London to Brighton train ride

Just a quick one today, but as I was perusing the BBC iPlayer I came across this short film which shows two train journeys from London to Brighton, one from 1953 and one from 1983, side by side.

Well that's it, told you it was a quick one! 

Charlotte

 

Brighton & Hove is the country's most continental city

Another day and another accolade for Brighton & Hove! Yes it's true this time we have been named the most continental city in Britain beating Liverpool, Belfast, Edinburgh and poor old London had to make do with being eighth in the list.

Overall the study (commissioned by Heineken) found that Britons were embracing continental attitudes be it a kiss hello or having a siesta during the day in order to stay out later, presumably another factor is using words such as siesta instead of nap!

Back to Brighton though, people do often comment on the fact that there is a European feel to the city particularly when it comes to food and drink as there is such a mixture of styles on offer, I like the fact that more restaurants are moving away from the traditional three large courses to having a few smaller dishes so you can pick and choose more things to try without getting bloated, examples in Brighton & Hove include Pintxo People and Graze.

Another factor has to be the people, the traditional image of English people being stand-offish and having a stiff upper lip just doesn't apply here as everyone is friendly and also more laid back, visitors often comment on the fact that the city centre is quiet first thing in the morning, it doesn't really start to get going until 10 or 11. That's not to say that no one works a normal 9-5 shift but the independent shops of the North Laine don't tend to open up until late morning and then you start to see more people about. Part of the reason for this continental approach of starting and finishing later is that we have always had a lot of students here thanks to the two universities and the large number of English Language schools.

But don't just take my word for it, come and visit Brighton & Hove and then you can see for yourself why we have been named the most continental city. As ever if you think I have missed something out then please let me know

Charlotte

Brighton nightlife with a twist

Brighton & Hove is well known for having great nightlife, whether it's club nights, live music or comedy we've got it covered. However this month you can do something a little bit different once the sun goes down.

On the 25th October the city will host White Night where a variety of venues and attractions will stay open right through the night and best of all most of them will have free entry. The event is already very popular in Europe particularly in Paris and Berlin, but this will be the first time it's been tried in the UK. The reason for choosing that date is because it is the Autumn Equinox and it is the night the clocks go back, and to mark this there will be a 'Duet for the Small Hours' with three live and highly charged physical duets which will begin and end at 2am.

It's also good timing from my point of view as I am going to see Roy 'Catchphrase' Walker that evening at the Corn Exchange, so I'll be able to enjoy the festivities afterwards. Highlights include the Royal Pavilion staying open til midnight with a concert being performed by the Brighton Philharmonic orchestra in the Music Room. Herbie Flowers will be performing in the Dome Foyer bar, the Prince Regent swimming pool will be open until 2am with underwater speakers, the library staff will have to resist the urge to shush people as they will have local bands playing and screening films as well. If that wasn't enough there will also be special trails throughout the night all with a romantic theme there's a Love Hunt, Lit Lit Trail and a romance walk, although if you prefer to peddle there is a special treasure hunt for cyclists as well!


So for a night out in Brighton with a difference make sure you come down for White Night and if I've completely confused you with all the different events happening, then don't worry as the Visitor Information Centre will be open that night and you may be lucky enough to spot our Marketing Manager John wandering around thrusting our Winter Guide in people's faces :)

More awards for Brighton!

Obviously as I work for VisitBrighton I am always on the look out for news stories about the city, but as I've been here a while it seems I have managed to brainwash my family and friends, as my mum very sweetly alerted me to a news story that I had somehow overlooked, so thanks Mum!

The Royal Alexandra Children's Hospital has been named Britain's best Public Building, beating the other 20 building's on the shortlist to win the Prime Minister's Better Public Buliding award. The building was built in the shape of an ark and has bright bands of colour, well rather than trying to describe it why don't I just add a picture for you:


Back in 2005 the same award was won by Brighton's Jubilee Library, which was chosen becasue of the fact that it is environmentally friendly as it features low energy consumption, low embodied energy and recycled rainwater. Although personally I like it becasue as the glass fronted exterior looks stunning, especially at night:


There you are then, yet antoher reason to visit Brighton, as apart from the well known architectural delights of the Royal Pavilion and the Regency squares there are all sorts of less well known ones as well. So please fell free to let us know which are your favourite buildings in Brighton & Hove

Charlotte

We're off to see the Wizard...

Well it may be a dreary rainy day but our lunch break was full of glitz and glamour as we went to the Theatre Royal Brighton for a sneak preview of their fabulous Christmas musical The Wizard of Oz.

