Portslade 1981 – The Wishlist that Came True?
We’ve recently been sent a fascinating 1981 Evening Argus cutting by Alison Caldwell (nee Lucas). Written just seven years after Portslade was absorbed into the Borough of Hove, it captures a town fiercely proud of its "zest" and identity, while also listing a series of improvements it desperately needed. From the state of Easthill House to the isolation of Mile Oak, it’s a wonderful snapshot of Portslade in transition. Here is the full text of that article for our records:
Evening Argus, Thursday, March 19, 1981
How pride came before the fall
By Just Trimingham
MANY years ago Portslade was a proud little town with its own police station, fire station and council. Now it has been swallowed up by Hove and many people whizzing along the A27 manage to pass through Portslade without even knowing it is there.
Portslade politics were a joy. Liberals, Conservatives and Socialists mingled on the council with the odd independent. Power changed so frequently that the politicians never dared be too rude to each other for fear of reversing roles the following year. Under the efficient and benevolent rule of town clerk Bill Tozer things got done. Talk was kept to a minimum and if council meetings lasted more than 45 minutes people got restless. There were characters like the patrician old Socialist Harry Parker, who ensured Portslade was known well outside its own boundaries.
Yet the town was small enough to have a real sense of community which was not necessarily inward-looking. Portslade was the only council in its area to rehouse Ugandan Asians when they were cruelly expelled from their country.
Portslade is older than its big sister, Hove, and until the last century was larger. It has pleasant and picturesque places, notably in the old village and by the Downs. The northern end of Portslade, Mile Oak (known as Nappy Valley) is a suburban sprawl developed in a haphazard way. It has a wonderful sense of community probably caused by its very isolation.
Portslade has no real centre. It has no access to the beach and limited access to the Downs. It suffers from being on the western corner of East Sussex. Many county councillors do not appear to know where it is. East Sussex acquiesced in splitting Portslade in two by widening the A27 and providing a barrier as forbidding in its suburban way as the Berlin wall. And it is trying to put up the speed limit from 30 to 40 mph. It is now busily engaged in trying to make Church Road and Trafalgar Road, two residential streets, into the main north-south route for heavy traffic.
Not content with this, it is backing the Brighton bypass, which, whatever its merits may be for Brighton, has no possible benefits for Portslade. There is no access to the Downs from Mile Oak for traffic, and precious little for pedestrians. Heavy traffic will still go along part of the Old Shoreham Road. West Hove Golf Course, the one large open lung Portslade has, will be ruined by a link road.
Hove pretends to understand Portslade, but the peaceful politics of Hove may suit its pensioners, but are of little help to Portslade, which has more zest. There are improvements that could be made. One would be to make the main section of Station Road into a pedestrian precinct. The beach could be made more attractive with a car park and a cafe, and the shingle cleaned with a high-pressure hose.
Easthill House could be turned into a restaurant and made an attraction instead of a run-down ruin. Adventure playgrounds could be provided in parks. A few more trees would be welcome in South Portslade, and so would landscaping of the canal bank.
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| Copyright Ray Hamblett This was Easthill house in 2002 |
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| Copyright Ray Hamblett This photo taken in 2016 |
No wonder many people in Portslade would like to declare UDI. Life was better for them when the town looked after its own affairs.
Lets explore how Portslade have done since this was written
| 1981 Observation / Request | The Situation in 2026 |
| Easthill House: "A run-down ruin." | PRESENS (Pre-school Special Educational Needs Service): A significant portion of the house is used by Brighton & Hove City Council's PRESENS unit. This service provides specialist support for nursery-aged children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). |
| Adventure Playgrounds: "Could be provided in parks." | Delivered. Easthill Park is now celebrated for its excellent play areas, frequently cited as one of the best local spots for families. |
| Station Road: "Make the main section... into a pedestrian precinct." | Partial Progress. While not fully pedestrianised, the "Boundary Road/Station Road" corridor has seen significant public realm improvements and remains the vibrant commercial "heart" that the 1981 author felt was missing. |
| The "Berlin Wall" (A27): "Splitting Portslade in two." | Softened. While the road remains a major divide, the landscaping and footbridge links have matured, though the "Mile Oak isolation" mentioned in the text is still a talking point for residents today. |
The "Nappy Valley" Mystery
The mention of Mile Oak as "Nappy Valley" is a classic bit of 80s social history. It refers to the post-war housing boom where young families were moved out to the "suburban sprawl."
Do you remember Mile Oak being called Nappy Valley?
The "Efficient" Bill Tozer
The article mentions Bill Tozer, the Town Clerk. Interestingly, he passed away in February 1981, just one month before this article was published. He was a Welsh rugby player who served as Portslade’s clerk for nearly 30 years (1946–1974). Tozer Court in Vale Road was named in his honour.
The Ugandan Asian Connection
The claim that Portslade was the only local council to rehouse Ugandan Asian families in 1972 is a significant piece of heritage. Many of these families were initially housed in the newer developments in Mile Oak. It highlights a compassionate side of Portslade's history that often gets overlooked.
Easthill House: A "Run-down Ruin"
It’s fascinating to read the author describing Easthill House as a ruin in 1981. This was the era after the Blaker family had left and before the major restorations and its current life as a vibrant community space. The author’s suggestion that it should be a restaurant didn't quite happen, but it certainly avoided the "ruin" fate!
Just to add some notes here for context
- Mile Oak's "Isolation": The article mentions the lack of Downs access for Mile Oak traffic
. Today, residents still debate the "one way in, one way out" nature of the area.
- The "Run-down Ruin": It’s amazing to think of Easthill House being called a ruin in 1981, considering it was only acquired by the council in 1947
.
- The "Efficient" Bill Tozer: Interestingly, Bill Tozer passed away in February 1981, just one month before this article was written. He served as Town Clerk for nearly 30 years
.
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What was UDI? In the article, the author mentions that many people in Portslade wanted to "declare UDI." This stands for Unilateral Declaration of Independence. It was a term often used in the 60s and 70s (most famously by Rhodesia) to describe a territory breaking away from a larger governing body. In Portslade’s case, it was a "zesty" way of saying residents wanted to break free from Hove and run their own affairs again!
Have You Got a Scrapbook in the Attic?
This fascinating look back at 1981 was only possible thanks to the kindness of Alison Caldwell (nee Lucas), who shared her newspaper cutting with us. Sadly, much of our local memorabilia can easily go missing over the years—as our friend Mike Simpson recently discovered, losing his own collection of local photos and even his pub beer mats.
To make sure Portslade's unique history isn't lost, we are looking for more!
Do you have old newspaper cuttings about Portslade or Mile Oak?
Do you have photos of the old CVA/K&T club or the Rothbury?
Have you kept programmes, beer mats, or posters from local events?
If you have anything tucked away in a scrapbook, please do get in touch. We can "lift" the text and digitise the images so they can be shared and preserved for everyone on the Portslade History Round Up. Let’s make sure these memories don't fade!
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