Brighton Guide
Demography
Demographically, Brighton is an ethnically diverse city, mostly due to migrant populations. Approximately 35% of the population were born outside of the United Kingdom, with a significant proportion of those born in the Republic of Ireland. The largest single foreign-born group were those from the Republic of Ireland, who made up 8. 6% of the population in 2011. Many cultures are represented in the city including British, Spanish, Portuguese,German, Italian, French, Polish, and Turkish.
The older, more recent, and more ethnically diverse population is primarily due to the presence of the university, Brighton Town Press (brightontownpress.co.uk). Brighton has a high number of residents with a higher rate of those in employment. Over 28% of 1674 year-olds are currently attending school (which is above the national average for this age group), while 59% are in full-time employment (which is higher than both the England and national averages). The 2011 census showed there were 133,749 people living in Brighton and Hove.
Of those, 45. 9% describe themselves as Christian, 2. 6% Muslim, 1. 7% Hindu, 0. 9% Buddhist, 0. 7% Jewish and 0. 5% Sikh. 24. 2% had no religion, 7. 1% did not state their religion and 7. 8% did not answer the question. 53. 4% of residents aged 16+ are classed as highly or fairly literate against an England average of 82%. Demographics : Brighton has been recognised as one of the most gay-friendly places in the UK, was voted the Best Gay Resort in 2010 by readers of The Guardian, and in 2017 was announced as the Best City in Europe by readers of Traveler magazine.
Brighton's affluence is partly attributable to an above-average number of pensioners who live and spend in the city. Traditionally residents of Brighton have been known as Bonackers, pejoratively known as "Brighton Bottlers". The term Bonacker derives from the phrase "up and down like a Brighton bonnet" which referred to the frequent rise and fall of the town's sea wall during rough seas. Please note that the Concorde Room has a capacity of 95 and the Basement has a capacity of 50.
Landmarks
The Royal Pavilion is a former royal residence located in Brighton, England. Beginning in 1787, it was built in three stages as a seaside retreat for George, Prince of Wales (later King George IV), who bought the mansion in 1807 to use as a summer home and as a place to entertain. It is built in the Indo-Saracenic Revival architecture style, notable for blending European and Asian themes. The current appearance of the Pavilion, with its domes and minarets, is the work of architect John Nash, who extended the building starting in 1815.
In 1921, it became a public museum. For around 300 years, the Royal Pavilion has been one of the most popular places in all of England. It is a royal palace with a difference: it serves as a permanent reminder of the changes that have taken place across the centuries within British society. For the British public, it is a palace infused by Asian culture. The Royal Pavilion, a Grade I listed building, is a former royal palace built as a home for the Prince Regent during the early 19th century, under the direction of the architect John Nash.
It is notable for its Indo-Saracenic architecture and Oriental interior. The Royal Pavilion, also known as the Brighton Pavilion, is an exuberant folly built by the Prince Regent in three stages, beginning in 1815. It is architecturally significant, and a prominent landmark on Brighton's skyline. The constituency of Brighton Kemptown has existed since 1885, but has been represented by Labour MPs for its entire existence. Its most high-profile MP was Tony Benn who served as an MP here for 50 years, but lost the seat when he was defeated by Conservative Simon Kirby at the 2010 general election.
Culture
The town has a large number of independent coffeehouses, peaking in the Cowley Road area with its concentration of media, IT and design companies. There is a mix of small and large chain eateries, with the old favourites including; Pizza Express, Prezzo, Zizzi's , Giraffe, Frankie & Benny's , Nando's (at Churchill Square), Café Rouge, Las Iguanas (inference for Brighton University students only) Wetherspoons pub chain. Brighton has a vibrant cultural scene and was named the UK's "hippest city" by Sunday Times in October 2005, attracting creative people in fields such as film-making, music, fashion and advertising.
The city is home to the Five Ways café quarter, consisting of some 50 small cafés. Several coffee houses are on Little East Street, near the offices of NEXT Directory and other creative companies. Food and drink are a significant part of the Brighton cultural scene. There are several markets – including an antiques market, an indoor food market which specialises in locally sourced products, and an open-air market which specializes in antiques and clothing.
