Brighton Local Customs

For many locals the English pubs are their second home and a perfect place for conversation.

English Pubs usually don't have a waiter service. You have to go to the bar to buy your drinks and to pay immediately after your order. The beers for sale are either on draught (on tap), in bottles or cans.

Famous types of british beers are: Ale, Mild, Bitter and Stout.

Well if you want to know what's going on in and around Brighton then you could do a lot worse than buy THE local paper, 'The Evening Argus'. Curiously it's normally available in the shops around lunchtime which tells you quite a lot about the need to sell large quantities of newspapers and rather less about their standards of timekeeping.

Although you can't go inside it, the Clock Tower - which was built in 1888 to celebrate Queen Victoria's Jubilee - is definitely worth seeing because it's a landmark often referred to by locals when people are giving you directions. Furthermore it's often used as a meeting place for those less familiar with the town - so if anyone gets lost, why not tell them to meet back at the Clock Tower? You'll find it opposite the Boots store on the junction of Queens Road (running north to the station), West Street (running south to the sea), North Street (running east to the Old Steine) and Western Road (the main shopping street running west towards Hove).

The golden ball on top of the spire is supposed to rise gradually and then fall on the hour. Apparently it does it...but erratically. Keep your eyes peeled!

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The first monument is to commemorate the men that gave their lives in the first and second world wars. It sits behind the Egyptian Monument in an island garden, just over the road from the Brighton Pavilion on the main road.
I like this monument, it kind of looks kind of space age and quite mysterious in the dusk of the early evening...

The second war memorial is a beautiful monument that is like a Cleopatra's needle. It's situated in the memorial garden in front of Brighton's palace pavilion too. It was erected by the 1st 8th Royal Sussex reg 'To the memory of their comrades who were killed in action 1882-1884' in Egypt.

The Level (apparently where Brighton band The Levellers got their name from) is a large green park in the center of Brighton.

With a playground and paddling pool for tiny tots , play area for older kids, a skater park, rose garden and a large green space for just hanging out, there is pretty much something for all ages there.

You can witness all manner of activities at the Level...People juggling with fire after dark, practising Thai Chi, cycling, skating, walking their dogs and the like. (I once saw someone who appared to be hugging a tree and seemingly unable to escape !) and people just hanging out with a book and a picnic on a sunny afternoon. It is very much a city park for the local population.

A small visiting fair comes a couple of times a year (pictured here Sept '07), it has some quality rides. You can park around the Level and it is close to the shops and the center of town. They always have a 'half price rides' day (usually Thursday night).

Just ask any local where the Level is, and they will point you in the right direction.

note : As with most park areas, if you have kids with you, it is great in the day, but can have the odd unsavoury character lurking at night.

Born as a fishing village in the 15th century, Brighton soon established its identity. The early 18th century saw severe flooding which decimated its trade. It wasn't until a few decades later that it started picking up again, when the town's proximity to the capital lured thousands of affluent Londoners to the coast in search of Brighton's clean Brightoning waters and fresh sea air. The town soon became the most lively place outside the capital, and duly caught the attention of the Prince Regent who enjoyed wild parties here away from his disapproving father, King George III. The birth of the railways made Brighton accessible to ordinary folk and day trips to the seaside took off. Over the next century, Brighton's place as a Mecca for British seaside holidaymakers and fun lovers was secured.


pub trivia

famous for: mods & rockers, the sixties gangbangers inspired the cult classic Quadrophenia
famous sons and residents: Fatboy Slim, Steve Coogan, Chris Eubank, Howard Marks
interesting fact: Swedish super group Abba won the 1974 Eurovision song contest here

In Brighton, as well as the rest of the UK, you will often hear people say the word "quid." Quid means pounds for all of us non-British. Thus, when someone says, "That's 5 quid," he means "That's 5 pounds." It is also very common to hear people say, "Cheers," which is a greeting and also a way of saying "thank you."

Brighton is a very diverse city, known for having the highest gay population in the UK. As such, it is important that tourists are at least knowledgeable of this fact! You will see clubs and pubs that cater to homosexuals. This diversity makes Brighton a very tolerant and accepting city.