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Top travel guide criticises Brighton and Hove
12:12pm Friday 9th May 2008
Comments (59)Brighton has an ugly seafront, tacky pier and is packed full of wealthy Londoners, according to one of the world's most renowned travel guides.
The "dirty weekend" city is also noted for its large homeless population and monstrous-looking hotels, says the newly published Rough Guide to England.
But while the respected travel book lists the negative aspects of the city, it also remarks on Brighton's fabulous shopping, nightlife and Georgian charm.
The guide says: "Much of Brighton's seafront is an ugly mix of shops, entertainment complexes and hotels, ranging from the impressively pompous plasterwork of the Grand Hotel...to the green-glass monstrosity of the Brighton Thistle Hotel."
But Brighton and Hove city councillor David Smith, chairman of culture, recreation and tourism, disagreed with the travel book.
He said: "I can't see how the writers of the guide have come to that opinion. Brighton is a brilliant city.
"Although Barcelona is a lot bigger than our city in terms of size and population, I am of the opinion we are equal culturally.
"We have got seven-miles of flat seafront, which very few seaside resorts in the world can boast, and wonderful shops, restaurants and nightlife.
"I have spoken to business leaders who say, when conferences are organised to be held in Brighton, twice as many people want to attend."
Mark Jones, chairman of Brighton and Hove Hotels Association and manager of Colson House in Upper Rock Gardens, Brighton, defended the city's accommodation.
He said: "We have a great city with a huge selection of top-class hotels.
"To call any one of them monstrous seems an odd choice of word.
"We have probably got the highest proportion of four-star hotels in the country."
However, the guidebook does lavish praise on Brighton's bohemian atmosphere, created by the city's gay community, students and holiday-makers.
It says: "Brighton now highlights its Georgian charm, its upmarket shops and classy restaurants, and a thriving conference industry."
The guide also lists the "exuberant Royal Pavilion", which it describes as one of Britain's best-loved building, and the city's numerous excellent cafes, restaurants and bars.
Praise is also heaped on the "remarkably good-lucking" Lewes, which boasts "some of Englandís most appealing chalkland" and "numerous traces of a history".
But other areas of Sussex are given mixed reviews.
Chichester is described as "attractive, if scruffy" and Hastings is a "part tacky, part pretty seaside resort" with "oddly neglected Regency architecture".
The Rough Guide to England is priced £15.99.
Do you agree with the Rough Guide?
Your Say YourThe Argus
mark, brighton" says...
12:32pm Fri 9 May 08
Yes, says...
12:38pm Fri 9 May 08
S.T. Rewth, Brighton says...
12:38pm Fri 9 May 08
Mark, Hove says...
12:40pm Fri 9 May 08
Barcelona. That is hilarious. Has this guy actually ever been to Barcelona??? I suspect not. Any chance we can have our town back please. We don't want to be a city any more.
Terry Walpole, Queens Park says...
12:56pm Fri 9 May 08
If you say so david....security!!
Proud Brightonian, Brighton says...
1:04pm Fri 9 May 08
Mary Hinge wrote:Do you even live here? Brighton is an amazing place to live and work. Yes it has its tacky areas, but doesn't every seaside town? Try venturing into the North Laine or the Lanes. There you'll find independent shops, cafes, restaurants, art galleries and all manner of entertainment. I think we are incredibly lucky to live in such a vibrant city. And in regards to your reply to David Smith's comments, comparing Brighton to Barcelona, it entirely depends on what type of culture you're after. Have you ever been to Brighton festival? Or perhaps the comedy festival? Have you been to one of the art galleries? Look away from the seafront and open your eyes to the brilliant and far-from-boring city that we live in.
At last, the truth! "Although Barcelona is a lot bigger than our city in terms of size and population, I am of the opinion we are equal culturally." So says David Smith, Conservative Councillor. Like Barcelona?? GET REAL!! Do we have a Gaudi Cathedral? No. Ramblas? No. I could go on but Smith is clearly an imbecile. But he doesn't stop there and continues digging an ever-deeper hole into which no doubt his limited intelligence will be put (near the bottom). "We have got seven-miles of flat seafront, which very few seaside resorts in the world can boast, and wonderful shops, restaurants and nightlife." I think what he meant to say was that we have a large pebbly beach, the usual shops you can find anywhere (the biggest of which is only a Debenhams, i.e. not exactly Bond Street is it), about 4 decent restaurants (not counting Burger King on North Street or Sobs), and er... yes, lots of nightclubs. And this guy is "head of culture"!!!!
