Whispering Smith Column published in the Littlehampton Gazette April 23rd. 2015

YOU have very probably walked or driven by Alan’s house in Pier Road. You may have smiled at the dalmation climbing up the wall or the mannequin in the upstairs window. You may have heard and enjoyed his excellent taste in blues music and jazz. You have seen his aeroplane topped car and bumped into him at local musical gigs. If very lucky you have stopped to chat with him and the chicken he carries on his wrist with pride like some giant red raptor. The man marches to a different drummer than most and is a genuine and one hundred percent unique gentleman who has now been told, it appears, to remove his decorations and conform. The request was not issued by the town council but was initiated by Arun District Council, members of which, as usual, are completely out of step with the local populace they supposedly represent. Hang tight, Alan, 100 or so Littlehampton folk and town visitors are already on social media and hearing you loud and clear.

I recently emailed our sitting Conservative MP for his take on a couple of issues in which I am interested and have not had a reply. I have done this on several previous occasions regarding environmental issues and each time rather than advise me as to his own thoughts he has referred the letter to the minister in charge for a reply. Not good enough, I want to vote for the candidate I think will best represent me if elected, based on his or her own standing and not those of a government minister. Out of interest I wrote to the new Lib Dem candidate posing the same questions and got an immediate and satisfactory reply clearly stating his personal view on both fracking in West Sussex and the strengthening of the hunting ban.

I KNOW that as far as Arun are concerned I do have a very suspicious attitude but, is it my imagination that the reason the new signpost on the pier omits to direct the visitors to the Windmill Cinema, is that Arun have already written this very important attraction off? Oh, who will rid of me of this bunch?

DELIGHTED to tell you that Riverside Fish, the stall on Pier Road will be reopened this week.