The Brighton Blog

If there’s one thing which typifies the Brighton experience, it’s the Brighton public house. There’s not only lots of them but there’s a huge variety too. Some were obviously converted homes, some were places of worship while some of the most recent are large theme pubs which contain every electronic gizmo imaginable. To some extent, the setting tells you much about a pub and you can get some idea of what to expect from where it’s situated. However, if you take this as a hard-and-fast rule, be prepared for surprises. What you find when you walk through the door may be totally different from what you expected!
Just how you judge a pub is your thing but, somewhere in Brighton, you’ll find what you’re after. Perhaps, to be more precise, you’ll need to exclude what you’re not after! Take sports – does that big screen drag you in or does it set you running in the other direction? What about children? Do you really love them – but only on toast? And then there’s the Irish theme! Do you love or hate the fake Irish ambiance? With my mother – who did like a good pub – it was the toilets and, yes, Brighton does have some fierce privies in its pubs!
The Brighton public house has changed from its beer and a bag o’ nuts image towards that of an eating place which serves beer. Granted, some have progressed further down this path than others. This means that you can find everything from a frazzled burger to a gastronomic delight in a pub somewhere in Brighton.
The historic Brighton public house is also a part of the scene and the city and surrounding area can offer a number of watering holes which are steeped in history and have a rich historic ambiance. There’s the mock ones too but they’re not usually too hard to distinguish from the real McCoy.
Brighton, like many major UK cities has an active gay community and there are many pubs in which this community chooses to meet. These are generally in the Kemp Town area of the city but are not exclusively so but, wherever they are, they’re known for their friendly, relaxed atmosphere.
Again following a trend while catching up with the past, many a Brighton public house offers a real ale which will set your taste buds ablaze.
The trend to diversity is seen in Brighton, as elsewhere and more than one Brighton public house could be said to aspire to being a Brighton Hotel and others to being night clubs – but what’s in a name?
So, whether its darts, pool or karaoke or the Premier League or live music or a bit of local colour you’re after, it’s possible to find it somewhere out there in a Brighton public house.

Irish Pubs in Brighton
The Brighton public house has adapted to the demands of its punters and some have gone down the Irish Pub route. In many cases, the Irishness is less than skin deep but others, some of which cater for Brighton’s Irish community are rather more authentic.
There is, of course, an O’Neills Irish pub in Brighton (London Rd.) and it manages to be as authentic as the rest of the chain – i.e. not very – but you can at least get a pint o’ Guiness there.

For a Brighton public house with real Irish music and Gaelic County Football and hurling on the big screen, there’s The Lectern, in Lewes Rd. and the Nevill while The Pond and The Plough offer a reasonable mix of Irish music and sport.
Other ‘Irish Pubs’, such as the Fiddler’s Elbow (Boyce’s St.) offer the more-mainstream sports such as rugby and football, along with the associated noise and hullabaloo on a Saturday afternoon.
Many pubs, while not claiming to be totally ‘Irish’, can offer a satisfyingly Irish slant and the Caxton Arms in North Gardens, does just this with its wide range of Irish bevvies, including whiskey and hooch.

The Tipple
Pubs are around to sell you beer and the Brighton public house is no different, offering you Harvey’s local brew from Lewes and many adding their speciality - real ales. It’s not difficult to find a hostelry which can deliver the real thing. In one case, at The Hand in Hand, you can even watch your favourite tipple being made at their micro brewery – and then enjoy the taste of a fresher-than-fresh pint. On the other hand, if you like your tipple to have travelled then the Cobblers Thumb, in New England Rd., can oblige with a large range of beers from down-under and an Aussie flavour to the delivery.
 

As you would expect from a thriving seaside town like Brighton, there’s all manner of sea-going activities so there’s something to suit all tastes and all pockets. Boats in Brighton are not just about fishing, although there’s plenty of opportunity to do that, they offer all sorts of other pleasures including the excitement of powerboating.

Fishing Boat Experiences

Several companies offer trips in boats of substantial size, usually in excess of thirty feet and these carry around a dozen passengers. They’re equipped with all mod cons and are frequently licensed. Their equipment generally features all the modern fishing aids such as GPS gear, echo location equipment and, of course, VHF radios. The skippers of these boats are all qualified to the most-rigorous standards and, being keen fishermen themselves, know their area and where the good fishing is. A trip with them is a trip with a professional and an experience you’ll never forget!

Powerboating

If you like the sea and like speed then powerboats could be just the thing for you! There are introductory courses on offer at the Brighton Marina for all levels so, even if you’ve never driven a powerboat before, there’ll be a course for you. You can just sign up for a taster course and see how you like it and, as a bonus, you’ll get out into the Solent and experience a side of Brighton that few other tourists can match.