There. Rant over.
wobblers, bobblers says...
1:05pm Fri 9 May 08
beelzebub, down below & rather warm says...
1:07pm Fri 9 May 08
Stroller, Hove says...
1:29pm Fri 9 May 08
Jill Aberdeen, Hull says...
1:56pm Fri 9 May 08
On the whole the appearace of the town is scruffy and neglected and I find it unacceptable for a major resort
A Gaudi, City of Marvels says...
2:14pm Fri 9 May 08
LOL
shaun, brighton says...
2:18pm Fri 9 May 08
sm, says...
2:20pm Fri 9 May 08
Bang on the money there!
except that after londoners, they've missed scum
Senor Willey, Barcelona says...
2:20pm Fri 9 May 08
Nick, Brighton says...
2:31pm Fri 9 May 08
jus, hove says...
2:46pm Fri 9 May 08
Mary Hinge, Brighton says...
2:52pm Fri 9 May 08
Er... yes, I do live here.
And I've been to Barcelona too, many times, so I know that to compare the two "culturally" is just laughable.
Have you been to Barcelona?
Norman, Brighton says...
2:53pm Fri 9 May 08
wobblers, bobblers says...
2:54pm Fri 9 May 08
shaun wrote:You're having a laugh, aren't you? Have you been to Eastbourne recently. It's a boring dump. Wake up and smell the roses - you live in one of the best places to live around.
Maybe the travel writers are trying to tell the city councillors that it's time they clean the city up and make it lovable again. I love Brighton and Hove, but being here for 7years now I have seen things change alot. Roads are in a bad state, property is very expensive, including rentals, and drug deales are moving in. I live in the so ''camptown'' and I loved it a few years ago, now I am thinking about moving to Eastbourne to get away from it all.
Robert, Hove says...
3:08pm Fri 9 May 08
Mary Hinge wrote:Thank you Mary you did all the work for me, I could not agree with you more strongly. What a complete joke and a giant waste of money our "Head of Culture" has yet again proven himself to be. Imagine comparing Brighton to Barcelona, imagine sitting in one of the council meetings looking at the AV presentation with the Pier sat next to La Sagrada Familia.... Yet again an over paid fool some how manages to convince his superiors that he is worthy of his role and salary. Pathetic.
At last, the truth! "Although Barcelona is a lot bigger than our city in terms of size and population, I am of the opinion we are equal culturally." So says David Smith, Conservative Councillor. Like Barcelona?? GET REAL!! Do we have a Gaudi Cathedral? No. Ramblas? No. I could go on but Smith is clearly an imbecile. But he doesn't stop there and continues digging an ever-deeper hole into which no doubt his limited intelligence will be put (near the bottom). "We have got seven-miles of flat seafront, which very few seaside resorts in the world can boast, and wonderful shops, restaurants and nightlife." I think what he meant to say was that we have a large pebbly beach, the usual shops you can find anywhere (the biggest of which is only a Debenhams, i.e. not exactly Bond Street is it), about 4 decent restaurants (not counting Burger King on North Street or Sobs), and er... yes, lots of nightclubs. And this guy is "head of culture"!!!!
markc, brighton exiled by house prices says...
3:13pm Fri 9 May 08
Graham, Hove says...
3:16pm Fri 9 May 08
Apart from the market at the top of the Ramblas, it is just another street.
Alfie, hove says...
3:19pm Fri 9 May 08
Anyone who thinks otherwise is either one of the self-styled "cool" people who have ruined the independant, non-trendy spirit that made it so good or they are still living back in the 90's, when it was actually a cosmopolitan, great place to live. These days it's only good if you have money - that's so against everything that made it great it's untrue.
Reynard, Brighton says...
3:21pm Fri 9 May 08
markc wrote:GPWM
Brighton has less culture now than it had in the 60s and 70s with the film theatre and various rock venues. It is more self-regarding now and comparisons with Barcelona end when you compare Withdean with Nou Camp and the Olympic Stad at Montjuif.
