A couple who got married in Brighton are returning after 50 years to celebrate in the country’s most romantic city. Chief reporter Emily Walker looks at just what it is that makes Brighton and Hove the most romantic city in Britain

FOR Keith and Lesley Loring, Brighton and Hove is the most romantic city in the country.

The couple are returning to the city where they first celebrated being husband and wife, half a century after tying the knot.

For the Lorings – like thousands of other couples – Brighton and Hove is the most romantic city in the country.

In the past year, 1,358 couples got married here.

The city’s register office is the busiest in the South East outside London, and there are 38 registered venues where couples can join in legal matrimony – ranging from the Palace Pier to the Old Police Cells.

And the i360 has already been in talks with the city’s register office to become a licensed wedding venue when it opens next year.

About a third of those who choose to wed in the city travel here from other parts of the country because of the city’s vast range of beautiful and unusual venues.

Brighton and Hove’s senior registrar Trevor Love said he thought the city was the perfect wedding destination because of its welcoming nature.

He said: “Brighton is known worldwide as a fun place. It always has been. Whether you want to get married on the pier or something much more traditional – there’s something for everyone.

“Whatever people want, we will accommodate that and they know we will go as far as we can to achieve their wishes.

“People are always coming up with different ideas.

“You still get traditional weddings pretty much as they’ve been for centuries but we’ve had a few funny ones. We had a couple get married in fancy dress with everyone dressed as fish and we always get a few unusual ones around Halloween.

“The Old Police Cells Museum has been licensed and we’ve got the first wedding there coming up in May.

“We are always happy to join in the fun but we do always try to maintain an air of dignity.”

In the past year, there was an average of 26 weddings every week for the entire year.

Mr Love said that on a busy summer Saturday it is not unusual for the register office team to oversee as many as 30 weddings – with about ten weddings within the town hall rooms and up to five teams performing up to three weddings each at other venues around the city.

And bookings for this year are already stacking up, suggesting this year will be the busiest ever.

During the winter, the council reduced the rates for ceremonies in January, February and March to attract more weddings at less popular times – resulting in the busiest winter wedding season ever.

A change in the law in October 2012 means couples can get married at any time of day or night.

The introduction of the Same Sex Marriage Act last March cemented the city’s record as the most popular place in the South East for same-sex marriages.

Pair return for 50th wedding anniversary

WHEN Keith and Lesley Loring tied the knot 50 years ago they celebrated in Brighton.

Now to celebrate half a century of happy marriage the pair are returning to the country’s most romantic city.

Keith, now 70, was working on a building site when he first set eyes on Lesley, who had a Saturday job at Woolworths across the road.

Lesley, then just 16, asked Keith’s friend to go to a show with her but he was busy, so Keith leapt at the chance of a date. Two years later, they were married.

Speaking about their enduring love Keith, who is secretly planning to bring his wife back to Brighton to recreate their honeymoon of 50 years ago, said: “Leslie was very attractive – and she still is.

“Lesley asked my friend to go to see a show. He couldn’t go so I said I would go.

“I went to see the show with her and it went on from there.

“Lesley was 16 and I was 18.

“One of our first dates was to see the Beatles in 1963 in the same week their first single went to number one.

“On our honeymoon we stayed in a B&B on Brighton seafront – I wish I could remember the name – but I know exactly where it was, just on the corner of the square up from The Grand.

“This time we’ll be staying at The Grand.

“We don’t have a lot of money but after all the years together I want to show Lesley how much she means to me.

“She doesn’t know anything about it and thinks we’re going to the football.”

Keith – who went on to become chief executive of Derby and Brentford football clubs – said Lesley had now taken over as the sportsperson of the family – as captain of her local golf club.

“People say Lesley’s a saint for putting up with me so long,” he said.

“That’s maybe a bit mean, but she’s fantastic.

“I was always working unusual hours.

“It was my job to look after the family and Leslie took care of me.

“But after I gave up football ten years ago, Lesley has really taken charge and people now refer to me as ‘Lesley Loring’s husband’ rather than the other way round.”