News RSS Feed Send your news, pictures & videos


Pride could leave Brighton's Preston Park

1:10pm Thursday 12th August 2010 in


The finances of Pride remain unclear, five days after the event.

Pride bosses still do not know how much the event raised and Brighton and Hove City Council does not yet have a figure for how much the Preston Park clean-up cost.

Judith Manson, Pride’s communications and fundraising manager, said it could not release the final total as the security company which is responsible for counting the money collected on the day has not yet banked the full amount.

Meanwhile the tidy-up of Preston Park has been completed and the park has been handed back to Brighton and Hove City Council.

However despite the fact that council bosses rushed staff in to clean up the park quickly, it has no idea how much the clean-up cost.

Yesterday a spokeswoman for the council said it had still not been worked out.

But it seems likely that Pride will be asked to pay at least some of it.

Ms Manson also confirmed the possibility of finding a new venue for the annual event is something which will be discussed by the board in its debrief meeting.

She said: “We will be discussing anything and everything. Lots of things will be talked about and nothing will be beyond the bounds of discussion.”

The organisation also hopes to recruit at least six new trustees to join its current board of six members to plan next year’s event.

Comments(17)

Spanners says...
1:30pm Thu 12 Aug 10

I'm now sick of hearing bout Pride related problems. If everyone paid a fiver for a ticket then the matter is finished. Frankly if those attending when it is free won't attend if it costs a fiver then they clearly are not that proud

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

censored says...
2:25pm Thu 12 Aug 10

I agree with Spanners. I think it's disgraceful that so many people can attend but not give a **** about how the event is put on and funded.

If the event was cancelled, 150,000 gay people would be up in arms. And yet the majority can't be bothered to chuck 50p into a bucket.

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

Rita Snatch says...
2:44pm Thu 12 Aug 10

One of the aims of the Brighton Pride event is to raise money for all our LGBT and LGBT related CHARITIES, such as The Sussex Beacon, MIND, THT, Positive Lunch etc.

I wonder when Pride will release the details of the amount raised for our Charities?

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

tim e says...
3:34pm Thu 12 Aug 10

No 150,000 gay people didn't turn up. Brighton Pride has become larger each year and firmly placed on the festival calender for an increasingly straight and out of town crowd who I'm dammed sure turn up for a free party and contribute nothing. Charge £10 and then let's have a real pride for gay Brighton and their friends to be proud of instead of this scumtastic event no one in Brighton, gay or straight should want.

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

Brightonmarcus says...
3:43pm Thu 12 Aug 10

I hope it doesn't leave Preston Park as i think it is a great venue for it. I'm sorry it's taken so long to clear up the park afterwards, there is definitely a lesson to be learnt for next year that double the amount of bins are needed. I personally put £10 in the charity bucket but was a little embarrassed to see that none of my friends I was with put any in! Maybe next year i'll volunteer to be a bucket collector, i'll get money out of people!
Thank you Pride for a great day and for all the work you do for the LGBT communities and thank you to all the people of Brighton & Hove for confirming to me yet again that I live in the best city in the UK. xx

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

Lady Smith says...
3:58pm Thu 12 Aug 10

I'm confused. On Monday, there was a report, saying that the required £40k hadn't been raised. Now, I'm reading a report that says no-one knows how much was raised. Is this the Pride communications curse striking again, the Argus curse striking again, or a combination of both? How about Pride just release some information when they have the hard facts, and the Argus report those facts, instead of scare-mongering, rumours and speculation?

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

Thumper Hove says...
4:19pm Thu 12 Aug 10

Cue the usual bigoted and hateful comments about gay people (which happens every time a 'gay story' is reported).
You are only validating why it is necessary to continue with Pride....to help end discrimination and for gay people to be treated equally. However it is essential that Pride has a cull of its existing management and to bring in qualified experienced people to make sure next year is a SUCCESS in raising money (first hint - make sure enough people are collecting money...simples!).

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

Morpheus says...
4:32pm Thu 12 Aug 10

The Pride bosses and the council are no different to the government. They have no idea how to manage finances either!!!

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

tinker000 says...
4:53pm Thu 12 Aug 10

As far north as pos seems a good idea might cool the ardea

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

btnladbn2 says...
5:11pm Thu 12 Aug 10

Pride have not given any money to the LGBT community for ages, its the community which pays for pride. The whole thing is a bloody joke. most of the people who attend the park are people who are from out of town, and in fact i would say a high majority or people use it for a free day out, and aren't anything to do with or care about the LGBT community. in my mind its had its day, and this comes from a gay man who lives in Brighton. I don't know anyone of our friends who went to the park or even attended Pride

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

John Brighton says...
5:26pm Thu 12 Aug 10

Sounds to me CC must be one organisation. One can't get the money in the buckets counted(Perhaps take it to a supermarket and use their machine) and the other doesn't now how much the cost of the clear up is. As for people keep going on about there not being enough bins at the event if bins are full most people put their rubbish along side it not just throw it all around a park and surrounding streets. When will the city council come out (No Punn) and tell us the total cost and the ammount of grants given for this event.

