Brighton to many is London-by-the-sea to others the destination for a dirty weekend. I have lived in Brighton for over 20 years, I even tried to leave once but soon realised what a mistake I?d made! Over the years the Town (now officially a city) has outgrown these popular preconceptions and has developed into one of the liveliest centres for tourism, culture and entertainment in the south of England.
*HISTORY*
Up until the 16th century Brighton was small but important fishingvillage with a population of 400 fishermen. But within a generation in the early 17th century Brighton became the largest town in Sussex.
The town became known as a health spa due to the supposed medical properties of the seawater that would cure many diseases. The growing Royal interest of the Prince Regent (to become George IV) led to the building of a outlandish Palace the Royal Pavilion, on the outside taking its influences from the domed palaces of India. Later in the 19th century with the opening of the London to Brighton railway line in 1841 the town to became accessible en mass to ordinary people and it has prospered and grown to become one of the best-loved destinations for tourist and fun seekers.
Brighton's history is evident all around you, as you move through the town from the superbly preserved Regency seafront you travel through Victorian and Edwardian architecture until you eventually reach the natural splendour of the South Downs.
*MODERN BRIGHTON-GETTING THERE, LAYOUT AND MOVING AROUND*
Brighton today has managed to diversify in the attractions it has to offer to such an extent that it is now a place where people come clubbing, for a pub-crawl or to have a meal. In addition it has become an important cultural centre, yearly hosting one of the largest arts festival in Europe second only to Edinburgh. A yearly film festival also taps into its long associations as a leading centre of the emerging British film industry.
The best way to get to Brighton is by train. There is a regular service between London Victoria Station and Brighton mainline; the journey time is around an hour. There are also regular train services from Southampton and Portsmouth but connection to the eastern coast town become a little problematic after Eastbourne.
Getting to Brighton by car is also easy enough, the main roads into the town include the M23/A23 or the A24 but the traffic in the centre can be a problem and parking is getting more difficult and more expensive every year. If you are determined to get there by car, get there early do not park illegally you will be fined! Probably the best option is to head for the big NCP car parks around Churchill square, but remember get there early!
Before I describe the main attractions of the town I'll give you a quick idea of how the centre is laid out.
When you step out of the beautiful Victorian mainline train station the town basically spreads out before you and leads down to the sea. If you walk straight down the road form the station along Queens
Road within 10minutes you will reach on the town main reference point the Clocktower. Once here to your left going down North Road you will head down to the Level, turn left and you?ll rreach the Pavilion turning right will get you to the Palace Pier. If you keep on going past the Level you will start going uphill again towards Kemptown. About halfway down North Road if you turn right you will get to the famous Brighton Lanes.
If at the Clocktower you got right you will enter Western road the main shopping road in Brighton as soon as you enter Western road you will see Churchill Square to your left with its new indoor shopping centre. Continuing on Western Road you will eventually get to Hove and pass a good selection of restaurant and pubs on the way.
If at the Clocktower you go straight ahead you can follow West Street all the way down to the seafro nt. The other area, which should be mentioned, is the North Laines, which you can find by taking one of the smaller streets to the right as you walk down into town from the Railway station.
Brighton is not a huge place and all areas in the centre are accessible on foot. However if you wish there are plenty of busses crisscrossing the town and the Taxi are very reasonably priced compared to London, £5 will get you anywhere in the whole of Brighton and tips are not expected. Main taxi ranks can be found just outside the station or opposite Churchill square.
*THE SEAFRONT AND THE MARINA*
The seafront is dominated by a huge number of hotels that run along it. These hotels vary in standard from the 4/5 star Metropole and Grand to the more affordable smaller guesthouses. Brighton also has two piers, the Palace Pier still standing is a throwback to the old-fashioned seaside town where Mods and Rockers congregated on the beaches. On the pier you'll find plenty slot machine, arcade games, a fish and chip restaurant, snack bars and a fun fair at the very end.