You can choose your craft from a planing motorised boat to a rigid inflatable or a Zap Cat and take to the water as you wish. If you get hooked, there’s no need to worry as the smaller craft are designed to be very safe and they’re very economical to operate.

If you’re looking for a bit more excitement, you can choose a larger boat with a twin hull and a bigger engine. You can do this as an individual or a group but, taking the wheel yourself, depends upon weather conditions. These tubs really motor so your instructor will take no risks.

For the sailor coming with some previous experience, there are courses which will take you to the next step. In these, you’ll learn all the skills you need to own and operate your own craft, from coming alongside to a pick up from the sea to high-speed manoeuvres.

There’ll also be a healthy dose of safety-at-sea training to make sure that you’re safe out there on your own. On these courses, you can earn your way up to the ICC (International Competency Certificate) level 2 Qualification. This qualification is the one which is compulsory in many countries overseas and owning it will enable you to take your boat abroad.

Once you’ve mastered the basics of boat control, there’s other courses which will introduce you to the world of navigation and chart work. This will enable you to plan a trip, looking at the itinerary with a view to taking into account tides, water depths, etc., etc.

There’s no end to the skill thing, though and there’s pretty-well always a next-level course to move onto, such as the RYA (Royal Yachting Association) Advanced Courses. These look at advanced boat-handling skills, seamanship and navigation allowing you to take a boat out into coastal waters with complete safety. Yet another course, the RYA safety Boat Course will take you even further, providing the skills necessary for you to take out an escort boat for all manner of safety and support activities.

Cruiser Charter

If you prefer a more-leisurely trip to sea, it’s possible to charter a cruiser and take to the sea like a person of means. One sixty-foot boat which is operated from the marina is offered on a fully-skippered basis and, because of its top speed of 40 knots, it can reach much of the south coast in pretty short order. You can take this out for the day or longer and make a special occasion even more special.

If you’ve got your own cruiser but want to improve your skills, that’s also possible. Again from the Marina, there are two-day courses which allow you to get in some training and then to plan an get out on your own trip. These courses are carried out on your own boat and can cover the topics which you feel you need most help with, such as navigation, berthing, and manoeuvring your boat. Further courses cover mooring practice, first-time Channel crossing and the International Certificate of Competence and all these may be completed on your own boat.

Time to Get Going

Whatever you’re looking for, whether it’s training at a basic level in a power boat or getting yourself up to become an independent boat owner - or even just getting out to sea for the thrill of a lifetime, Brighton Marina’s got what you’re looking for!

Introduction

Brighton is located ideally for the tourist, between the South Downs and the south coast of England and Brighton simply attracts the sun! Whether it’s the sleek sophistication of a Regency city, the beachfront, shopping or the arts or just good-old seaside fun you’re seeking, Brighton has it! This eclectic mix of attractions makes it an ideal year-round destination.

What’s to Do?

As a seaside town, the beachfront has to be one Brighton’s major attractions and there’s every manner of activity going on there, with surfing and sailing on the sea and volleyball, basketball and skateboarding on land. For the ardent shopper, The Lanes offers its mix of unique shops in a setting dating back a century or more.

Throughout the year, Brighton hosts many events, including powerboat racing and kite festivals and there’s always the annual London to Brighton Vintage Car Rally. Located as it is, the city offers a great opportunity to visit its beautiful hinterland with Hever, Leeds and Arundel Castles all within easy travelling distance.

Of course, if you like to stretch the legs, the South Downs are irresistible with walks for every type of walker with a plethora of watering holes along the route! However, you don’t have to take to the hills to stretch the legs as there are walking tours aplenty around both Brighton and its sister town Hove. These are an ideal way to explore the fascinating history of the towns and the area around them, accompanied by a guide who can point out the history, the landmarks and the other places to visit during your stay. One of these tours even caters for the more-ghoulish of visitors and, if you seek the spooky, there’s an organised ghost trip.

For a more sedentary trip around the town, there are bus tours which run throughout the day. Not only can these get you from A to B but they are run on a hop-on, hop-off basis and a daily ticket will provide you with the means to explore every nook and cranny of the town. As these visit all the major tourist attractions and monuments as well as the interesting landmarks, they provide a good way to get your bearings at the start of your visit.

One of the spectacular features at the north end of the coast is the Devil’s Dike, a deep gorge cut into the cliffs. It is owned and operated by the National Trust and opens out into a pleasant grassed area, ideal for sports, sunbathing or kite flying. During the summer, the strains of local brass bands can be heard wafting through the gorge – great with a cup of tea and a cake!

For the lover of steam, The Bluebell Steam Railway chugs away on the outskirts of town, travelling between the three stations on the line. The stations, the trains and the carriages are all lovingly restored by the enthusiasts who have re-created this picturesque piece of Victorian England. It’s a magic formula which transports you nostalgically-back to a long-past England when you add the absolutely stunning views of the local countryside and the stops along the way at the country pubs which satisfy the palette.

