Brighton (England’s answer to San Francisco!)
Brighton is one of England’s most vibrant cities, made even more so by the fact that’s sunny and by the sea! With big gay and vegan populations, it’s also home to many writers, artists and musicians.
Always follow the Countryside Code to keep all creatures safe. Keep dogs away from steep banks, mushrooms (and toxic plants/trees) and on leads near birds, barnyard friends and wild ponies.
At the coast, keep away from nesting birds and never walk on sand dunes. Learn how to keep dogs safe by the seaside (check beach bans before travel).
More vegan eateries than anywhere in England
If you eat plant-based, you won’t have an issue in Brighton. It’s home to Kindly vegan supermarket, Infinity Foods (a zero waste veggie grocery) and heaps of vegan restaurants, even a pizzeria and vegan shoe shop!
Get yourself a vegan discount card, to splash out some real bargains!
Home to the lavish Royal Pavilion
This grand building is very ornate, but that’s because King George IV (once called ‘England’s most useless monarch’) used to spend his time splashing so much money around on elaborate surroundings (when people were living on bread and gruel) that it even caused riots in Ely, Cambridgeshire.
It’s believed the building was not bombed, because Hitler wished to use it as a holiday home, if he had won the Second World War.
King George would holiday in nearby Moulsecoomb (that is now a fairly low-income area). But on his deathbed, he did repent his lavish ways, and asked for all his sins to be forgiven.
He also was the king who was responsible for Buckingham Palace being so lavish now, at a time when there are homeless people down the road, living on the streets.
Home to one of England’s four MPs
England now has four MPs, and one of them (Sian Berry) is here. A former engineer, she took over after Caroline Lucas (England’s first-ever Green MP) resigned, after 12 years in parliament. She has recently written a book on compassionate patriotism (being proud of your country, while also being kind).
One of England’s most pebbly beaches
If you’re looking for Isles of Scilly style sandy beaches here, you won’t find them! Brighton is decidedly pebbly, but at least you won’t get sand in your sandwiches!
Don’t remove pebbles (or sand or driftwood or shells anything else from beaches). All have a reason, from preventing coastal erosion to being shelters (if you find an ’empty shell’ on the beach, it’s likely sheltering some little creature, even if it’s too small to see).
One Palace Pier (two long gone)
Brighton used to have three piers (one was featured in the Carry on At Your Convenience film, when the staff went for a day trip to the seaside). The derelict one is now the only Grade 1 listed pier in England. And the other is long gone.
The remaining pier is very popular, and there is now a small charge for tourists (not local people) to use it. But this is to help pay to preserve it, so the city does not end up with zero piers.
A very old independent cinema
The Duke of York’s Picturehouse is one of England’s oldest independent cinemas. It still shows blockbusters, but also old film noirs. And it’s renowned for showing the Rocky Horror Picture Show, where locals all get dressed up to view it. Far more fun than an Odeon Cinema and bucket of popcorn.
