Brighton (England’s version of San Francisco!)
Brighton is one of England’s most vibrant cities, and often compared to the Californian city of San Francisco. It’s very creative (art, music, writing) and also very popular with vegans, environmentalists and gay people. Brighton is also home to The Big Lemon, a private solar bus service.
Alas, it has similar issues like San Francisco with drugs and homelessness.
If visiting the beach, read our post on keeping dogs safe by the seaside.
Vegan and Zero Waste Shops
Packed with vegan restaurants, Brighton also has vegan grocery stores:
- Kindly Supermarket was set up by a bored entrepreneur, who has ambitious plans to bring this zero waste store to other towns.
- Harriet’s of Hove: This refill shop sells food, beauty and household goods. Just take along your own clean packaging, to save the planet and money. Co-founded by a local couple, he’s a former dentist (who now gives you a refill, instead of a filling!)
- Infinity Foods: Nestled in North Laine, Infinity Foods has been around since the 70s. It stocks organic fruits and veggies, fresh bread, vegan cheese and zero waste staples. It also runs a wholesale business.
One of England’s Green MPs
Following Caroline Lucas’ retirement from politics, she was replaced by Siân Berry at the last election. A former candidate for London mayor, Sian is a former engineer who focuses on local people power!
Her present campaigns are for Ella’s Law (in memory of the first person in England to die from air pollution). She also against a new runway at nearby Gatwick Airport.
A Royal Pavilion (and ancient seaside pier)
The standout building in Brighton is the Royal Pavilion. It’s a beautiful place, but controversy over who built it. King George IV (though it must be said he did repent on his deathbed) was labelled by English Heritage as ‘Britain’s most useless monarch’.
His lavishing spending on redecorating the pavilion (and enjoying multi-course banquets) led people in Ely (Cambridgeshire) living on water and gruel to riot. The king amassed massive debts at the public’s expense, including remodelling Buckingham Palace and rebuilding Windsor Castle.
Brighton is also home to one iconic seaside pier (the only one left out of three, the others both destroyed in storms).
Hope from Moulscoombe’s Sad History
The Brighton suburb of Moulscoombe has a sad history. Back in George IV’s day, he used the area to visit his mansion to escape from crowds and practice the flute. But recently it became home to one of the city’s largest housing estates, often with ‘food deserts’ and high areas of poverty.
The area was in the media in the late 80s, when two young girls were murdered, and the (innocent) father of one charged. The real killer (who had been charged once before) was eventually convicted, thanks to the double jeopardy law being smashed. Thanks to the mother of Julie Hogg (the mother played by Sheridan Smith in a recent TV drama ‘I Fought the Law’).
This law also helped the family of Stephen Lawrence, whose killers were also brought to justice.
Today Moulsecoomb has a forest garden project, which connects people to nature, by offering plots for people to grow their own organic food.
Local girl Jenny Jones made good by becoming a Green Party member in the House of Lords. Unlike Michelle Mone who took the title Baroness of Mayfair, Baroness Jenny of Moulsecoomb took the title from the council estate where she grew up!
On the recent fiasco of the new Labour government destroying wildlife to build affordable homes, she says:
Labour talks about climate change. But they don’t get that if you start killing off species, it actually affects humans.
Roedean School (very humble beginnings)
Roedean is known as the poshest school for girls in England – like the female version of Eton or Harrow. Above are the original staff when it first opened as Wimbledon House. Past students have included Tessa Dahl (daughter of children’s writer Roald Dahl), and the actresses Sarah Miles and Honeysuckle Weeks (who starred in Foyle’s War).
But the school had humble beginnings. Founded by three sisters in 1885, they believed that girls should have the same education as boys. The sisters had fallen on hard times, while caring for their barrister father (who had been injured in a climbing accident). Even today, a Brighton bus is called ‘the Lawrence sisters!’