The first gastropub to be given a Michelin star was The Harvester, situated on Brighton's seafront. Brighton has an eccentric dining culture, with 'zany'menu names for instance, the Fat Lard Sandwich Company and Fish & Chips at Batter Chip. Some of Brighton's restaurants are owned by notable chefs from outside of the UK, including Antonio Carluccio, Nobu Matsuhisa, Vineet Bhatia and Peter Gordon. Culture. Brighton is characterised by small dining establishments and independent coffeehouses.
Education
The University of Sussex has been ranked in the top ten universities in the UK for the subject of media and communication (tied with Goldsmiths College) as well as ranked among the top 100 institutions globally. Rankings are based on 'research impact'and 'research excellence'. Subjects such as psychology, politics and economics also consistently rank highly, as do international relations, criminal justice, mathematics and social policy. With its history in the visual arts and theatre studies, it represents a landmark in the development of education in England.
Members of the university are generally known as Sussexians, and have traditionally been referred to by the nickname Tabs (derived from the University's abbreviation, in Latin, "T. A. ", or Anglish/English: "Teaching and Administrative College"). This usage is less common since the university became broader based although some students still refer to themselves as Tabs when they are members of academic bodies or clubs which are officially recognized by the University. Brighton has about 250 restaurants.
Transport
Transport in Brighton forms an integral part of the city’s culture, character and economy. The city has several railway stations, many bus routes, coach services and taxis. A Rapid Transport System was developed as a result of the Big Green Bus and MetroBus projects. These received government funding to encourage greener methods of travel. Transport for London presently runs two bus routes numbered in the 500s from Brighton, the 500 being a direct express service to Victoria Station and the 553 stopping at towns in West Sussex on route to Croydon.
Tillingbourne Bus Company runs six local services in and around the city and there are also some privately run minibus services. Transport in Brighton and Hove serves the needs of both residents and visitors to the city. It has several railway stations, many bus routes, coach services and taxis. A Rapid Transport System has been under consideration for some years. Trolleybuses, trams, ferries and hydrofoil services have operated in the past. Transport in Brighton and Hove forms an important part of the city's infrastructure.
Climate
The highest temperature recorded was 34. 5 °C (94. 1 °F) on 3 August 2003, during a European-wide heatwave. In January 2005, the city hit −14. 0 °C (6. 8 °F). On 12 January 2010, in an area of Arctic air mass brought to the UK by the Jet Stream, the temperature fell to −8. 5 °C (16. 7 °F), less than 2 miles (3 km) from Kew Gardens. This is the lowest temperature ever recorded in Sussex on a winter's day, and one of the lowest in southern England on record.
Brighton's proximity to the ocean influences the amount of precipitation, which is typically greater in winter. While Brighton rarely receives significant snowfall, there have been occasions when it has fallen, for example: January 1920, February 1924, February 1947, December 1987 and December 2010. The average annual sunshine totals around 1,570 hours. The city lies at the heart of a motorway network, with two motorways running through it, and has good-quality trunk roads to many surrounding settlements, as well as direct connections to London and other large towns by road.
Boundaries And Areas
Boundaries changed again in 1835 when the Hundred became the Poor Law Union(PLU) of Brighton, Hove and Preston. The PLU did not correspond to the area defined by the County Commissioners who were responsible for administering the Poor Law Amendment Act 1834 (which required parishes to maintain workhouses capable of accommodating everyone who needed relief), so they used an alternative definition which divided Sussex into nine districts along existing county boundaries. Brighton was included in the Lewes District, and as a result of this anomaly found itself separated from what had been its own market town for 1,000 years.
West Blatchington ceased to be a parish and was included in the PLU of Preston. Brighton's boundaries were set in 1854. The town ran from the Castle and Palace (now Brighton Museum) in the east to Preston Farm in the west, between the London Road (now Old Steine) and the parish of Hove in the south and the parish of Rottingdean in the north (the boundary was near present-day Saltdean). It expanded rapidly in the 19th century, absorbing first Hove and then Preston and West Blatchington.