I'm waiting for the next tourist report that likens the Pavilion to the Taj Mahal; Nobles Amusements to the Monte Carlo Casino; Momma Cherri's to Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons; North Street to the Champs Elysee; etc. etc....
PROUD BRIGHTON GIRL, BRIGHTON says...
3:22pm Fri 9 May 08
wrap around wrote:DONT COME BACK THEN! NOBODY ASKS YOU TO VISIT OUR CITY.
Jill Aberdeen wrote: We recently visited Brighton and coming down as a visitor I can truly back up this report.Maybe I didn\\\'t notice it when I was a resident but the place has definitely gone downhill.And £2 for a coffee is extortionate!The parks and gardens dept should visit Hull to see how you plant things with a bit of imagination instead of digging a hole and shoving them in!Victoria Gardens was full of drunks(and that was (9 a.m)Drinking in the steet in our town centre is totally banned and there is zero tolerance on beggars.We only have one Big Issue seller!! On the whole the appearace of the town is scruffy and neglected and I find it unacceptable for a major resortExcuse me. You\\\'re from Hull, where the drains stink bad and the people stink worse. I find Hull unacceptable.
jim, hove says...
3:27pm Fri 9 May 08
Tim Williams, Hove says...
3:38pm Fri 9 May 08
Flatty wrote:Does Barcelona have a Gaudi Cathedral? No. If you've ever been there you will see that it's a building site and has been since 1882 and will be for the next 20 years. Hundreds of sub-par artists and architects have ruined Gaudi's original design, so I have no idea what your point is. We have a church designed by Sir Charles Barry (as well as numerous other buildings he designed) and some of the finest Regency architecture in the world. Not to mention the Royal Pavilion, Dome, St Bartholomew's etc etc. Once the Gehry towers are built we will have a major post-modern iconic building. I think comparisons with Barcelona are extremely valid. At least when we walk down Western Road at night we're not accosted by hundreds of prostitutes. Open your eyes and stop taking out beautiful city for granted.
Proud Brightonian wrote:Proud Brightonian - Get a job you waste of space.
Mary Hinge wrote: At last, the truth! "Although Barcelona is a lot bigger than our city in terms of size and population, I am of the opinion we are equal culturally." So says David Smith, Conservative Councillor. Like Barcelona?? GET REAL!! Do we have a Gaudi Cathedral? No. Ramblas? No. I could go on but Smith is clearly an imbecile. But he doesn't stop there and continues digging an ever-deeper hole into which no doubt his limited intelligence will be put (near the bottom). "We have got seven-miles of flat seafront, which very few seaside resorts in the world can boast, and wonderful shops, restaurants and nightlife." I think what he meant to say was that we have a large pebbly beach, the usual shops you can find anywhere (the biggest of which is only a Debenhams, i.e. not exactly Bond Street is it), about 4 decent restaurants (not counting Burger King on North Street or Sobs), and er... yes, lots of nightclubs. And this guy is "head of culture"!!!!Do you even live here? Brighton is an amazing place to live and work. Yes it has its tacky areas, but doesn't every seaside town? Try venturing into the North Laine or the Lanes. There you'll find independent shops, cafes, restaurants, art galleries and all manner of entertainment. I think we are incredibly lucky to live in such a vibrant city. And in regards to your reply to David Smith's comments, comparing Brighton to Barcelona, it entirely depends on what type of culture you're after. Have you ever been to Brighton festival? Or perhaps the comedy festival? Have you been to one of the art galleries? Look away from the seafront and open your eyes to the brilliant and far-from-boring city that we live in. There. Rant over.
Jules, lewes says...
3:38pm Fri 9 May 08
sm, says...
3:39pm Fri 9 May 08
Alfie wrote:Spot on!
Brighton is an awful place and has been for a few years now.
Anyone who thinks otherwise is either one of the self-styled "cool" people who have ruined the independant, non-trendy spirit that made it so good or they are still living back in the 90's, when it was actually a cosmopolitan, great place to live. These days it's only good if you have money - that's so against everything that made it great it's untrue.
I lived there from 92-95 and 98-01.
Like you say, when it WAS a great place.
Brigton on par with Barcelona ?????? No.
Maybe one of the seedy, nasty Costa resorts, but not barcelona.
Studley, Brighton says...
3:48pm Fri 9 May 08
You're having a laugh, arent' you?
