative credit businesses in the UK. They project an explosive growth be based on providing small, flexible loans to customers within minutes.

Eddie Ottewell of Loans Direct2U says: ‘‘In today’s climate with credit lines being withdrawn from the banks Loans Direct2U is transforming the UK credit market. Our tools for growth in this climate are being able to offer small flexible loans with more speed and convenience along with no credit checks. We feel at Loans Direct2U we can remove the complicated hurdles of borrowing money online and with ease.’’ Loans Direct2U are currently regulated by the Consumer Credit Licence from The Office of Fair Trading and Data protection licence.

01273 746552, www.loansdirect2u.com

Three easy steps
1 Log onto www.loansdirect2u.com. Select the requested amount of money you wish to borrow and the requested days to borrow the loan and press the apply button.

Full details of the terms and conditions are clearly stated on the website and all users should make sure that they have read these and understand them before taking out a loan.

Landlords and tenants have always been tempted by cheaper deals and lower fees. It’s nothing new, and it’s not exclusive to the property industry: supermarkets do it, car manufacturers do it, and even insurance companies do it.

Phoebe Glover with Kris Townsend

Leaders’ fees are not the cheapest and never have been. However you usually get what you pay for in terms of service. Whenever this is brought up by our landlords or tenants we explain there is a simple philosophy behind the economics: the exemplary service to our landlords in terms of customer service. The roles at Leaders are structured in a way that our clients know where to go – whatever the issue.

Referencing
Our referencing policy is such that we are making qualification as tough as ever. Prospective tenants are expected to prove their income in order to meet with the criteria of each property – a fixed multiple of the rent. Guarantors are only acceptable for full-time students. Credit irregularities are fully investigated and previous landlords are contacted to confirm the viability of each tenant. Our fees have to be justified, and that means full vigorous checks.

Quality of tenant
In the current economic climate Leaders
are experiencing record-breaking levels of business, all without compromising on the above. This will see landlords securing tenancies with the highest quality tenants. A landlord’s investment in their agent should be repaid. Giving extra time and care makes all the difference. Our success in this is highlighted by the exceptionally low falloff rate.

Quality of landlord
From the point of view of the applicant, choosing a Leaders property over that of a lettings agent offering management fees as low as seven per cent should indicate that they are choosing a higher quality property. The reason? Simple, if a landlord is willing to invest in his agent, he is willing to invest in his property – the two should go hand-in-hand. Cutting costs with cheaper agents can mean costs are being cut elsewhere, often at the expense of the tenant.

Tenants need the reassurance that they will get the level of support their money deserves. A landlord who invests in his property and his agent is a landlord that invests in his tenants. Leaders’ management team maintains excellent levels of contract renewals, a testament to this philosophy.

Short-term gain v long-term success
Whether you are running a property business, letting one property, or looking for somewhere to call home, it is vital to consider the consequences of short-term gain against long-term success. Everyone is tempted by cheap deals and fancy marketing, but serious thought must go into what is expected as an outcome.

A strong, long-term relationship built on trust and common ground is the basis of success, be it as landlord or tenant. Many landlords have been with Leaders since the start and many tenants often return for us to find them their next home.

Proven demand
The past two years have seen huge numbers of people moving into Leaders’ properties. Our strong structure of roles enables us to give our landlords and tenants the best after care service the City can offer. Not only have we seen record-breaking number of tenants moving in, many are staying where they are, resulting in stock levels diminishing. Uniquely, Brighton has an evergreen appeal and in order to support this, there must be a constant flow of property stock.

New landlords need to benefit from the Leaders’ service that sets itself above the crowd. There has never been a better opportunity for established landlords to get ahead of their rivals or for prospective landlords to enjoy the success that existing Leaders’ landlords have been for years. There is a proven demand and the proven agent, Leaders, is ready to act.

Phoebe Glover
Phoebe joined Leaders nearly three years ago: starting on reception she soon became a negotiator and is now senior negotiator with the second highest sales figures across Leaders’ 40 branches.

‘‘Leaders have allowed me to learn gradually through the company structure. I was never dropped in at the deep end but developed skills and learned from experienced colleagues.

‘‘Training is very important. I have already completed the ARLA foundation course and am now looking forward to taking part in advanced legal training. At Leaders we have dedicated people for compliance and legal requirements, Carole Charge is the key player in that respect. If landlords ask for clauses in contracts she vets them all.

‘‘At Leaders we do not take on properties that are unsuitable to let. All our landlords need to meet our requirements. Tenants benefit from us not being the cheapest, too. Our aftercare is different to smaller agents. Clients benefit from dedicated members of staff in each area of management. The lettings team purely concentrate on lettings and our dedicated team of property managers take care of any issues post completion.