Brighton is breaking with tradition by having a musical instead of a pantomime and I for one am delighted, as personally I have never been a fan of pantos, what with all the 'it's behind you' nonsense and the Butlins-esque audience participation element either.

This afternoon we were treated to a couple of songs followed by a Q&A session with Tim Flavin who is acting, directing and choreographing the show, and at one point he did stray into a slight rant about the current state of celebrity, as when he first started thirty years ago if you wanted to be a musical theatre star you had to undergo years of training and then several years gaining experience in order to work your way up to the best parts, however nowadays he is losing roles to people because they have appeared in the Big Brother house or some other drivel. When you think about it is ludicrous, in what other profession would you get away with hiring someone with no qualifications, just because they have been on telly.

So you will be pleased to hear there are no reality tv stars or other non-entities in this production only people who are actually qualified to do the job, including a lot of local talent in particular Bruce Montague who is probably best known as Leonard from Butterflies (although personally speaking Russel was my favourite) will be appearing as the Wizard, there will also be lots of special effects so you'll still get to see the twister, a witch melting before your eyes and of course the flying monkeys!

Although while this is a professional cast there is space for one enthusiastic amateur within the ensemble, as Toto will be played by a real dog and they will be holding open auditions at the Theatre Royal Brighton on Saturday 11th October from 10 - 12pm, although there are some restrictions as it will need to be a smallish dog who can fit into Dorothy's basket so apologies to anyone with a St Bernard seeking fame! The play closely follows the plot and style of the film so they would be keen to find a dog similar to that one, and obviously one that doesn't mind being picked up by people, so if you think your little pooch could be a star then bring them along.

So if you want a Christmas outing with a difference then come to Brighton, although be quick as tickets are selling fast, in fact some shows have already sold out, so be sure to get yours soon. Tickets can either be booked online, by phone or in person at the Theatre Royal Brighton

Charlotte

Think Ya Used Enough Dynamite There, Butch?

'Once you've seen your face on a bottle of salad dressing, it's hard to take yourself seriously.'

So said possibly one of the big screens nicest and most philanthropic stars. Paul Newman passed away this weekend, leaving a legacy of films and charity work behind him. Proof that not all stars are so big for their boots they need a size 12 just to get out of bed, even conservative Muslim Iran, which would not usually concern itself with reporting on a Western film star, marked his death. Not only the 'King of Cool', he was also a humanitarian who gave and raised millions for charity.

Surely, unless the last drip of emotion has been wrung screaming from you, you can't fail to become at a least a little glassy eyed at the end of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid?

So if you're feeling a bit nostalgic for films of old, why not check out our VisitBrighton Movie Map? Paul Newman doesn't appear but the loveable Woody Allen does!

From 60s cult classic Quadrophenia to wartime romance End of the Affair, many films have been set or partly shot in key locations around Brighton & Hove, so why not re-live the glitz and glamour of film production old and new?

And with one of Newman's daughters saying that she wanted her father to be remembered for his charity work, if you want to find out more about some of his work outsdie film see here.

Brighton Walks

Well, having just got back from a week on the Camino de Santiago (a long pilgrim walk in Spain that wends its merry way to, well funnily enough, Santiago) I got thinking about the various walks in Brighton. OK, so there is nothing quite equivalent to an 800 KM trek through the Pyrenees and lots of little Spanish pueblos, but there are actually loads of walks to do in and around the city.

It's just one of the things that makes Brighton so great - the unique mix of city life with lots of countryside and green spaces sitting quite literally on the doorstep.

Here are a few ideas:

The Undercliff Walk - a 3 mile (5km) walk from Black Rock to Saltdean. A popular and scenic coastal walk, the area is also a site of special historical and geological interest, with fossils of mammoths, whooly rhinos and even hippos discovered there over the years. Regular bus services and the Volks Railway both go to Black Rock.

VisitBrighton Movie Map - From the intense noir of Brighton Rock to the wartime emotions of End of the Affair and the latest offering from comedic giant Woody Allen, many films have been set or partly shot in key locations around Brighton & Hove. Re-live the glitz and glamour of film production old and new in Brighton with our Movie Map.

Take a walk in Stanmer Park - Named one of Britain's Top 10 walks by the Independent newspaper, take a wander around the beautiful Stanmer Park and discover The Horseshoe, Wilkin's Folly and Pudding Bag Wood.

Take a walk in the Brighton countryside - Did you know there are over 14,000 acres of countryside in Brighton and the surrounding areas? That's a lot of walking! And a great antidote to the bustle of city life.

Take a Brighton MP3 walking tour with Cool City Walks or Tourist Tracks and see the great city sites at your own pace.

Happy walking!

Sarah
VisitBrighton