The West Pier was derelict for many years and recently was set on fire. It now stands like the skeletal remains of a great beast from prehistoric times inaccessible from the shore. The twisted metal of the support and the burnt out husk of the main structure still brings people to have a look.
The main road along the seafront is not the only way to see it, if you go down one of the many sets of steps you will reach the lower promenade, which has been greatly redeveloped in the last few years. The old fishing boat sheds with their wide arched entrances now provide space for nightclubs, art galleries, rock and souvenir shops and a small fishing museum. There are also plenty of bars to choose from and when the weather is nice you can sit outside and have a drink and a snack looking out to the pebble beach and sea beyond.
If you have small children the promenade has also a large adventure style playground including a paddling pool and plenty of places to roller skate or skateboard and of course there is the beach, not sandy, you have to go to Shoreham and beyond for that, but still a fun place to mess around in the waves on a hot summers day.
The new and impressive looking Marina complex including shops, café, pubs, hotels, restaurants, bowling hall and multiplex cinema is situated out of town along the coast going towards the village of Rottingdean. It is too far to walk but there are regular buses and plenty of free parking if you wish to take the car. Boat trips that take you along the coast and around the end of both piers can be hired from there.*THE PAVILION AND GARDENS*
If you are in the town for a short period The Pavilion Palace and Gardens are certainly worth visiting. The Pavilion is a mad eccentric structure right in the centre of town. Its Indian domes and minarets take you completely by surprise situated amongst the classical Regency architecture of the rest of the town. You can enter the gardens and walk around the outside of the buildings for free but it is worth paying the reasonable entrance fee and going inside. The interior is again a shock. Plush Chinese inspired furniture and décor line all the rooms. Highlights include the main dining room with its huge Chinese dragon chandeliers hanging from the domed ceiling, the kitchens that where the largest and best appointed in Europe at the time they were built and the superbly decorated ballroom. Upstairs you can see the royal apartments including the rather austere bedroom used by Queen Victoria.
The visit which should not last more than a hour is well worth it and the gift shop on the way out for once has a tasteful and reasonably priced selection of souvenirs. In the Summer months the Pavilion Gardens provide a green oasis in the busy town and you can sit on the lawn and idly pass the time.
If you walk along the gardens you will also see the imposing building that was once the royal stables now converted to a large concert hall The Dome. Along a bit further is the newly refurbished Brighton Museum and Art Gallery. This is like a miniature V & A and Tate Modern rolled in to one with a splendid collection of modern art, furniture and fashion from across the world. Refurbished and re-opened last year it has been a huge success attracting many visitors and it is well worth a visit. Entry is free!
*THEATRE, CINEMAS, CLUBS AND THE FESTIVAL*
Brighton can rightly be considered the cultural centre of the south coast. It has always had a long association with the arts and many actors and celebrities have lived or still live here. It is not uncommon to see Fat Boy and Zoe, Steve Coogan (Alan Partridge), Mark Williams (Fast Show), Mark Liddle, 'Corrie' bad boy Brian Capron or ex-Bill (Burnside) Christopher Ellison around town. Recently Kate Blanchet bought a house here, I look forward to bumping in to her while I do my shopping!
The town has a very arty feel to it and there are plenty of small venues for independent theatre companies as well as large venues like The Dome and The Centre for concerts and show. Recently the Komedia club in the North Laines has attracted top quality comedy stand up acts. The oldest theatre in town is the Theatre Royal a Victorian building largely still decorated in original style. Being so close to London it tends to get pre-premieres show from the West End for limited runs as well as all the top show as part of countrywide tours.
Brighton and Hove was one of the early centres of cinema in the UK and at one time there were over 200 cinemas in the town mostly small privately run. Nowadays there are fewer, but with a large Virgin multiplex at the Marina and an Odeon Multiplex in the Brighton Centre on the seafront the town is well catered for. My favourite cinema though is the Duke of Yorks nominally a cinema club (although you can join on the day) which specialises in art house and foreign film. It is an old Victorian building traditionally decorated apart from the giant can-can legs sticking out of its roof and you can get delicious homemade cakes and fresh filtered coffee at the interval! Another alternative newer specialist cinema Brighton Cinematheque (only sixty seats) also exists, run by a group of filmmakers and enthusiasts it show films outside of the mainstream.