The town absorbed several tongues of land along its coast. Between 1872 and 1877 it added about 2 square miles (520 ha) to its extent by buying land which had been privately enclosed within Saltsdean parish near Dyke Road. Period. Brighton and Hove remained in the Hundred of Whalesbone until 1868, when they became part of the Shirburn Hundred. The area had two county commissioners from 1856 to 1889, and a county council from 1889 to 1974.
In 1888, Brighton became part of the Brighton and Preston Rural District, which returned two members (known as councillors) to a new rural district council. At that time Hove was a separate urban district with three councillors. The district covered 5,838 acres (2,347 ha) with a population of 30,947 at the 1891 census. It merged with Brighton in 1896 to form a single civil parish called Brighton. On 23 January. The area covered by the parish of Brighton was originally divided into ten tithings.
South Lanes and North Lanes each had three, Church Town and North Town had two each, and East Brighton had one. All but two of these divisions still exist in some form. Several areas defined as townships by the Domesday survey became ecclesiastical parishes under the Church of England after the Reformation: West Blatchington in 1538, Patcham in 1542, Hangleton in 1548, Rottingdean and Bevendean in 1882. All except Hangleton eventually formed part ofBrighton civil parish.
Brighton's boundaries with Hove to the east and Portslade-by-Sea to the west were both fixed in 1826, when Brighton became part of the new parish of Portslade (or Preston-super-Mare). A bill for the incorporation of Brighton as a town with a mayor and corporation was presented to Parliament several times between 1708 and 1854 without success. In 1854, under the Municipal Corporations Act, it was incorporated as a town by charter. In 1804 the parish was split into four: Brighton, West Blatchington, Preston and Hove.
In 1821, Hove was split off as a separate parish. In 1914 Preston and West Blatchington were transferred to Shoreham civil parish, then in 1927 became Brightlingsea Urban District. Brighton Corporation bought the fairground in 1920, and ground-breaking ceremonies for the Brighton Marine Palace (the town hall) took place in 1922. Transport for London and firstgroup have taken control of local bus services within the city. National Express is the main coach operator from Brighton, along with other operators including Green Line.
Retail & Shopping
The old market area is a great starting point for shopping in Brighton. On the ground floor, there is the Brighton Market which is held every Thursday and Sunday. On the first floor of the Market, there are independent retailers selling all good things. You can find anything from clothes, bags and books to beautiful jewellery from small boutiques. Don't miss a trip up Food for Thought on London Road. The family-run delicatessen has been a firm favourite in Brighton for over 40 years with its fresh produce, cheeses and an array of goods including cakes, chocolate and biscuits.
A shopping trip to Brighton is a must. The eclectic mix of independent shops on the Lanes and Church Street is complemented by chain stores such as Boots, Gap and River Island on the Western Road and Churchill Square shopping centre. Brighton is well known for the great shopping, with a high number of independent shops, which add to the character of the city. Shopping is a major contributor to Brighton's economy. There are many large, multi-national chain stores located in the city centre and Churchill Square such as Topshop, Zara, H&M, Primark, Gap, Miss Selfridge and Dorothy Perkins.
In recent years there has been a migration of many higher-end brands to the Lanes and Old Steine areas. The level of competition between the retailers in the city is to such a degree, that many of the high street stores have their own offer of discounts and incentives for customers – so Brighton can be quite a bargain hunting destination. Shopping here is not just about buying in Brighton you can have a lot of fun, experience a great atmosphere and do it all in the space of one hour.
Cafes And Restaurants
Chapel Allerton is a conservation area, located near the centre of the city in and around the major thoroughfare of Woodhouse Road. It contains many listed buildings, including St John's Church and the nearby Church House, formerly the centre of local government and today a Christian conference centre. Also located there is the commercial St Michael's Brewery which brews beers such as "Champion" and "Old Crafty Hen" under license. Brighton has many independent coffee houses, tea rooms, bars and pubs to suit all tastes.
