Musical start for appeal

THE once-despairing campaigners for a new Lewes library are now dancing in the streets.

In July the county council tossed the plans into the waste bin.

But on Saturday the two sides were back-slapping each other to celebrate the launch of a public appeal for 500,000 to complete the project.

And the public turned out in their hundreds in support, dipping into their shopping purses to give tangible help a total of 434.38.

Balloons with the county council logo on their sides strained in near gale conditions at a stall manned by members of the new Lewes Library Appeal.

Three musical groups, donating their services free, played and sang.

Said a spokesman: 'The quaintly named Naked Voices didn't seem to feel the chill, perhaps warm in the knowledge that the library they were singing for will also house the county music library.

'In July the two sides eyed each other as though across the 38th parallel; one behind the creeper-clad ramparts of Pelham House shouting No Money, the other behind boxes of picture postcards of the new library emblazoned with a crusading challenge Let's Build It!

'Most of those postcards were delivered to councillors and officials, each one signed by a true supporter of the scheme.

'The blitz breached the Pelham House defences. On February 19 resistance crumbled and the county council reinstated the library plans.'

However one condition of the armistice is a public appeal to provide the final 500,000 of the 2,994,000 scheme.

On Saturday passers-by and those lingering to hear the groups (including The Hofners and the Jazz Caveners) stuffed notes and coins into buckets.

Now the appeal will take its plea to thousands more individuals, local businesses and organisations, and to grant-making foundations.

Added the spokesman: 'Raising 500,000 is undoubtedly harder than jiving on the precinct cobblestones but we believe we can do it.

'And if the county council begins to waver over the armistice, tries to cut a corner here or there, or finds it still cannot afford to build the library as planned then back to the barricades.'