I bet millions of tourists flock to Brighton each year to visit Charles Barry's designs (particularly the Royal Sussex Hospital A&E after midnight on a Friday and Saturday night) - far more than go to Barcelona to visit the Sagrada Familia.
And don't even get started on the "Gehry" towers... especially the fact that he had perilously little to do with it....
...next you'll be arguing that the pier isn't "tacky" and that the seafront isn't "ugly".
Nimmo, says...
3:51pm Fri 9 May 08
I think that is a fair description.
I do live in Brighton and I have been to Barcelona.
When is Brighton going to launch its bid to host the Olympics then?
S.T. Rewth, Brighton says...
4:13pm Fri 9 May 08
Frank, Brighton says...
5:00pm Fri 9 May 08
Graham wrote:Spot on. I expect all of these people saying how wonderful it is have never actually been there.
Barcelona is not all it is cracked up to be. Full of pickpockets, prostitutes and beggars.
Apart from the market at the top of the Ramblas, it is just another street.
Barcelona is the most godawful hell-hole that I've ever had the misfortune to visit. As Graham said, the druggies on the street there make Brighton look like some sort of Mormon sanctuary.
If you the sort of impressionable teenager who thinks it's exciting to see drugs being sold on the street and junkies shooting up in cafes, then Barcelona is just your thing; for the rest of us, it's just a place to avoid.
In fact, it's quite an insult even mentioning Brighton in the same breath as Barcelona - we're streets ahead.
Sue, Hove says...
5:00pm Fri 9 May 08
Big Cheese, Peacehaven says...
5:01pm Fri 9 May 08
If you are going to argue the merits of a place from a position of strnegth, you do so in absolute terms, not by making idle comparisons with other places.
To set Brighton beside Barcelona, or anywhere else, is to be intellectually redundant.
Heaven help Brighton if he is being sent about the place to tout its cultural virtues.
brighton boy, says...
5:25pm Fri 9 May 08
wobblers wrote:I dont like the Sh***y so don't live here anymore. I now live where normal people are, no lesbos, pouffs, and trannies. No druggies, big issues, its bril
Although much of the comments made by the Rough Guide are fair enough (difficult to argue that the pier is not tacky!) why is that every time anything negative is written about Brighton that loads of tossers jump on the bandwagon and start slagging the city off? It does have its issues, as do most place, but it's an amazing, vibrant place to live and I would not live anywhere else. If you don't like the city, don't live here. Simple as that.
Charlie, Hanover says...
5:33pm Fri 9 May 08
Tim Williams, Hove says...
5:53pm Fri 9 May 08
Studley wrote:The seafront is far from 'ugly'. Ugly is for places like Milton Keynes, Eastleigh, Chelmsford, Weston, Southend....
"We have a church designed by Sir Charles Barry (as well as numerous other buildings he designed) and some of the finest Regency architecture in the world. Not to mention the Royal Pavilion, Dome, St Bartholomew's etc etc. Once the Gehry towers are built we will have a major post-modern iconic building. I think comparisons with Barcelona are extremely valid."
You're having a laugh, arent' you?
I bet millions of tourists flock to Brighton each year to visit Charles Barry's designs (particularly the Royal Sussex Hospital A&E after midnight on a Friday and Saturday night) - far more than go to Barcelona to visit the Sagrada Familia.
And don't even get started on the "Gehry" towers... especially the fact that he had perilously little to do with it....
...next you'll be arguing that the pier isn't "tacky" and that the seafront isn't "ugly".
Perhaps you need to visit specsavers?
Millions of tourists flock to Brighton each year. Have you not seen them? Why are they here? Because of Brighton as a whole, which is made up of all the elements that I pointed out and more.
I'm familiar with how an architect's practice works... I guess you have issues with that. Deal with it.
I didn't say the pier wasn't 'tacky'. My argument was regarding Barcelona comparisons - I guess you missed that. If we're talking tacky, then the cable car over Barcelona harbour beats the pier by miles. I actually think the palace pier is splendid and fun. I guess you don't have much of the latter.
Tim Williams, Hove says...
6:00pm Fri 9 May 08
Sue wrote:Sue, you must have walked around Barcelona with your eyes shut. All those guys selling stuff on Barceloneta Beach shouting 'Agua, Cola, Cerveca' are drug dealers too. And there are hundreds and hundreds of people drinking on the streets all night long! Perhaps you were holed up in your five star hotel and visiting Michelin starred restaurants to even notice the real Barca.