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

anonymous coward says...
5:52pm Thu 12 Aug 10

I think you, Thumper Hove, must be reading a different article's comments to the ones I'm reading...

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

chipmunk77 says...
6:02pm Thu 12 Aug 10

John Brighton wrote:
Sounds to me CC must be one organisation. One can't get the money in the buckets counted(Perhaps take it to a supermarket and use their machine) and the other doesn't now how much the cost of the clear up is. As for people keep going on about there not being enough bins at the event if bins are full most people put their rubbish along side it not just throw it all around a park and surrounding streets. When will the city council come out (No Punn) and tell us the total cost and the ammount of grants given for this event.
"When will the city council come out (No Punn) and tell us the total cost and the ammount of grants given for this event."

The grant information is already published on the Brighton Council website, and has been for some time - Friday 9th July to be precise, there was a press release!

http://www.brighton-
hove.gov.uk/index.cf
m?request=b1149084&a
ction=show_pr&id=241
845

Only £9,675 in total, was given in grants to groups present at the Pride event - not to Pride itself, the Pride ogranisation itself was LOANED some money ( £30k??) I believe to cover a shortfall. and has to be re-paid.

As the article states, when the "bucket money" is collected, and obviously the accounts (like last year) are finalised/audited by about early November then we'll know won't we.

Given that last years event cost Pride £350k plus to put on, I think a small shortfall is not that bad, try looking at last years financial report:
http://www.realadmin
.co.uk/microdir/139/
File/Annual_report_2
010V2.pdf,

and you'll see that people donate throughout the year ( £30,529.90 in 2009) at fundraising events, not just at the park.

Sure there are areas that can be improved (toilets & rubbish clearance), but it's down to people attending to put in money into the buckets (I did) but the number of people who didn't was shocking.

Unfortunately, IF the event charges an entrance fee, rather then accepts donations, then the council, Police and others then have to charge for their services, and Pride has to PAY for rental of the park!

In which case the fee is likely to be a lot lot higher than the £5 or so people suggest as it's treated as a commercial event not a community event, then of course the moaners are happy, but the event is ruined for everyone else, including the VAST number of straight people I saw there, I'd guess it was almost 50/50 and I've been going since 1997, and it has definitely become much more straightover the years!!!

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

contentedmummy says...
7:31am Fri 13 Aug 10

If the LGBT community don't like the event anymore, then it's bound to be time for a change. Personally I have always been Proud of the city's diversity & attend Pride & the parade to show my support. When my daughter was born, I was Proud she could grow up in a city where she could be whoever she wants. The atmosphere has always been free, loving & peaceful. But after 10 years of going, I noticed more than ever the lack of people contributing. Not just cash but in effort. Sadly, there are people coming who don't seem to understand what it's all about. Time for a change but don't shut the whole community out altogether. There are 'straight' people who want to show support & open our minds.

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

Living in the real world says...
10:08am Fri 13 Aug 10

Having missed P1ss in the Park this year am enjoying reading the comments.
If this was rebranded as the Brighton Festival I am sure we could accomodate "every" person in our city without all the yearly complaining about funding, rubbish, outsiders or behaviour. Another thought is to cancel it next year and only have it every other year to increase intrest and fund raising

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

rashidk says...
10:08am Fri 13 Aug 10

Seems to me Pride is becoming more like a common or garden pop festival without the bands. Nothing against pop festivals but the mindset is different for Pride - or should be. And PLEASE not homophobia, that bastardised word which simply serves to prettify a grotesquely evil fact. If you mean hatred of homosexuals, say 'Hatred of homosexuals' and sod the journos.

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

Thumper Hove says...
10:47am Fri 13 Aug 10

anonymous coward wrote:
I think you, Thumper Hove, must be reading a different article's comments to the ones I'm reading...
Fortunately many of the offensive comments are removed quite quickly by the Argus - about 6 or so from this story disappeared since yesterday. It does not excuse the fact that nasty and often offensive comments are being made in the first place though!

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

More News stories


Most popular







Local Information

Enter your postcode, town or place name

House prices »   Schools »   Crime »   Hospitals »

Local Businesses