Brighton

Brighton is a popular coastal resort and picturesque city on England’s south coast, located in the county of East Sussex and just 76 kilometers (47 miles) south of the capital, London. In the year 2000, the two neighboring towns of Brighton and Hove merged to establish the City of Brighton and Hove, a unitary government.

Brighton is famed for its magnificent Regency architecture, which includes the Grade-I Listed Pavillion and numerous other buildings in an oriental-inspired architectural style.

Until Dr. Richard Russell of Lewes started to recommend the use of saltwater for his patients, Brighton was a peaceful little fishing community known as Brighthelmstone. In 1750, he proposed for drinking saltwater and swimming in it. For himself and his patients, he built a big mansion near the seaside in 1753. The Prince of Wales erected the Royal Pavilion, an expensive Regency edifice designed by John Nash, in the early nineteenth century, which contributed to Brighton’s expansion. However, it wasn’t until the rails were built in 1840 that Brighton fully took off.

The city is close to London and is becoming more attractive among media and music professionals who prefer not to dwell in the metropolis. For this reason, it is sometimes referred to as “London-by-the-Sea.” Brighton is known as the homosexual capital of the United Kingdom. Kemp Town has a major LGBT sector, which contributes to the city’s bohemian culture. While a day trip to Brighton, or even a long weekend, will provide visitors with activities and culture throughout the year, it is in the spring that the city really comes alive, with two of the most popular events, Brighton Festival and Festival Fringe, returning in May. (see Do). Brighton comes alive in the summer, with inhabitants and tourists alike enjoying languid days and magnificent sunsets on the city’s most valuable asset, the five-mile-plus strip of shingle beach looking south towards the English Channel.

SHOPPING

One of the primary reasons to visit Brighton is to go shopping. But stay away from the major commercial district near Western Road. There is a wide range of businesses to suit all preferences, but Brighton’s excellent collection of independent shops and boutiques sets it apart from many other British towns. One of the intangible features of the city that draws people back time and time again is the mood in the North Laine and The Lanes. Brighton is particularly well-known for its music, books, and independent clothing stores.

BEACHES

Brighton features a 5.4-mile (8.7-kilometer) stretch of shingle beach, which is part of a continuous 8-mile (13-kilometer) stretch inside the city boundaries. The middle area of the seashore, between the West and Palace Piers, features bars, restaurants, nightclubs, sports facilities, and amusement arcades. This section is the most popular, with daily visitation exceeding 150,000 during peak summer weekends. 200,000 people arrived in a single weekend in October 2011 during a heat wave, spending almost £5 million. Brighton’s seaside, notably towards Rottingdean and Saltdean, is noted for its hundreds of painted wood beach huts, although brick-walled chalets are also available. At low tide, a flat sandy beachfront is revealed, particularly east of the Palace Pier. A blue flag has been granted to the Palace Pier part of the beach. A section of the beach next to Madeira Drive, east of the city center, was renovated into a sports complex in March 2007 and opened to the public, including courts for beach volleyball and ultimate Frisbee, among other activities.

The Köppen climate classification for Brighton is Cfb, which means it has a moderate climate. It has pleasant, quiet weather with plenty of sunlight, sea breezes, and a “healthy, invigorating air” that may be ascribed to the lack of tree cover. The average rainfall on the beachfront was 740 millimetres (29 in) between 1958 and 1990, and around 1,000 millimetres (39 in) at the crest of the South Downs above Brighton. In 1703, 1806, 1824, 1836, 1848, 1850, 1896, 1910, and 1987, storms caused significant damage. Snow is uncommon, however in 1881 and 1967, especially heavy snowfalls were reported.

To the north and south, Brighton is bordered by the South Downs and the English Channel. Between the headlands of Selsey Bill and Beachy Head, the Sussex coast creates a large, shallow bay; Brighton grew up around the Wellesbourne (or Whalesbone), a seasonal river that flowed from the South Downs above Patcham. This drained into the English Channel at the East Cliff beach, producing “Brighton’s natural drainage point.”

Three “myths” concerning Brighton’s economy were outlined by the Borough Council in 1985. The majority of Brighton’s working population traveled to London every day; tourism supplied the majority of the borough’s employment and money; and the borough’s inhabitants were “formed primarily of affluent theatricals and retired entrepreneurs” rather than workers, according to popular view. Since the 18th century, Brighton has been a major center for trade and employment. Although Brighton was never a major industrial center, its railway works contributed to Britain’s rail industry in the 19th and 20th centuries, particularly in the manufacture of steam locomotives; it is a regional retail center; creative, digital, and new media businesses are becoming increasingly important; and, although Brighton was never a major industrial center, its railway works contributed to Britain’s rail industry in the 19th and 20th centuries, particularly in the manufacture of steam locomotives.

Since the merging of Brighton and Hove, only citywide economic and retail statistics has been generated. The tourist sector in Brighton and Hove generates £380 million to the economy and employs 20,000 people directly or indirectly; the city has 9,600 registered businesses; and it was named one of five “supercities for the future” in a 2001 study. Brighton was placed third in the UK Vitality Index Report, which assesses the economic strength of towns and cities in the United Kingdom, in December 2013. On “almost all” of the index’s 20 categories, it was “among the top performing towns and cities.”

INDUSTRY AND COMMERCE

American Express, whose European headquarters—the 300,000-square-foot (28,000-square-meter) Amex House at Carlton Hill—opened in 1977—is Brighton’s biggest private sector employment. In 2008, 3,500 people were employed there. In 2009, planning approval was given to destroy the offices and replace them with a new structure, and construction began in March 2010. A total of 1,000 construction jobs are projected to be supported by the £130 million program. Lloyds Bank, Asda (which has hypermarkets in Hollingbury and Brighton Marina), Brighton & Hove Bus and Coach Company, and call-center operator Inkfish are among the other prominent employers. Around 1,500 of Gatwick Airport’s 21,000 employees resided in Brighton and Hove in 2012, according to reports.

Brighton has had a purpose-built conference center, the Brighton Centre, since 1977, and is a popular location for conferences, exhibitions, and trade fairs. The £8 million in direct revenue produced by the Brighton Centre’s 160 events every year is supplemented by an additional £50 million in indirect revenue created by tourists spending money during their stay. From political party gatherings to concerts, there is something for everyone.

RETAIL

The Lanes are a retail, recreational, and residential neighborhood near the coast, with small passageways that follow the ancient fishing village’s street structure. Clothing boutiques, jewellers, antique shops, restaurants, and bars dominate the Lanes. North of the Lanes lies the North Laine district, which includes retail, recreational, and residential areas. Although the misnomer “North Lanes” is commonly used to characterize the neighborhood, its name comes from the Anglo-Saxon “Laine” meaning “fields.” Cafés, independent and avant-garde stores, pubs, and theaters dominate the North Laine’s business mix.

Churchill Square is a 470,000 sq ft (44,000 m2) commercial mall with over 80 stores, many eateries, and 1,600 parking spots. It was originally developed as an open-air, multi-level pedestrianized retail center in the 1960s, but it was restored and extended in 1998 and is no longer available to the public. Western Road and London Road are two more retail districts, the latter of which is undergoing substantial reconstruction in the form of new homes and commercial structures.