Restaurants tend to be in converted buildings with dining rooms. Many restaurants have external seating areas. Despite its large student population, the city has a good range of eateries for most budgets, especially when excluding student-oriented establishments. Brighton is home to many coffee shops of various sizes and characters, most of which are located on North Street in either direction. There are four branches of Costa Coffee, two branches of Starbucks, both of which have a drive-through, and the others are independent coffee shops such as Bean & Brew.
Cafes and restaurants have multiplied in Brighton since the 1990s. Add to that the fact that many chain cafes, such as Starbucks, are represented here in Baseline and you can understand why it is necessary to use a dedicated directory for restaurants in Brighton. Brighton has about 250 restaurants. Many are independently owned, and Brighton has more independent cafes and tea rooms than any other British city. The River Deck Cafe, opened in 2009, is the UK's first permanent floating restaurant.
Museums
Art in the open is on show in Brighton’s many parks and public spaces, from the German-inspired wrought iron of Queen’s Park, to Jacob Kramer’s 16th century themed tile murals in Preston Park, to a 1960 mural of London townhouses in Jubilee Gardens. Fine art is a feature of many places in Brighton and Hove including St Bartholomew's Church, Brighton College (mosaic ceiling), the Royal Pavilion (Interior and grounds), Brighton & Hove City Council (civic hall and frescoes) and Middle Street Laundry (contemporary collection).
Watt's Corner on Trafalgar Street houses an outdoor exhibition of contemporary sculpture. Although I am from Brighton (and yes, I do love it!), I am clearly biased in its favour as a holiday destination. But Brighton’s cultural 'scene'isn't just for those who are lucky enough to live there plenty of tourists visit each year, and rightly so. To tempt you into planning your next mini-break in Brighton, here's a list of amazing museums that offer something for everyone to enjoy.
As with the arts, Brighton's museums are varied. Brighton has more than its fare share of museums. From the modern contemporary and interactive Royal Pavilion to the Victorian historic classic Booth Museum of Natural History housing over 300,000 specimens, Brighton truly is a virtual treasure trove. Museums in Brighton, East Sussex, England include Brighton Museum and Art Gallery, Preston Manor, Booth Museum of Natural History, Brighton Toy and Model Museum, which focus on the area's social history and its association with the arts.
Museums in Brighton. The museums listed below are just some of the many museums around Brighton, East Sussex and South East England. There are plenty more where they came from so feel free to get yourself off to one. There are a wide range of restaurants in Brighton, including many European cuisines. Brighton is known for its high quality seafood and fish. Shopping in Brighton is made easier by the numerous pedestrianised streets and arcades, which are found throughout the city centre.
Theatre
Brighton Dome is a popular venue for conferences, concerts and exhibitions. It was built in the 19th century, with its prominent dome added in 1906 to commemorate Queen Victoria's diamond jubilee. The Pavilion Theatre is a music venue with an eclectic programme of events. Built in 1900, it contains much original Art Deco architecture. Brighton Dome Concert Hall opened as the Brighton Centre on 10 July 1986, becoming the University of Brighton Cultural Industries Building on 1 August 1999 when it became part of the University of Brighton.
Komedia is an entertainment venue, comedy club and theatre in one on Dale Street, which describes itself as "Brighton's Hidden Treasure House". Brighton also has a city-centre independent cinema called The Dukes (formerly Screen on. Theatre in Brighton dates from 1787, when an enterprising young actor named JamesDLane established a company at his residence in East Street. It was here that the first plays written by Joe Orton were staged under the stage name ‘Billborough’ – the ‘L’ was added later.
The tradition of amateur dramatics in Brighton goes further back still, however. There are records of performances at Richmond Lodge by the Prince Regent (later George IV) himself and Dr Thomas Arne is known to have set some of his earliest songs here. During the Regency period, Brighton witnessed an exceptionally vibrant theatre scene. The Brighton Dome hosts the annual Brighton Festival (an arts, music and cultural celebration that features theatre, dance, opera, comedy and visual art) each September.