Catering for everyone is Brighton’s forte and the lover of the gees is not left out as nearby Brighton Racecourse provides the visitor with the Sport of Kings throughout the summer months.

Brighton’s Places of Interest

Since it was first visited by the Prince Regent, Brighton has offered its eclectic mix of the sophisticated demure and refined to the blatant eccentric. And it still does! From high culture to good old-fashioned seaside fun, it’s all here!

There’s no doubt that The Royal Pavilion is one of the jewels in Brighton’s crown. Its royal connections date back to the time when it was built for the Prince Regent, the future King George IV, and it was used by the Royal Family up to Victorian times. No expense was spared on the exotic

Indian-styled architecture and influences from Asia, principally China can be seen throughout its many rooms.

As befits an English seaside town, Brighton has its pier. It actually has two piers but one has been ravaged by the elements and is now awaiting rejuvenation and a proposed exciting new cycle of life. The surviving pier, now known simply as Brighton Pier, is an archetypically-English pier. With the funfair and arcades, dodgems, roller-coaster and cafes and restaurants which you would expect to find on a pier. For the more-discerning visitor, a trip to the end of the pier provides spectacular views of the adjacent coast, along with the bracing sea air that the Victorians so loved. During the summer months, the pier provides the venue for fireworks displays which line the beachfront with visitors to enjoy the spectacle.

The Victorians loved their technology and left behind the Volks Railway, the first public electric railway in the world, which runs from Brighton Pier to Black Rock – all the way along the seafront. As one of Brighton’s oldest tourist attractions, it provides yet another way to explore the town and its coast.

No modern seaside town can feel complete without its marina and the Brighton Marina, which is in the Kemptown area of Brighton, is one of the largest yachting marinas in the UK. However, it’s much more than just yachts as it has been developed into a superb tourist attraction with shops, cafés, restaurants and bars, along with a ten-pin bowling complex and multi-screen cinema. Most of the facilities enjoy superb views of the harbour and almost compel the visitor to simply sit, relax with a drink and enjoy the view. The Marina also has, as befits any marina worth its salt, regular boat trips around both the marina and surrounding coast.

The shopper can also feel at home in Brighton and in a way not possible in most of the UK’s larger towns. It’s possible to get away from the familiar High Street shops and to wander into The Lanes, a world of small shops of every kind and a world long gone from most High Streets. Wandering into the Lanes is wandering into a past of small, personally-owned shops. Shops of every description are here, with jewellery, antiques, gifts, music, clothes – and all with their individual identity. Alongside the shops are street entertainers, historic buildings and, of course cafés and restaurants and atmospheric pubs in abundance. Once you’re into The Lanes, it’s hard to imagine that you’re still inside the bustling seaside town of Brighton. The Lanes is, indeed, Brighton’s Secret Garden.

Entertainment in Brighton

As it grew into a first-class tourist town, Brighton inevitably developed a wide range of entertainments and, today, these still provide the visitor with a wide range of venues.

The Theatre Royal Brighton, which is housed in a beautiful Grade II listed building which dates back almost 200 years provides a wide mix of theatrical experiences for the visitor. There’s everything from Noddy to The Sound of Music with Mozart, Gilbert and Sullivan and Sleeping Beauty along the way. Whatever you go to see, the pleasure is enhanced by the wonderful building which was given the Royal Assent by The prince of Wales in the summer of 1806

Other theatrical performances are staged at The Gardner Arts Centre which puts on shows ws featuring contemporary dance and drama, along with visual arts, films, comedy and music.

Seaside entertainment is provided at The Pavilion Theatre which provides a range of entertainments including comedy, music, dance and theatre and similar shows are staged at the Komedia.

Wining and Dining

Brighton’s visitors need have no worries about their appetites during a trip to this vibrant city on sea. Boasting over 400 restaurants, the city can offer a menu to suit all tastes. Yes, it’s a seaside town so there are the beachfront fryups with burgers and fish and chips as well as restaurants which offer a more-traditional English cuisine. At the other end of the scale, there’s chic café culture and a large range of exclusive restaurants where the most-discerning palette may be satisfied.

Accommodation in Brighton

Just as it caters for all tastes in food, Brighton offers a wide range of accommodation from Bed and Breakfast to five-star hotels. You are free to chooses whether you want the family-run atmosphere of a local B&B or to meet fellow backpackers in a hostel or, indeed to be pampered and treated like royalty at an exclusive and elegant seafront hotel. All you need is the research and you’ll find just what you are looking for.

Welcome to Brighton

No matter who you are or where you’re from, you’ll find a welcome in Brighton and its sister town Hove. There’s lots more facts figure and photos on our website so please do give us a visit at Brighton and Hove.