Pavilion promise

I like the De La Warr Pavilion.

I only say that because whenever I try to talk it up, a small group of friends and associates always say, 'I thought you didn't like the place.'

I'm told this opinion is based on some stories over the last few years which have been perceived as 'negative'.

This forgets all the good news stories to have emerged from the building - and there have been dozens.

I think anything considered 'bad' news gets the most publicity and sticks in the mind - that's just human nature I guess.

Like everyone else here at the Observer, I'd like to think of myself as impartial. I don't have any axe to grind over the pavilion and would hope to write stories in a balanced way. I'm just as keen to report good news and bad news.

With that in mind then, hats off to the De La Warr Pavilion Trust for their work so far this year and the upcoming programme for the rest of the summer.

When Observer staff looked at what was on during the spring and summer we were truly impressed.

Famous names instantly leapt out off the page; Harry Hill, Tony Benn, Lee Mack, Jose Gonzalez, Lee Evans, Grayson Perry, Goldfrapp, Mark Almond.

But not only was it the 'big' acts that struck us, but also the variety of what was on offer. A quick glance of the promotional material revealed ballet, opera, stand-up comedy, acoustic gigs, electro-pop, thought-provoking art and much more besides.

And early indications would suggest the pavilion have got it right.

Top comic and actor Lee Evans (or 'that Norman Wisdom impersonator' according to one of the few members of the Observer team not so keen on him) sold out in a manic three or so hours. Goldfrapp weren't far behind with the speed at which they shifted tickets.

The talented Jose Gonzalez played to an almost full house just a few weeks ago and Mark Almond chose Bexhill over Brighton for his UK tour.

Harry Hill's stand-up gig promises to be a real community occasion.

Friends, family and contacts in the town have said how much they are looking forward to it and have booked their tickets.

It looks like for me, and I would guess most other people attending, it'll be a case of sitting in an audience full of familiar faces.

And if so many people from Bexhill and the surrounding towns are going, it shows the pavilion is catering for local residents and not just the 'London crowd'.

The galleries look good too, and the work seems to be far more accessible than you might think. The controversial but always good value (for anyone who has seen him on Newsnight Review, you'll know what I mean), Grayson Perry, has picked an interesting selection from the Arts Council's own collection of works.

I'm really looking forward to 'The Not Knowing of Another' by Hastings artist Kate Adams. It promises to be a fascinating artistic insight into a rare neurological condition we cannot hope to fully understand.

I'm not saying the De La Warr Pavilion is perfect. There are some things I would like to be done differently and the trust would be the first to say they have a long way to go.

And I'll still be the first to write so-called 'bad' news about the building if it happens.

But that doesn't mean I don't like it. And my enthusiasm for what they have on at the pavilion this year is proof of that.