The Pavilion Theatre mainly tours West End productions; the New Venture Theatre (or NVT ) hosts local community theatre & amateur dramatics and is the professional theatre-in-residence at the University of Sussex; Komedia is a new complex on St James Street which provides small-scale comedy, music, club nights and an eclectic mix of theatre. The Marlborough Theatre may be converted into a cinema. Theatre and performance venues in Brighton include the Brighton Dome Concert Hall, the Theatre Royal (a Victorian era music hall), The Old Market which has been renovated and includes the Arrow Factory venue, The Basement (a venue dedicated to showcasing new bands) and Komedia a multi-purpose arts venue hosting comedy events, film screenings, dance classes and award ceremonies.
Parks
The city's main park is Preston Park, in which an observatory and planetarium is situated. Primarily used by the Brighton Astronomical Society, the observatory has been open to the public since May 2003 and houses two telescopes donated by local author John Miles which are available for use by members of the public upon prior arrangement. Another popular park is Queen's Park, which lies near the centre of Brighton. Queen's Park also contains a bandstand, and features a central lake with two islands.
There are many trees, a rose garden, play area and bowling green. The park hosts annual events such as family fun day and arts festivals such as the world famous Brighton Festival (see below). The city council owns two nature reserves in the Brighton borough. Preston Park is an 88-acre (360,000 m2) park on the northern edge of Brighton, with woodland, meadows and a large pond. Wild Park is 105 acres (0. 42 km2) on the southern fringes of the city near Patcham; it was acquired by the council and opened as a park in 1987, though there were plans to turn it into a housing estate in the 1940s.
Both are managed by the Sussex Wildlife Trust. East Pond, on the site of a former chalk quarry, is closer to central Brighton. Its wildlife area was created in 2005 by local naturalists using plants native to Sussex and it now also features. There are five large main grassland areas at Stanmer Park. To the east is the Rock Garden, which is overshadowed by Stanmer House. This has been designed to look like the pedestals of an amphitheatre and can be rented for private functions (in this area there is a World War II pillbox called "The Keep").
The South Lawn contains the Monument to Brighton's Three Sporting Heroes. The north features a complex playground, while to the west is the Open Air Theatre, with free entrance but an £8 booking fee. The southern section of the park is largely in open countryside and is mainly used for football pitches, horse riding and dog walking. Parks in Brighton include Preston Park, West Park, Goldstone Valley, Woodingdean Recreation Ground including the Sport and Recreation Centre, Cornwallis, Stanmer, Hollingdean, Queen's Park and Wild Park near Bevendean and Mile Oak.
Stanmer Park is a largely open area of heathland situated on the northern edge of Brighton extending into the South Downs. It is managed by The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB). The land use is mostly wildlife conservation, but also recreational purposes. A herd of 30 wild fallow deer roam the park freely. The city has 14 public parks which includes the Queen's Park, one of the largest urban parks in Europe.
Major parks include East Brighton Park, Preston Park, Westdene Park, Blackberry Hill, Great Dixter House and Gardens, and Stanmer Park. Brighton & Hove is home to several large educational establishments near the park Sussex University King's Road campus (which houses the world-renowned School of Psychology) Goldsmiths'and the University of Brighton campuses are located south of the centre respectively on Lewes Road and South Road. There are numerous parks in Brighton and Hove. The larger parks include Preston Park, Hollingbury Park (colloquially called "the Squirrels"), Stanmer Park, Dukes Gardens, The Level ( floodlit public sports facilities), Queen's Park, and Wild Park.
The city has many smaller parks, such as the Brunswick Viaduct Community Garden. In 2012, Brighton & Hove Council stated that there was a shortage of play areas for children living in the city's terraced houses. In Brighton's heyday, before the development of London as a theatre centre, various touring companies came to play at venues including the Royal New Road (now Old Steine) and the Amphitheatre Royal. The latter was created in 1812, and survived until 1860; it had innovative royal boxes.
Air
The airport is served by public transport, and there are several bus routes from the city centre to the airport. The National Express coach network is also accessible from Brighton, with destinations including Gatwick, Heathrow, Luton, Stansted (Airport), London Victoria Coach Station and Birmingham (Bus Station). Ferries depart various points around the UK for Genoa and Livorno in Italy. air. br Brighton airport is, as you may have noticed, pretty close to Brighton. In fact it’s closer for most people who stay in Brighton than Heathrow is to London.