To compare Brighton with Barcelona is a complete farce. Barcelona is better by miles. The people are more civilised - they do not go on drinking sprees every night. They do not need drugs to exist. The police in Barcelon are real policemen unlike Sussex Police. However all of Uk has been destroyed by the labour government. It is time to move abroad and find somewhere civilised.
jayne, hove says...
6:57pm Fri 9 May 08
Matthew, Hove says...
7:41pm Fri 9 May 08
SirNormanFosters, In the City says...
7:59pm Fri 9 May 08
Is David Smith living in the same City as the rest of us? The Thistle is monstrous.
As for comparisons to Barcelona, perhaps Mr Smith can point me to the Míro Foundation, or perhaps this Cities wonderful public collection of Picassos (no doubt hidden away in Brighton and Hove Museum...)Perhaps it's the Starbucks in the cultural quarter he is so proud of, which clearly rivals the Gaudi Park of Barcelona, or maybe it is The Brighton Centre that rivals Sagrada Familia, and La Rambla is poor imitation of the fascinating West Street.....
When are these berks going to recognise that self promotion actually makes a mockery of our great City, and in their desperation to 'sell it' has failed because the political classes have failed our City by filling it with tawdry rubbish like Starbucks and sought to sell it as culture when it's just next to the library.
The King Alfred Towers wont do it either. Barcelona is on the map because it has 2000 years of culture, Brighton barely has 200 and has been held back by the likes of David Smith for a generation.
Barry, Walsingham Road says...
8:08pm Fri 9 May 08
David Smith has made himself look a right idiot with this Barcelona nonsense. What a hostage to fortune, his utterance has proved to be. Doesn't he realise that there are people with real knowledge out here, people who will not be palmed off with such pap? It's enough to make you despair of local government.
BHAFC, Hove says...
10:54pm Fri 9 May 08
Mary Hinge wrote:Mary Whinge - have you ever been to Barcelona - Las Ramblas is full of poor quality restauarants and bars and cheap shops - yes or no? The Royal Pavilion compares with Gaudis church in grandeur if not 'artistically'!! Get out of the touristy areas and Barca is like many other Spanish/ European cities, simple as that!
At last, the truth! \"Although Barcelona is a lot bigger than our city in terms of size and population, I am of the opinion we are equal culturally.\" So says David Smith, Conservative Councillor. Like Barcelona?? GET REAL!! Do we have a Gaudi Cathedral? No. Ramblas? No. I could go on but Smith is clearly an imbecile. But he doesn\'t stop there and continues digging an ever-deeper hole into which no doubt his limited intelligence will be put (near the bottom). \"We have got seven-miles of flat seafront, which very few seaside resorts in the world can boast, and wonderful shops, restaurants and nightlife.\" I think what he meant to say was that we have a large pebbly beach, the usual shops you can find anywhere (the biggest of which is only a Debenhams, i.e. not exactly Bond Street is it), about 4 decent restaurants (not counting Burger King on North Street or Sobs), and er... yes, lots of nightclubs. And this guy is \"head of culture\"!!!!
Ronnie, Brighton says...
1:37am Sat 10 May 08
Brighton is, and always has been a fun place - its a seaside resort for gods sake!
Yes the pier is tacky to the extent that all piers are tacky, but our pier is great none the less (if you like piers). What would you put in place of the rides, slot machines and stalls - Orchid gardens, string quartets, and restaurants with 5 Michelin stars? For heavens sake its a pier at one of the most popular seaside resorts in the UK - and most visitors love it!
If you live here, it ceases to be a holiday resort, and you will soon find the negative side that EVERY town and city has.
And dont keep going on about wealthy londoners coming here and spoiling it - thats utter ****. Just because they think its a good place to live (says it all doesnt it) and have (some) a bit more money than you, there is no need to get jealous. Go to any town or city in the UK and you will a percentage of residents were not born there.
There is however several things that ARE wrong. 1. The street drunks, 2. The druggies 3. The scum that are robbing the benefit system 4. The lack of Police enforcement of basic rules about street drinking, and disturbing the peace etc etc etc 5.The immigration rules currently applied to the UK
Brighton is otherwise great
penny, pavilion says...
