First Base in Brighton to showcase homelessness work

The event at First Base, located in Montpelier Place and run by BHT Sussex, will be part of the Heritage Open Days Festival.

Heritage Open Days is England’s largest festival of history and culture where thousands of free events take place across the country.

First Base will be showcased as a heritage site since it is housed in Grade II* St Stephen’s Hall, an 18th-century building with a rich history.

The Hall was originally constructed in 1766 as an assembly room to the Castle Inn at the Old Steine.

It later served as a chapel for the Royal Pavilion under the auspices of the Prince Regent in 1814.

After the sale of much of the Prince Regent’s estate, the chapel faced possible demolition.

However, the Bishop of Chichester intervened on the grounds that, since it had been consecrated, it was church property.

The building was then relocated brick by brick to Montpelier Place, where it stands today.

The Hall was taken over by BHT Sussex in 1982 and re-opened as the First Base Day Centre in 1984.

First Base provides practical essentials such as hot food, showers, laundry facilities and clothes, alongside in-depth advice and support to move people away from homelessness for good.

The building maintains much of its original architecture, including pillars and moulding.

Renovation work that took place in 2024 helped to restore some of these features.

People will have the opportunity to visit the First Base Day Centre for free on Saturday's September 13 and September 20, between 12pm and 3pm.

For guests' education, there will be displayed information about the hall, and staff members will be available to answer queries.

Donations to BHT Sussex are always appreciated.

More details about the event can be found at the Heritage Open Days website.