Secret Treasures – Hove Museum

I love all the little places in Brighton and Hove that the general tourist doesn’t know about and the Hove Museum is 1of them.

The beautiful Indian Gate in front of the museum.

It’s a favourite for its cafe (sadly the cafe has been shut down!) and its displays.

Not as big as the Brighton Museum, but it has local charm. It’s a great place to bring kids, as they have a special permanent display for them upstairs, which is great fun.

What’s in store…

Camera in the museum

There is a good display on the local history of how Hove came about, plus a great exhibition on the creation and development on film – a subject which is a personal favourite. They even have a little cinema to watch old black and white movies on.

For the adults, they have revolving exhibitions of art on various themes. It’s a nice afternoon well spent, especially if you indulge in the cafe fare. The cafe is really bright and the staff are friendly.

Art work

There small gift shop sells all sorts, but quite unique gifts, so it’s

worth a quick look.

When you have the time and the weather isn’t great or you are looking for a lovely afternoon tea, you can’t go too wrong to go to the Hove Museum.

Hove Museum Cafe

Debbie BridgeApril 5, 2016March 10, 2018 Brighton, England, United Kingdom No Comments

Aquarium and Airbnb in Brighton

Brighton has an aquarium close by the Brighton Pier. The aquarium is owned and operated by Sealife. It is a good option for families with small children and if it is a wet, windy or cold day. I have visited it a couple of times and found it interesting, even as an adult. It’s 1 of the few original Victorian aquariums still around, so for that reason alone, it’s worth a look.

1 of the most expensive aspects of traveling to Brighton and, if you’re staying a few days, is accommodation. Brighton has plenty of choices of places to stay from five-star hotels to Bed & Breakfasts to hostels. A relatively new option is Airbnb. The use of Airbnb is a popular choice in Brighton to save costs and put money back into the local economy.

We use Airbnb when we are traveling and are hosts in Brighton when we are at home. I can recommend it as an option for traveling to keep your costs down and the opportunity to interact with locals as well as stay in some great places. We have stayed on a canal boat in Amsterdam, a farm in Tasmania and apartments in Edinburgh and Canada.

Also, we have a special offer where you can win a 2 day stay for one person in our Airbnb listing, click here to enter. (offer runs from February 14th to 27th, 2016)

Brighton Aquarium

Brighton has the oldest operating aquarium in the world. There are around 3,500 marine creatures at the aquarium. There are feeding demonstrations all day and lots of interactive options for children and adults.

The aquarium is only closed on Christmas day and open the rest of the year. The hours are from 10am to 5pm with last admission at 4pm. There are a range of ticket prices including a Gold and Silver Package. I would recommend sticking with the General Admission price if you do not have children otherwise consider the 2 other packages but if you do not have kids it is not really worth the extra cost.

A General Admission at the door for an individual is £17.50 and if there are 2 or more of you it is £14.50 per person. To get the best price book online there is a considerable saving for an individual the price drops to £11.95 and for 2 or more to £9.95.

Top tip is buy your tickets online or you can get a 2 for 1 with your train when booking from other cities to Brighton.

(photos will be soon to follow for this part of our post)

Airbnb

In recent years, a new way of staying in places has come on to the market.

Airbnb offers people the option of hosting people in their homes or being a guest in someone elses. We are hosts in Brighton for Airbnb and this month are giving away a prize for 1 person to spend a few nights in Brighton, to enter, click here.

We have been lucky to be able to stay at people’s places in Holland, Scotland, Australia and Canada. We have enjoyed all of our stays and it has saved us a fortune in hotel bills.

: He was a big doggy

: Studying Mikey our cat

We especially enjoyed staying at hosts properties with pets and there have been some great ones. My favourite was with this house who had a Great Dane and a cat in Leithbridge, Alberta. We were trapped and needed a place that would take 4 adults and a cat and they took us in – brilliant!

Our Lethbridge dog companion – he didn’t interest my parents cat at all!

Have you ever stayed at an Airbnb accommodation?

Remember to enter the draw here before February 27th, 2016!

Debbie BridgeFebruary 16, 2016January 18, 2021 Brighton, England, United Kingdom No Comments

Visiting the Komedia and having a good laugh

Visiting the Komedia and having a good laugh?

The last post on Brighton looked at the Theatre Royal and keeping with this theme of entertainment we look at the Komedia.

Debbie has personal experience of working at the Komedia as Front of House and was lucky to see lots of great shows. There are 2 main theatres 1 large and 1 smaller narrow one.

History

The Komedia was established in 1994 as a venue for comedy, cabaret, music and children shows. Since then it has developed into a popular spot to see, in particular, comedy.