‘‘Our tenants receive an inventory created  by one of our team of property inspectors that work full time for Leaders. Each area of the business has a dedicated person – one of the inspectors has 18 years’ service with Leaders and knows the property stock well. He checks you in and checks you out, too.’’

119/120 Western Road, Brighton, East Sussex
BN1 2AD, 01273 720714, www.leaders.co.uk

In need of a little pampering? Add a touch of glamour to your home with some of the season’s most stylish fabric trends.

Mister Smith Interiors, 23 New Road, Brighton, BN1 1UF 01273 605574 www.mistersmith.co.uk

Vintage, botanical and abstract patterns are still in vogue, but the real headline for fabrics and textiles this season is texture: rough felt and wool, scaly metallic sequins, soft satin and some very sumptuous velvets will have you wanting to stay in by the fire each night. Winter ‘09 is also a haberdasher’s dream – update old fabrics with tassels, ribbons, sequins and silk roses. Try your local fabric store for inspiration – you might be surprised.

Star by Julien Macdonald zig zag cushion £20, sequin swirl cushions £18, peacock taffeta cushion £25, peacock sequin cushion £20, pink heart set throw £60, all www.debenhams.com

If you’re feeling crafty, you can re-use old dresses, shirts and fabrics by turning them into cushion covers (surprisingly easy if you have – or can borrow – a sewing machine) or patchwork quilts (less easy, but something to keep you occupied on long winter evenings).

Re-cover, re-use, recycle
Throws, eiderdowns, covers and cushions give tired furniture an instant – and inexpensive – update. If you want to bring some of the season’s colour and style into your home on a low budget, invest in good-quality throws and new cushions. We love Heal’s fake fur latte throw for cold winter evenings.

Sometimes, though, you need more than a quick makeover: fall in love with old sofas and chairs all over again by having them re-covered. Tired chairs and sofa seats can be rescued with new seat cushions (awkward shapes can be custom made).

Replace worn out fabric with a new set of loose covers – even made to measures, re-covering is generally cheaper than buying a new, good-quality sofa.

Renovating furniture with new fabrics and textiles is also a greener way to update your home, and you get exactly the look you want…

You can chase away the winter blues and indulge yourself with some luxe aubergine velvet, or soft chocolate moleskin.

To get the most use out of your furniture, get a second set of covers made at the same time in a lighter fabric for summer time.

Today my new neighbour (downstairs has been empty for six months) informs me there is a leak dripping through their ceiling’s light sockets. From my kitchen floor! On further inspection it appears my washing machine has been incorrectly installed eight months ago, dripping water from the cold water tap ever since! The floor under the washing machine is black with mould. It stinks of damp. Not ideal.

I ring the company I bought it from to complain and they say I need to call their ‘online’ department – um, but I got the number from their online department. I call them, then they advise me to call another company who deal with installation, then that company tell me: “Oh no, we don’t deal with that.”

So then I call someone else who has something to do with the original company, and eventually an unapologetic woman tells me that I will have to pay and fix it myself and then send a claim to them for insurance! Grrr.

Then the toddler refuses to wear the new boots her dad has bought her. They cost £35! My shoes don’t even cost that… well, I say that, but while my Primark pumps are £1.98, my elastic Gladiator sandals were £69.

“The fight of sandals versus boots raged on for a while and both of us became teary and angry and drained. I kind of won”

I deserved them! It’s hard being a mummy! She is refusing to wear these nice warm boots, wanting to wear the red summer sandals instead. I decide I am not backing down on this one. I can’t have her battling me every day.

The fight of sandals versus boots raged on for a while and both of us became teary and angry and drained. I kind of won. She let me put the boots on, but not after almost destroying me in the process. Not sure that’s a win.

I just don’t want her thinking she can run amuck every time we are trying to get out the house. If I let her get away with it now, she’ll want to wear flip flops in December, I guarantee it.

I delivered her to nursery, then ran to the last session of my bereavement counselling. After 20 minutes of spilling my guts out, I had to zip myself back up, jump off the metaphorical operating table, and go and collect her, as she had vomited three times! They were worried she was ill, but it was the angry tantrum right after lunch that did it. Then my friend kindly offered to put the kettle on – so nice! After five minutes I thought: ‘It must be boiled by now’. I discovered she had indeed put my electric kettle on – on the gas hob! It was in flames.

Burning plastic is not a nice room freshener. In retrospect this is the funniest thing of the day, the punchline to a very long joke of a day. I have learnt today that I need to reclaim my sense of smell. Why the hell didn’t I smell the mould and burning plastic earlier?

