Viva Brighton Issue 34 December 2015

interview
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mybrighton: Andy Winter
Brighton Housing Trust CEO
Are you local? I’ve been living here for 36 years
now, nearly 37. I had to leave South Africa in a
hurry: I was a conscientious objector, having refused
to serve in the apartheid army. I’d never heard of
Brighton, but I knew someone who lived here, so
that’s where I went. To this day I’m grateful they
didn’t live in Hull or Swindon.
Did you immediately like it here? For a year I
hated it. I thought that I would never be allowed
to return home again; I was lonely and depressed,
I had no qualifications, and I had no idea what the
future held. Then I decided my lot was much better
than that of most black South Africans, and started
involving myself in various political activities.
What sort of stuff? After a while I realised I was in
danger of becoming just another embittered South
African ex-pat so I decided to get involved in local
politics. I joined Labour, and stood for election in
the third safest Tory ward. On my third attempt – a
by-election in 1985 - I won a seat. I was a councillor
for seven years, ending up as an independent.
How did you get involved with BHT? First I got
a job as a hostel worker. Within a few years I had
become the manager of BHT’s Alcohol, Drug and
Mental Health Services. I was poorly qualified to
run alcohol and drug services as I am teetotal and
have never tried recreational drugs. But over the
years I’ve listened to countless courageous and generous
former alcoholics and addicts who’ve achieved
abstinence and rebuilt their lives. They’ve been very
patient with me and I’ve learnt the impact drugs and
alcohol have had on them and their families.
And you’ve made a difference? Brighton is no
longer the ‘drug death capital of Britain’ but I still
think we’ll be failing until we’re considered the
‘recovery capital of Britain’.
Why does Brighton appeal to so many people
with substance problems? First there was the
Prince Regent using his Palace as a party house,
then there was the reputation of Brighton being the
place to come for dirty weekends. It’s always been
seen as being a place where people can overindulge.
Is Brighton a magnet for homeless people? The
average rent for a one-bedroom flat here is £850 a
month; the maximum housing benefit on offer is
£612 a month. A lot of people who arrive here, because
they think it’s an attractive place, simply can’t
afford to live here. We engage with many newcomers
in this situation as soon as they arrive, and we
often encourage them to leave as soon as possible
because there are other places in the country where
they could afford to live. This is a controversial
approach. You might find this hypocritical of me,
after all I arrived here without a penny and was
for a time a classic ‘benefit scrounger’. But times
have changed. If I was arriving now I’d be looking
at somewhere more affordable, like Hastings or St
Leonards… even Hull or Swindon.
Recommend us a good restaurant. LangeLees,
near our offices. Good quality food, efficient service,
and good value. I take my 91-year-old dad there.
When did you last swim in the sea? I used to
all the time 25 years ago, but I’m ashamed to say I
don’t anymore, not in England, anyway.
How do you get about the place? I’ve never learnt
to drive so I generally travel by bus. It’s a great leveller.
Thatcher famously said ‘any man seen riding
on a bus after the age of 30 should consider himself
a failure’. When I’m travelling on the number 26,
I’m proud to wear that badge. AL
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