Brighton
has been called the San Francisco of southern England.
Not because it has a
huge red bridge or cable cars climbing hills but because it has a laid-back
tolerant atmosphere welcoming all creeds, sexualities, and lifestyles in its
embrace. It is most famous, of course, for being London's beachside playground
and thousands of visitors descend from the capital each weekend and along with
a huge foreign-language student contingent makes a bubbly international
atmosphere.
I would recommend it just to view one of the most unusual buildings
in Europe - the Royal Pavilion. Which looks like someone built Moghul Indian
palace in the middle of town. But most people are here to have a good time and
with its hundreds of pubs, restaurants, clubs and shops you will have that. It
has a saucy, naughty feel, and as someone said, Brighton put the sex into
Sussex.
Brighton was the
sleepy fishing village of Brightonstone for hundreds of years. It became
fashionable when the Prince Regent took an interest in (If your history is
rusty and you need to picture him, remember Blackadder III, Rowan Atkinson was
butler to the monarch). He built the famous kitschy Royal Pavilion built and
where royalty went the beau monde followed and Brighton became very
fashionable. The cities beautiful white Georgian terraces date from this
period. It's popularity lasted up to the present day and it has now been given
city status and its student population has given it a youthful air.
To get there
take the train from London from Victoria or Waterloo stations. Or the bus at
Victoria Coach station which is about £8.00. The city itself is set along the
famous beach and its focus is probably the enjoyable garish Palace Pier with
the Royal Pavilion a few minutes walk away on Old Steine. The beach on a hot
day gets packed but is rather pebbly, sandy beaches are about a mile eastward
around the marina including a nude one. But between the seafront and the
station are the lanes which are an intertwining maze of narrow alleys and
narrow streets lined with shops. If you are not careful you can get lost and
your credit card will get a pounding.
It has a massive
gay population which is mainly based east of the Pavilion around Kemptown or
'camptown' as it sometimes called. The locals are very friendly and welcome
tourists especially if you are nice about Brighton. Below are some of the pubs
which are good places order a pint of ale. There are plenty more (about thirty
in all) and the best place to look is Brightons copy of the free magazine BOYZ.
'The Bulldog', 112
Church Street, (normal pub hours)
Cosy seaside pub
with wood panelling and long bar. Full of Brightonians who come here each week
and can be very friendly. Piano in one corner and also entertainment in the
evening. Good place to meet before a night on the town.
'Zanzibar', St
James's Street, 1.00pm-200am,
This is a
basement bar a few yards away from the beach. Rather trendy and youthful it
pulls in the disco-dollie who swivel away to the latest top-twenty. Has video
screens, bottled beers and a disco pumping away. Wear your best gear for this
place.
'Club Revenge',
32 Old Steine, opposite the Palace Pier 10.00pm-2.00am, £5 entry
Right in the
centre of things between the Palace Pier and the Royal Pavilion (which looks
spectacular lit up at night)this is a Brighton institution. A massive place
with three dancefloors, four bars and a huge stage. It pounds to techno music
and also top twenty and women are very welcome. The views of the pulsating
Palace Pier through the dancefloor windows are worth the admission price on
their own.
So there you
are, there is no excuse for not having a good time in Brighton. A suggestion
might be if you are doing a tour of Britain to come here first, follow it with
Bath, Oxford and Stratford and leave London till last. Whatever you do - you
will come back - probably whistling "Oh, I do like to be beside the
seaside..Oh I do like to be beside the sea....."
No comments:
Post a Comment