Celebrating 50 years of the Chichester Society

The Chichester Society – as it says on its website – “exists to celebrate the attractions of our city and make sure they stay attractive.” When there was a very direct threat to those attractions 50 years ago, the Chichester Society was called into existence by the remarkable Chichester artist, essayist and conservationist David Goodman. To mark this year’s 50th anniversary, Sussex Newspapers group arts editor and Festival of Chichester chairman Phil Hewitt interviewed – before a group of members and guests – long-serving Chichester Society member John Templeton and Julia Goodman, daughter of the society’s founder David.

Julia paid moving tribute to the determination of her father in galvanising support for a fondly-remembered public meeting at which the Society was born – in response to all the threats stacking up against the historic city. John and Julia also reflected on how different Chichester would now be if the Chichester Society had not been there to protect it for the past five decades. John, Julia and the guests remembered and discussed many of the significant battles that the Society fought and won over the years and they also reflected on the challenges which face Chichester today – most significantly in John's view the state the paving in Chichester’s pedestrianised area. John, a member of the society from its very earliest days, argues that the Chichester Society has never been needed more than it is today.