10:23am Sat 10 May 08
Barry, Walsingham Road says...
10:48am Sat 10 May 08
Ronnie wrote:So what about bring back the listed theatre which was dismantled on the Palace Pier for ""temporary storage" and never brought back?
A lot of wierd people posting a lot of wierd stuff about this it seems to me.
Brighton is, and always has been a fun place - its a seaside resort for gods sake!
Yes the pier is tacky to the extent that all piers are tacky, but our pier is great none the less (if you like piers). What would you put in place of the rides, slot machines and stalls - Orchid gardens, string quartets, and restaurants with 5 Michelin stars? For heavens sake its a pier at one of the most popular seaside resorts in the UK - and most visitors love it!
If you live here, it ceases to be a holiday resort, and you will soon find the negative side that EVERY town and city has.
And dont keep going on about wealthy londoners coming here and spoiling it - thats utter ****. Just because they think its a good place to live (says it all doesnt it) and have (some) a bit more money than you, there is no need to get jealous. Go to any town or city in the UK and you will a percentage of residents were not born there.
There is however several things that ARE wrong. 1. The street drunks, 2. The druggies 3. The scum that are robbing the benefit system 4. The lack of Police enforcement of basic rules about street drinking, and disturbing the peace etc etc etc 5.The immigration rules currently applied to the UK
Brighton is otherwise great
Brighton is certainly dump: witness Church Square, it could be anywhere
whogivesa, Brighton says...
1:07pm Sat 10 May 08
It's a completely stupid statement.
Brighton is a s***hole - Barcelona isn't. Brighton's streets are full of druggies, drunks and beggars. Barcelona's aren't.
And culturally, Brighton is banrupt compared with the riches you can see in Barcelona.
Jill, Hull says...
2:05pm Sat 10 May 08
wrap around wrote:I didn't insult Brightonians so don't have a pop at us!Take off the rose tinted glasses and see it for what it is.Or go away for 8 years and come back and see what you think of the place!
Jill Aberdeen wrote: We recently visited Brighton and coming down as a visitor I can truly back up this report.Maybe I didn\'t notice it when I was a resident but the place has definitely gone downhill.And £2 for a coffee is extortionate!The parks and gardens dept should visit Hull to see how you plant things with a bit of imagination instead of digging a hole and shoving them in!Victoria Gardens was full of drunks(and that was (9 a.m)Drinking in the steet in our town centre is totally banned and there is zero tolerance on beggars.We only have one Big Issue seller!! On the whole the appearace of the town is scruffy and neglected and I find it unacceptable for a major resortExcuse me. You\'re from Hull, where the drains stink bad and the people stink worse. I find Hull unacceptable.
Jill, says...
2:10pm Sat 10 May 08
PROUD BRIGHTON GIRL wrote:I didn't come down through choice.I am Brighton born and bred and lived there for 47 years but it's just a shame what has happened to the place but if you've never lived anywhere else you cannot make comparisons.It just needs a lot of TLC
wrap around wrote:DONT COME BACK THEN! NOBODY ASKS YOU TO VISIT OUR CITY.Jill Aberdeen wrote: We recently visited Brighton and coming down as a visitor I can truly back up this report.Maybe I didn\\\\\\\'t notice it when I was a resident but the place has definitely gone downhill.And £2 for a coffee is extortionate!The parks and gardens dept should visit Hull to see how you plant things with a bit of imagination instead of digging a hole and shoving them in!Victoria Gardens was full of drunks(and that was (9 a.m)Drinking in the steet in our town centre is totally banned and there is zero tolerance on beggars.We only have one Big Issue seller!! On the whole the appearace of the town is scruffy and neglected and I find it unacceptable for a major resortExcuse me. You\\\\\\\'re from Hull, where the drains stink bad and the people stink worse. I find Hull unacceptable.
shesleavinghome, Brighton says...
4:42pm Sat 10 May 08
The problem is, I'm unfortunate enough to have chosen to live here. Big mistake!
Don't worry, I'm leaving as soon as I can....
bobby bigballs, Brighton says...
8:47pm Sat 10 May 08
wanna, be says...