At night, the mind plays tricks. In quiet, elongated, wakeful darkness, a phrase, a memory, a feeling can loom large. At 3am, up with our one-month old, I’ve become obsessed by yes, you’ve guessed it, ergonomics.

This might make me sound quite sad. A dry scientific term, all health and safety and best practice, rattling around my brain in the middle of the night.

For those that want an official definition, ergonomics is ‘the science related to humans and their work’. Maybe I’m getting too technical; I’m basically saying you need various objects close at hand when looking after an infant.

Let’s use three key situations as examples.
During bottle-feeding or changing a nappy, one thing out of reach can be disastrous. Anything missing or slightly too much to the left or right upsets the equilibrium. Upsets me.

The third situation is what I’m going to call the ‘put-down’ which is neither something that happens in the company of Oscar Wilde, or at a vet’s, but is that oh-so-important transfer between a babe-in-arms to a babe-still-asleep-in-his-Moses-basket.

“Missing the remote control is the worst – stuck on the shopping channel at 3am conjures up one of the lowest moods possible”

Having a blanket, say, or, worse still, maybe the Moses basket itself, in the wrong place at that time and you’ve careered through the barrier from success into failure.

I’ve decided this is where much of the stress of early parenthood lies. There’s a scene in Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs when a skeleton vainly reaches through the bars of the cage for a jug of water. I feel that skeleton’s pain.

That sums it up. It might be a drink, a cushion, the sports pages of the paper. Missing the remote control is the worst – stuck on the shopping channel at 3am conjures up one of the lowest moods possible. I speak from the heart.

Get this wrong, start the long-drawn out feed without preparation, and it’s like being at the cinema holding your popcorn, but you’ve forgotten to start the projector. (This is a rubbish metaphor – you’re rarely both a paying viewer and the projectionist at your local Odeon – but I’m too tired to think of anything better, so it stays).

I am writing this one-handed, barely able to focus on the screen, with The Baby cradled in my left arm, gurning at me and occasionally kicking my typing hand. Any capital letters you see will have been added later.

Over time, the checklist of what is needed for any simple task gets refined. Just make sure this is a mental checklist. Write it down, and you just know it will be on the other side of the room, out of reach, when you need it most.

An inscription on the side of the Norfolk Hotel bears the date 1864. That was when its foundation stone was laid and it was also the year that the nearby Grand Hotel opened.

The Norfolk, at 149 Kings Road, in fact opened two years after the Grand in a similar Italian Renaissance style.

Griffins on lamp bases guard the hotel’s forecourt as lions stare down from the balconies of the second floor. Corinthian columns hold up the porch which leads on to a delightful revolving door that was perhaps added in the 1930s judging by its brass fittings.

Much of the original plasterwork survives in the lobby along with a fine set of Doric columns. On the right, a small staircase leads up to a stunning glass dome overhead and then on to the ballroom which has fluted Ionic columns and a stage that is now used as a bar.

The best bit is a wonderful wooden staircase which rises to the top of the building with iron balusters which feature the abbreviation ‘NH’. Unfortunately, some of the staircase has been boxed in but presumably it’ll be easy to restore it to its original glory in due course.

“Griffins on lamp bases guard the hotel’s forecourt as lions stare down from the balconies”

The Grade II Listed Norfolk Hotel was designed by Horatio Goulty and was presumably named after the Duke of Norfolk whose family seat was and still is Arundel Castle. Having been refused planning permission for flats, a company called AVP Industries sold the hotel in 1969 to the Feld family and it became the Norfolk Resort.

A £2 million refurbishment programme took place during the 1980s and the town centre’s first hotel pool was added in 1985 which now sits empty. The building is in good shape generally, although a bit of money could be spent here and there. Today’s owners call it the Ramada Brighton but it’ll always be the Norfolk Hotel to me.

There are eight storeys in total and the best bit, shown to me by my excellent tour guide, Hayley Gauna, is at the top. The roof space once housed a nightclub called Rafters but it’s now used for conferences.

It’s certainly true to say that the sea views are stunning but I can’t help but feel that a trick is being missed as the views to the north, west and east, which I could only see from a fire exit, are amongst Brighton and Hove’s finest.

Get in touch: robert@buildingopinions.com or www.buildingopinions.com 

I have never been lucky enough to live on my own. The older I get, the more I long for my own company. Yes, I talk a load of rubbish and rarely get anything done when left to my own devices, but I just love being alone.

I suppose it’s because I can never, in my day to day life, return home to find it exactly as I left it. I never, ever come home from work to lunch, without finding The Big Son there farting, or The Big Daughter brooding on the very sofa I’ve been looking forward to sitting on.

