lOCA l h ISTORy

By SylvIA ENDACOTT

In October 1978 and again in March 1979, evenings of ‘Old Films of Bognor’ were shown to packed audiences at the Esplanade Theatre, opposite the Royal Norfolk. This was to be my introduction to the history of the town, and the start of my own story of local history. The site originally formed from part of the Royal Norfolk hotel grounds, was sold in 1901 for the sum of £60. The Town Surveyor, Oswald Bridges, was then called upon to design a Bandstand for use by the large number of military bands that travelled around the resorts. By 1913 the venue was very popular and enlarged. The charge for these chairs helped to raise the £500 per year needed to hire the bands.

An enclosure was proposed and approved and finally opened on 19 June 1937 at a cost of £3,666; with 3,000 attending the opening. This bandstand enclosure comprised a horseshoe-shaped wall and was turfed inside, but open to the sky.

In 1945 further improvements were made and in 1946 the area was covered with a canvas roof and renamed the Esplanade Concert hall. So much use was made of this Concert hall that by 1951, 720 tip up seats, were added, and when it reopened it became the Esplanade Theatre.

It was finally closed on 10th February 1980, creating much sadness and anger in the town at its demise. The final show at the theatre was reported as ‘an extravaganza.’ By April 1980 the theatre was demolished.

Arun & ChiChester (Air) enthusiAsts so Ciety

AirACES www.airaces.org.uk

Patrons – Sqn ldr Richard (Dick) Kharegat RAF (Retd) – ex vulcan, victor, B52 Pilot wg Cdr Robert (Bob) Prothero MRAeS, MIMgt, RAF (Retd) – ex victor Pilot

Monday 24th April 2023 - 1900 for 1930 hrs

‘Flying for Films – pre Computer-Generated Imagery’ and ‘Display Flying before 2015’

Jonathon whaley returns to Air ACES to give two more of his remarkable talks.

The first is ‘Flying for Films - before C-GI’. As a highly experienced display pilot Jonathon has also carried out a considerable amount of film flying. In this talk he will explain how this is done with a view to achieving the desired film sequences. Films he flew for include Indiana Jones, Born to Ride and The Mummy

In the second half of the evening, Jonathon will explain what is involved in becoming a display pilot and the evaluation process required to achieve Display Authorisation. he will conclude by telling what constitutes good or bad displays and point out some of the errors that display pilots commonly make.

AirACES is an aviation talk society, providing its members with regular talks, given by experts in many different fields related to the world of aviation. The talks are held at the Chichester Park hotel, westhampnett Road, Chichester 7pm for 7.30 start. Members £5, visitors £7 and under 16s FREE. Doors open at 6.45 no pre-booking, no reserved seating For further information about AirACES, please see www.airaces.org.uk, or call David Batcock on 01243 823007.

To contact BERSTED IN FOCUS please email: office@infocusmagazines.co.uk

Do you need an Estate Administration Solicitor?

by Mark Riley, Founder & Managing Partner, MJR Solicitors

You don’t have to use a solicitor to deal with any estate administration or probate matters if you don’t want to, but it can be a lengthy and timeconsuming process. It’s not something you should take on if you’re not confident and you could create more problems for yourself if you do.

Our Estate Administration Solicitors can help with as much or as little of the probate process as you want. It may be that you just need a little help coping with one particular asset in more detail, allowing you to administer the estate to the beneficiaries yourself. But if you choose to do it yourself and you make any mistakes, you could be held legally or financially responsible. By contacting us, we give you access to specialist Estate Administration and Probate Solicitors who can handle the entire process for you. By instructing us to work on your behalf, we’ll take complete responsibility for everything while making sure each beneficiary of the estate receives the full inheritance they’re entitled to while reducing any personal or financial risk. Always available to give you the practical help and legal advice you need, we can gather any information, complete forms, obtain the Grant of Probate, and distribute the estate to the beneficiaries on your behalf. Whatever you decide and whatever you need, we’re here to help.

Here are some examples of what we can do on your behalf:

Report the death and obtain the medical certificate for the cause of death, providing the coroner is not involved

• Contact the funeral director to start making arrangements for the funeral

Registry and get all the relevant forms sent to you

• Complete the appropriate forms

• Complete the IHT400 form if the estate is subject to inheritance tax • Arrange funds to pay inheritance tax and the probate fees • Receive the grant • Place the statutory advertisement for creditors and claimants • Send a copy of the grant to all asset holders and request payment of all funds

• Pay all creditors • Complete stock and share transfer forms and draft an assent for the property • Pay beneficiaries and distribute all legacies

This is by no means an exhaustive list and complications can arise through rentals, unknown assets, and unknown liabilities that we can help and advise you on.

So book your free 30-minute consultation today to discuss what is the best plan for you.

Call us, email us or send us a message on our website contact form.

More useful information about Estate Planning & Administration can be found on our website at: www.mjrsolicitors.co.uk/services/ estate-administration

• Register the death and obtain copies of the death certificate

• Locate the Will

• Secure the deceased’s assets and property if it’s left unoccupied

• Find and read the will, if there is one, and confirm its validity

• Contact the personal representatives if they have been named in the Will or, if there are no personal representatives, determine who is entitled to administer the estate

• Find all documents relating to the deceased’s life, both financial and otherwise

• Register the death with asset and liability holders

• Open a bank account on behalf of the estate

• Contact the Probate

Tel: 01243 945054 info@mjrsolicitors.co.uk www.mjrsolicitors.co.uk

Recent Client Feedback:

“Having never used a Solicitor before we found the whole experience easy, relaxed and, although a legal matter, it had an informal feel whilst being professional.”

To contact BERSTED IN FOCUS please email: office@infocusmagazines.co.uk

Whether you are making your own Will, or sorting out the estate of a loved one who has passed away, we offer a complete grant of probate and estate planning and administration service that gives you complete peace of mind. Our experienced team are available to give you practical help and straightforward, jargon-free advice to help you in your time of need. From dealing with legal, tax and property issues to distributing the estate, we give you the personal support you need so you don't have to deal with it alone.

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