A few years ago, an addition was made with a 2 screen state of the art cinema under the name of Dukes of Komedia. The Dukes of Komedia is in partnership with the Duke of York’s Picturehouse the oldest working cinema in England, also, located in Brighton. This cinema functions along the Art House style, but offers all sorts of screenings and events. A lot of local film networking events take place in the bar, so you never know who you may bump into?

There is something on every night of the week at the Komedia situated in the North Laines of Brighton. It is about a 10 minute walk from the Brighton train station.

: Meet under the legs

: Komedia

What can you see at the Komedia?

Check their website for upcoming acts.

A few years ago the Komedia also added cinema to its attractions. The Dukes of Komedia has the most modern cinema in Brighton and most comfortable. There is a cosy tiny café upstairs as well as 1 downstairs.

I, personally, have seen a lot of comedy acts.

Over the years there have been some great acts including, before they were celebrities, Graham Norton, Russell Howard and Sarah Millican.

Debbie, of course, is very familiar with the comedy as her job their mainly dealt with throwing out any rowdies or poorly behaved people. You know, the ones who were making the comedians night a nightmare, as well as for the audience. She was the big shusher, so that things never go out of hand with hecklers.

: What is on?

: Funky legs

How much does it cost and meals?

The prices at the Komedia vary and we suggest you check their website as it will depend on the type of show and length. The food is a bit hit and miss, so our suggestion is to eat somewhere else at the many excellent restaurants that are nearby in the North Laines. You can also get reduced rates on certain shows, package deals or for students, so, once again, check the website to catch one of these!

Have you ever been to the Komedia and if so did you enjoy the experience? Did you know that Hove was the birthplace for film? Well, more about that later..

Debbie BridgeFebruary 9, 2016April 14, 2019 Brighton, England, United Kingdom No Comments

Theatre Royal in Brighton

One of the joys of living in Brighton is the vibrant arts community and wide choice of entertainment venues for live theatre. The Theatre Royal in Brighton has a long history and is still in use today. The venue annually presents plays, ballet, musicals and other events in its 952 seat 4 level theatre. My wife and I have enjoyed seeing numerous plays and musicals and it is a great alternative to the high-priced West End Soho theatres in London.

The theatre was built at the request of the Prince Regent who later went on to become King George IV who built the Royal Pavilion located in the park opposite the theatre.

In 1807 the Theatre Royal was opened with a production of Hamlet.

In 2007 the theatre celebrated 200 years of shows with a visit from the Queen.

Over the years, the theatre had performances from well-known actors and actresses.

The theatre has been owned by the Ambassador Group since 1999.

Location

The Royal Theatre is located in the centre of Brighton and is around a 10 minute walk from the Brighton train station. It’s located on a pedestrian thoroughfare with several restaurants nearby including, for budget, Japanese food Pompoko or, more expensive, and next door to the theatre Oki nami. Within a 100 metres of the theatre there are also a plethora of other types of restaurants.

Shows

Check the Theatre Royal website to see what is performing. We normally either buy tickets online or if you want to get them cheaper buy at the theatre on the day if there are places free.

A matinée is good value in terms of time and costs. It is ideal for a day trip from London as a good option to enjoy a show and then further explore Brighton afterwards or enjoy a dinner at 1 of the many restaurants. .

Tip

London tickets can range from £30-£130 upwards while the Theatre Royal is £16-£40. You do the maths!

Before shows go to the West End in Soho they sometimes do a dry run at the Theatre Royal or when they close the show in London go on a tour with a 1st visit to Brighton.

Seating

The bugbear of many theatre goers in London are the comfort of the seats. Regretfully like the London theatres the companies who own them put no investment into the seats. Happily, theatremonkey has a website for people to checkout the best seats and ones to avoid in London. It is all part of the fun to enjoy a show and a good gauge is if you’re not uncomfortable it is a good show. To achieve some comfort it can pay to splurge. We have several times got 1 of the boxes which are great and include the perk of being able to buy and take a bottle of wine to drink as well as stretch your legs.We saw the Rocky Horror show and it was fantastic to see the show and the enthusiastic audience.

The Premier or stall seats give you an extra inch or so of space and, of course, great views of the stage. On the 4th level or the nose bleed seats, the views can be obscured depending on your choice of seat which they inform you at the time of booking.

Have you ever gone to the Theatre Royal in Brighton? Did you enjoy the show?

Debbie BridgeFebruary 1, 2016January 15, 2020 Brighton, England, United Kingdom No Comments

A visit to the Old Police Cell Museum of Brighton

Looking for something unusual to do in Brighton then look no further than a tour of the Old Police Cell Museum Of Brighton. Hidden in the bowels of the Old Brighton Town Hall are the police cells that were operational until 1967. Thanks to the energy and resourcefulness of volunteers you can visit the old police cells and hear the sometimes dark and macabre history of the prisoners kept there. There also is a surprise on the tour with one of the oldest features of Brighton shown at the end.