I'm not a regular club goer anymore so my knowledge of clubs in Brighton is now limited. All styles are catered for on different nights.
Amongst the best known are
The Zap Club, The Volks Room, The Concorde, The Funky Buddha Lounge, The Escape Club and The Honey Club all of which are on the net.
For something a bit different try the Hanbury Ballroom, once a month on Saturday night for the 'Stick It On' session where the club goers become the DJ's see www.stickiton.co.uk
The biggest cultural event in the Brighton calendar is the Arts Festival in May. Apart from Edinburgh this is the largest arts festival in Europe. There is a wide variety of attractions on offer classical concerts, jazz, poetry, book readings and discussions, Comedy, arts exhibitions, performance art. Every year the festival spills out on to the streets and all over town you will see street performers and street theatre, all easily accessible and all free. The festival starts off on the first May bank holiday with a huge parade through town, involving local schoolchildren and local youth groups accompanied by musical bands with wonderful costumes and banners. The whole town adopts a party atmosphere which keeps going until the end of festival fireworks display on the last bank holiday of the month. Even if the main festival events don?t take you fancy it is worth visiting the town at this time just to soak up the atmosphere.
*FOOD AND DRINK*
You are really spoilt for choice in Brighton. The variety of restaurants and eating-places both fancy or cheap and cheerful is staggering.
The different type of cuisine on offer include the usual Indian, Chinese, Italian, French, Thai but also catered for are Japanese, Korean, Cajun, Caribbean, Iranian, Lebanese, Tex/Mex, Mexican, Latin American, Spanish, North African, Mongolian as well as specialist Vegetarian, Vegan and Fish restaurants. The fast food sector is well represented with Burger Bars, Pizzerias, Fish and Chip and Kebab houses all over the centre of town.
Ones I would personally recommend would be
'The Latin In the Lanes' on 10-11 Kings Road one of the longest established Italian/Continental restaurant in Brighton and still one of the best, specialising is seafood. For a meal on special occasion it can?t be beaten for quality even though it comes at a price.
'Terre A Terre' on 71 East Street - This is simply the best vegetarian restaurant in Brighton and it is regularly voted one of the top in the country. Don?t expect Soya burger or lentil stew, the food on offer is imaginative and superbly presented, catering for Vegans as well as vegetarians and there is also a fine and affordable selection of Organic wine. Good enough for a meat lover like me to (almost) be persuaded to give up.
'Kambi's' on Western Road was always Brighton best kept secret, but now people are catching on. Nestling between shops and fast food places on the busy Western road it looks like a Kebab shop from the outside but once you get past the counter and sit down at the back you will be treated to some of the best and authentic Persian and Lebanese food in the town. The décor is simple, the staff is friendly and you can bring your own wine making the meals considerably cheaper. Again vegetarians are well catered for and make sure you try the deserts!
If you don't want to eat but just want to drink then the choice is just as good . Brighton has always been a great place to enjoy real ale in its many traditional pubs many of which are regularly listed in the Good Beer guide. A great selection of real ale form all over the country can be found as well as the local brews from the Harveys Brewery in Lewes, King and Barnes from West Sussex and my own favourite Gales from Hampshire.
For a good pint try The BasketmakersArms tucked away in Gloucester Road at the bottom of the North Laines or The Greys on Southover Street, for a more usual selection of drinks The Yeoman on Guildford Road just up the hill from the main train station is great value and does some great pub food too. Alternatively The Windmill on Upper North Street will cater for punter of all ages. If you fancy listening to some great alternative music on an old-fashioned jukebox and want to try spotting some local indie pop idols try the 'Heart in Hand' on North Street.
If you venture in to the centre of town close to the seafront the pubs get very loud and busy especially at the weekends and you?ll find the people tend to move from one to another or maybe on to the many clubs in the area.
