Brighton Pride 2018 - everything you need to know

The city has worked tirelessly to get things in order for the big weekend.

Paul Kemp, managing director of Brighton Pride, has spoken of the work that has gone into it and his excitement as the weekend gets under way.

He said: “The atmosphere across the Brighton & Hove is just amazing.

“The whole city gets behind Pride and turns in to a glorious rainbow.

“We are known as a tolerant and diverse city and the Pride weekend really highlights that to a national and increasingly international audience.

“Pride is the city’s biggest single event and brings in more money to local businesses than any other event, so it really is great for everyone.”

Paul also thanked the entire Pride team, as well as countless volunteers, city planners, and other involved, for their support in setting the festival up.

Of course there is also the small matter of Britney Spears hitting the city for her headline performance in Preston Park on Saturday evening.

With all this in mind, here’s everything you need to know ahead of Brighton Pride weekend:

Road Closures:

There will be rolling road closures for these roads between 9am to 4pm on Saturday 4 August.

Beaconsfield Road (closed slip lane and no access to Preston Road and London Road)

Boyce’s Street

Castle Square (Old Steine to North Street)

Gloucester Place

Grand Junction Road

Kings Road (Kingsway to West Street)

Kingsway (from Grand Avenue eastbound)

Kingsway (from Kings Road to Brunswick Square westbound)

London Road (from junction of St Peter’s Place to junction of Preston Road)

Marlborough Place

Montpelier Road

New England Road (from junction of New England Street to Preston Circus)

North Street (Castle Square to Clock Tower)

Old Steine (Aquarium roundabout through to Marlborough Place northbound)

Old Steine (Grand Parade to Aquarium roundabout)

Pavilion Parade

Preston Road, Brighton (from Preston Circus to South Road)

Queens Road (from junction of Clock Tower (North Street) to junction of North Road)

South Street

St Georges Place

St Peter’s Place (from junctions of Ditchling Road and Lewes Road to York Place)

Stanford Avenue (Preston Road to Preston Park Avenue)

West Street (seafront to Clock Tower)

York Place

Preston Park Avenue will be closed from 1pm to 4pm on Saturday 4 August.

Turning existing one way streets into two way streets

These streets will be available as two way streets between 9am and 4pm on Saturday 4 August:

Bedford Square (from junction of Sillwood Street South to the junction with the western bound northern section of Bedford Square)

Windsor Street (from junction with North Street to junction with Church Street)

Portland Street (from junction with North Street to junction with Church Street)

Church Street (between Portland Street and Windsor Street)

Francis Street (from junction with London Road to junction with Ditchling Road)

Baker Street (from junction of London Road to Ditchling Road)

Rose Hill Terrace

Kingsbury Road

Argyle Road (from junction of Preston Road to junction of Campbell Road)

Springfield Road (from junction of Beaconsfield Road to junction with Preston Road)

Click here for more information

Bus Diversions:

FRIDAY 3 AUGUST 2018

From 10pm Aquarium Roundabout and St James’s Street will be closed for the set up for the Pride.

These areas won’t re open until 8am on Monday 6 August. During these times all Eastbound Services that use St James’s Street and A259 will need to divert via Edward Street.

Coastal services will then turn right down Rock Gardens and then resume normal route from the A259.

Westbound Coastal Services will need to divert up Rock Gardens and Edward Street to resume normal route from the Old Steine.

PRIDE PARADE

SATURDAY 4 AUGUST 2018

Because of the road closures to facilitate the Pride Parade, and the large number of people following the parade and the subsequent event in Preston Park, all bus services will be subject to curtailment and/or reduced headways from 9.30am onwards, and will be severely restricted between 11am and 3pm.

The following arrangements will apply:

At 10am, Oxford Street will be closed and so southbound buses from Open Market will need to operate via Ditchling Road directly into the St Peters Bus Lane after this time.

Northbound buses will need to divert via the east side of St.Peters Church to Lewes Road, or via the east side of St Peters Church, Lewes Road and Union Road to Ditchling Road, these services observing a temporary stop in Union Road.

At 10am, Preston Road (the A23) will be closed southbound after Preston Drove, so all southbound buses on Routes 5/5A will be diverted via Preston Drove and Beaconsfield Villas.

All day the Aquarium roundabout will be closed westbound, and buses will need to divert via Rock Gardens and Edward Street to Old Steine.

All day St. James’s Street and Marine Parade eastbound will be closed, so all eastbound buses will need to divert via Edward Street.

The Clock Tower junction and Old Steine will be closed at 11.25am.

From 11am onwards, bus routes will start being turned short, and will be subject to reduced headways or suspension.

North Street is due to open at 1.30pm, but buses will not be scheduled through until 1pm to give a buffer against delay to the passing of the parade.

Full service will be restored from 1.30pm on east-west services, but not until 3pm on routes running north from Old Steine to ensure safety owing to pedestrian congestion.

Buses from Ditchling Road, Lewes Road and Elm Grove will be curtailed at Open Market until 3pm, returning via the Level.

From 3pm until close of service, all northbound services will run via the east side of St.Peters Church and The Level.

Ditchling Road services will observe a temporary stop at Union Road. Southbound services will run via Open Market and Ditchling Road direct into the St Peters Church bus lane.

Buses from Western Road will run via Montpelier Road, Upper North Street and Regent Hill to Western Road/Clarence Square, returning as normal route.

Buses from Seven Dials will run via Bath Street, Dyke Road, Buckingham Road, Upper Gloucester Road to Brighton Station, returning as normal route.

Buses from Eastern Road will run via Eastern Road, Upper Bedford Street, Upper St James’s Street to Rock Gardens, returning as normal route.

Layover is at Park Street eastbound after picking up passengers at Rock Gardens.

Buses from A259 Marine Parade will run via Lower Rock Gardens to set down passengers at the Rock Gardens stop.

They will park up or turn out of service as directed by supervisors then pick up for the return journey in Lower Rock Gardens.

For more information on specific bus routes click here

RAIL CLOSURES

Preston Park station will be closed all day on Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 August.

London Road station will be closed from 12 noon on Saturday 4 and all day on Sunday 5 August.

Queuing systems will be in place at Brighton station and we recommend that you allow extra time and avoid travelling during peak times if possible. 

FESTIVAL STAGE TIMES

Brighton Pride - Saturday, August 4

MNEK - 14:45 Mabel - 15:45 Peter Tatchell - 16:10 Pixie Lott - 16:45 Louise - 17:45 Ella Eyre - 19:00 Britney Spears - 20:50

Love BN1 Fest - Sunday, August 5

Ariana and the Rose - 13:45 Rowetta - 14:35 Gabrielle - 15:20 House Gospel Choir - 16:20 Raye - 17:25 Jess Glynne - 18:15 Nile Rodgers + Chic - 19:50

What else to see:

Queertown - Preston Park, Saturday, August 4

Community Village - Preston Park, whole weekend

Pride Pleasure Gardens - Old Steine, whole weekend Queer Takeover - Calabash, The Marlborough Pub & Theatre, and Traumfrau

Visit pages 19-36 for your special Pride pullout, with exclusive interviews ahead of the weekend.