I first realised the pleasure of my own company when I went to Cairo a couple of years ago. I had recently split up with The Ex Boyfriend, who was supposed to accompany me on the trip and was miserable and heartbroken. In spite of a man trying to lock me in his flat and get me to marry him, I really enjoyed the trip, in a perverse sort of way, and I now surmise that it was because I was alone.

“I’m hoping no rampant toilet-blockers will be in residence at the same time as me ”

When you read this, I am overjoyed to say that I shall be in Miami. Alone.
I have booked a flight to New York and a flight back from Miami. This involves actually getting from New York to Miami. I am planning to do this on the train, which takes about 30 hours. 30 hours of being alone. What bliss! The only problem I can foresee is that I’ve arranged to go out in New York with someone I met last time I was there.

Alas, he knows the location of all the dens of iniquity, so, with worst case scenarios in mind, I am also checking out flights from New York to Miami as an added last minute precaution. I am not being unduly careful as last time I did this sort of thing on The West Coast with The Ex Boyfriend we actually managed to miss the train no less than three times due to hangovers and oversleeping.

This is going to be a very cheap trip. In New York I am staying in the cheapest hotel I could find in the best location. Alone! My room has a shared bathroom, so I’m hoping no rampant toilet-blockers will be in residence at the same time as me.

In Miami, I’m staying in my friend Jim’s condo on South Beach for free. Alone! I am using the dollars that I had left over from Cuba earlier this year and I’m also planning to do all my Christmas shopping over there as there are still some shops – God bless and preserve them – that exist there but not here. I will be able to do what I like, go where I like and eat what I like, when I like. Alone! I know you’re jealous.

Jack and Jill went up the hill and came to a very sticky end – and so have mum and dad. Getting to my age has its drawbacks, but compared to those of my parents, they pale into insignificance.

They’re 77 now and although mentally as fit as a pair of old fiddles, they have entered the crumbly zone. That in itself would not be a problem if they were not in denial about this.

Dad, always a fitness fanatic, has had multiple by-pass surgery and both hips replaced. Despite all this, on Monday afternoon he went out for a ride on his bike.

Not some easy bike either, but a racing bike with drop handle bars and a fixed wheel. Moderation has had some impact so they drive the bike to a flat place and he rides there.

That is until Monday when he fell off and fractured his femur. So he is in hospital awaiting an operation.

“Anyone who knows my mum will be aware that she wobbles about like one of those toys you put on the bottom of a budgie cage”

Mum, meanwhile, tells all involved that she can cope on her own. The very next day she proves that she cannot by toppling down the stairs and fracturing her shoulder.

She spends the day in casualty and bless her, she insists that she can still cope, despite having her right arm in a sling.

Now anyone who knows my mum will be aware that she wobbles about like one of those toys that you put on the bottom of a budgie cage, the only difference being that once she finally goes over she cannot get up.

I called the hospital and spoke to the nurse who was very sweet but explained that as Mum had said she could cope there was not much they could offer in the way of help.

Oh, how I love our caring society, where there is no intervention for fear of any kind of repercussions. The nurse was lovely, and I know she understood, but she was helpless.

So now Mum is stuck at home and Dad on a ward, and they are both as miserable as can be.

For Dad, the injury will be far less hurtful than his injured pride. And I know he will be sitting waiting for someone to say that he must give up the bike. It will break his heart.

Mum too will be sitting knowing that she is in for a barrage of concern about the fact that she cannot cope. She knows that she can’t but will not admit it, just as she knows that she needs to walk with some kind of aid and will not do that.
Love them as I do I want to bang their silly heads together.

But that would mean even further medical attention and probably far more than the vinegar and brown paper that Jack and Jill managed to fix their heads with.

This stunning individual four bedroom detached, architecturally designed house was built in 2007, and as well as the remainder of a NHBC ten year guarantee also benefits from a Breeam Eco Homes environmental assessment award.

The property has a stylish and generously proportioned open-plan interior with underfloor heating to the ground floor, and four good sized bedrooms – with the master bedroom having an en-suite shower room. 

A particular feature of the house is the fabulous open-plan kitchen/dining room with quality integrated appliances and double doors to the patio and garden. 

Outside the property is a two car oak-framed car port accessed via a private driveway with electrically operated gates, and there is a delightful well stocked easily maintained garden.

If you are looking for a new property in a semi-rural location, with all the advantages of easy access into Brighton, then call today, because internal viewing is essential to fully appreciate this beautiful house.
£475,000 Freehold

For further details or to arrange a viewing, please contact: Spencer & Leigh, 108 Old London Road, Patcham, Brighton. Tel: 01273 565566 www.spencerandleigh.co.uk