In recent years Brighton has become a popular destination for Stag and Hen nights so the centre of town over the weekends does get very crowded and very lively, if you're looking for a quiet drink with a local crowd then avoid the central area head towards the North Laines, Hove or Kemptown. Quite a few of the pubs in the town are nominally Gay pubs but straight customers are welcome.
*SHOPPING*
Like every other large town or city Brighton has the usual selection of high street stores. Since its opening the shopping centre on Churchill square is the centre for this kind of shopping, there or close by on Western Road you will find, M&S, Gap, Woolworths, Debenhams, Next, WH Smith, Waterstones, BHS and all the other well known high street names.
If you're looking to do some more individual shopping there are a great selection of boutiques and specialist fashion shops in the North Laines. Here you will also find a good selection of second hand shops selling clothes, books, magazines and general collectibles.
This is also the perfect area to sample a little street life, in the summer the small street get very busy and the multitude of small cafes and snack bars will allow you to indulge in some interesting peoplewacthing and Brighton certainly has a weird and wonderful mix of people!
In this area you will also find a huge number of Antique stores usually cheaper than the more touristy ones in famous Brighton ?Lanes? area near the seafront. If you're out for a bargain try the antiques market by the station or in the North Laines on Saturday or Sunday morning, but you have to get there at the break of dawn to find the best pieces.
The other famous shopping landmark in Brighton is The Lanes. These are a maze of small streets that map out the location of the original fishing village before the town expanded. You wont find any fishermen there today! The Lanes are a tourist attraction and must be seen but be warned that the shops and cafes around here can be quite expensive. The lanes themselves are quite a small area but extending out of them towards the seafront past Bartholomew Square where the Town Hall is situated are more small alley way and narrow roads with many art shops, eating place and pubs all leading to the seafront promenade.
*OVERALL*
Brighton has never been a sleepy seaside resort and now it has shed its dirty weekend image it is a vibrant, multicultural, multiethnic community that likes to live it up. There is a wonderful cosmopolitan mix in the town; apart from the usual tourists the town has a huge number of language schools that bring many foreign students to stay every year.
Brighton has two universities (Brighton University and Sussex University) nearby and this ensu res that the town has a high proportion of young people living and working here. The closeness to London makes it within commuting distance for many people and in recent years more and more people from London have decided to take advantage of slightly lower property prices in the town to live here while still working in London. This has added to the influx of young well-off people to the area.
Brighton is also famous for its gay community and this also add much to the town's diversity and tolerance of the unconventional and the new.
Brighton has everything you can want, culture, nightlife, entertainment, seaside, countryside, parks, shops, excellent restaurants and a colourful history. All these different elements make Brighton an exiting place to live. It is more than London-by-the-sea it is Brighton. I wouldn?t live anywhere else!
*USEFUL INFORMATION*
For tourist information check out Virtual Brighton the City guide to Brighton and Hove at
http://www.brighton.co.uk/
Brighton and Hove has a great selection of Hotels, guesthouses and B & B to choose from, most times of the year if you should not have difficulty finding somewhere to stay but beware that Brighton does stage a number of big conference throughout the year that will affect price and availability, also the festival month of may will make it harder to find affordable accommodation, so it is always best to book in advance.
** This review is part of proxam's HOMETOWN challenge where members are asked to write about any aspect of their home town - or a town they'd like/not like to be their home town. **
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Very good! I visit brighton next month 7-12 april. I'm from Spain, my sister is living there.
Thank you for all the information , Adios!!!
elkiedee 17.12.2003 12:38
I've been to Brighton a few times though only once for just a weekend away when I didn't have to be in conferences - or demonstrating, like Karen! - and really enjoyed it but this guide would encourage people to visit or revisit Brighton and be great for those who might find themselves there anyway.
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Advantages: good variety of artwork, absolutely free unless you buy some artwork,you get to see some lovely houses, meet some friendly artists Disadvantages: you can't see them all, can be a bit tiring trekking around Brighton!
Oct 30th, 2003
(Nov 5th, 2003)
exceptional by (2%):
very helpful by (98%):