9:57pm Sat 10 May 08
The annoying Toffs and Spoilt Bratts came here in droves to live somewhere among the bohemian artistic and cultured people,and so many came here they turned the place into exactly the opposite!
If you dont like it here now,ask some of these rich newcomers where they all came from,and move there! its probably great with lots of 'bohemian artistic and cultured people' since they left !
mr men, says...
10:13am Sun 11 May 08
You all sit here, slagging it off and calling the place vile, yet the way you all talk, perhaps it is YOU that is vile and needs to be cleaned up!
Brighton is a very nice city, I'm a produ Brightonian and as far as I'm concerned if you don't like Brighton, don't live here!
We'd rather you didn't.
David Gold, London says...
11:11am Sun 11 May 08
sandra, brighton says...
1:44pm Sun 11 May 08
The town planners have got it all wrong. All that made Brighton a truly unique place is slowly being destroyed by their shortsight. In fact,all the town planners should be sacked. Brighton is just a town full of coffee shops, hairdressers and convenience stores, disguising themselves as newsagents.
We are now Milton Keynes by sea.
They have managed to strangle all the character out this once truly precious town.
Surely they can't be blind to pass mistakes, e.g Brighton Conference Centre, Boots, the unforgivable destruction that Tesco has done to a beautiful building.
The fact that there is a pettion to stop a Starbucks in St James Street says it all.
Or are the unelected Town Planners to used to their backhanders by those whose greed is unstoppable.
Wake up, before it's too late. Think of the legacy you are leaving for the future and at this rate it will just be another cloned town.
Jill, Hull says...
4:05pm Sun 11 May 08
Ronnie wrote:I didn't think it was tacky when I lived there.It was just my birthplace and felt complacent about it.It's not until you move away that you see it in a different light!Just out of interest,are there any English shop assistants left in Brighton?Thought I was in Warsaw.
A lot of wierd people posting a lot of wierd stuff about this it seems to me. Brighton is, and always has been a fun place - its a seaside resort for gods sake! Yes the pier is tacky to the extent that all piers are tacky, but our pier is great none the less (if you like piers). What would you put in place of the rides, slot machines and stalls - Orchid gardens, string quartets, and restaurants with 5 Michelin stars? For heavens sake its a pier at one of the most popular seaside resorts in the UK - and most visitors love it! If you live here, it ceases to be a holiday resort, and you will soon find the negative side that EVERY town and city has. And dont keep going on about wealthy londoners coming here and spoiling it - thats utter ****. Just because they think its a good place to live (says it all doesnt it) and have (some) a bit more money than you, there is no need to get jealous. Go to any town or city in the UK and you will a percentage of residents were not born there. There is however several things that ARE wrong. 1. The street drunks, 2. The druggies 3. The scum that are robbing the benefit system 4. The lack of Police enforcement of basic rules about street drinking, and disturbing the peace etc etc etc 5.The immigration rules currently applied to the UK Brighton is otherwise great
Misterm, Brighton says...
12:50pm Sun 18 May 08
Apart from unprovoked attacks by salvation army junkies and drugies on The Level, cutting your feet open on broken glass on the beach, the council refusing to do anything about druggie neighbours playing the worst techno ridiculously loud from 4am (yup, starting at 4am) while their baby tries to sleep, gyspies knocking on our door at all hours trying to case the place, 100s of takeaway food poisoning leaflets through the door every day (ok, every week then); we think Brighton's a lovely place.
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Mary Hinge, Brighton says...
12:32pm Fri 9 May 08
"Although Barcelona is a lot bigger than our city in terms of size and population, I am of the opinion we are equal culturally." So says David Smith, Conservative Councillor.
Like Barcelona?? GET REAL!! Do we have a Gaudi Cathedral? No. Ramblas? No. I could go on but Smith is clearly an imbecile. But he doesn't stop there and continues digging an ever-deeper hole into which no doubt his limited intelligence will be put (near the bottom).
"We have got seven-miles of flat seafront, which very few seaside resorts in the world can boast, and wonderful shops, restaurants and nightlife."
I think what he meant to say was that we have a large pebbly beach, the usual shops you can find anywhere (the biggest of which is only a Debenhams, i.e. not exactly Bond Street is it), about 4 decent restaurants (not counting Burger King on North Street or Sobs), and er... yes, lots of nightclubs.
And this guy is "head of culture"!!!!