Organising a Visit

The museum is open for the summer season at the beginning of April from Tuesday through to Saturday until November 1st. During winter the museum is open on the first and third Saturday of each month or by pre-arranged party bookings. In order to visit you need to pre-book a guided tour which begin at 10.30 am and last around one and a half hours. To book your place, please telephone, in advance, Brighton Town Hall Reception on 01273 291052.

Follow the link for directions on how to get there.

The Old Town Hall

The Old Town Hall is an impressive building located in the centre of Brighton. The building was constructed between 1830-1832 replacing the previous town hall. It was built due to the increase popularity of Brighton as a destination thanks to George IV building the Royal Pavilion and often visiting the town. Prior to the town hall there was a Priory which was burnt down 500 years ago during a French Raid in 1514. All the monks were killed and rumour has it there ghosts still roam the corridors of the Old Town Hall. The police and station were part of the town hall which resulted in some amusing stories of the accused being dragged through council proceedings until a separate entrance was built.

: Brighton coat of arms

: West Sussex Constabulary

The Tour

After entering the Old Town Hall you are met by your guide who gives you a background information on the history of the Old Police Cells. The Old Town hall is still used as a registry and weddings are also held there. There is a lovely mosaic floor in the reception area with the original Brighton’s coat of arms In Deo Fidemus or In God we Trust. Our guide was the lovely Ken who had an impressive knowledge of the history and the murderers kept in the cells. I will not spoil your visit by letting the cat out of the bag and rather when you visit hear firsthand some of the tales of prisoners kept in the cells. Lets just say the police were kept busy and one of their own was the victim of what became a notorious murder in its day.

: Your nicked

: Baton collection

After a few tales of past murderers and criminals, the tour guide takes you downstairs to show you first the washroom and toilet which as you can imagine are quite basic, the women prisoner cells and then the men prisoner cells. The cells have memorabilia from a marvelous collection of police batons to a photo of naked children being chased by a female police constable. We heard about the infamous battle of 1964 between the mods and the rockers as well as stories of past guests in the cells. Towards the end of the tour we were shown the oldest known well in Brighton and probably built prior to the Battle of Hastings in 1066.

The tour is by donation only or free and is a great way to see some of Brighton’s more morbid history.

Have you ever visited an old police gaol?

Debbie BridgeJanuary 26, 2016August 15, 2022 Brighton, England, United Kingdom No Comments

The Undercliff Walk in Brighton

The Undercliff walk in Brighton can be walked from either direction, from the Marina to Rottingdean or vis versa. I prefer walking it from Rottingdean as you can see the Marina getting closer.

Undercliff walk from Rottingdean

Rottingdean is a historic village with a pond and was once the home of Rudyard Kipling between 1897 and 1902.

We have enjoyed a ramble along the Undercliff walk several times. You get great views of the ‘white cliffs’ and some lovely cafes along the way.

Getting to the Start

If you are spending the day in Brighton I would suggest buying an all day bus ticket outside the train station on arrival. You can either get a bus to the Marina or Rottingdean from Churchill Square or the Old Steine. The cost of an all day bus ticket is £4.70 and you can hop on or off any bus all day.

Starting from Churchill Square you get the bus going towards Eastbourne, try to get the express bus and alight at Rottingdean opposite the Tescos. From the bus stop you cross the road and walk down to the beach to the start of the Undercliff walk.You can either walk to the Marina and jump on a bus there to Brighton or extend the walk and finish at Brighton Pier.

The Undercliff Walk

The Undercliff Walk officially starts at Black Rock and finishes 4,5 kilometres in Saltdean. However, it can be shortened by finishing or starting at Rottingdean.

If you have never seen chalk cliffs then the Undercliff Walk is a great introduction with magnificent views looking towards the Marina and Brighton.

Up close and personal with the white cliffs!

Half way to the Marina from Rottingdean are public toilets and a cafe where you can stop for a drink or snack and spend some time people or seagull watching.

The Undercliff walk from Rottingdean to the Marina takes a leisurely hour. When you reach the Marina I like to walk along the causeway and stop on a summer day for an ice cream stall before entering the Marina.

The Marina

The Brighton Marina was completed in 1978 and opened by the Queen and is the biggest marina in Europe. The Marina is a higgly piggly of apartments and shops.

Brighton Marina

The Marina has a community of houses, cinema, supermarket, ugly car park, bowling alley, shops, restaurants and a casino.

Throughout the year, there are boat trips from a couple of companies including Ross Boat trip who do 45 minute pleasure trips to the Brighton pier and back for around £8.50. They also do speedboat and fishing trips. The Marina is a good spot for lunch or a snack with the many restaurants. If you are feeling energetic you can extend your walk and go on to Brighton Pier.

To continue on to the Pier you walk through an underpass beside a car wash. The footpath leads to the beach and you continue along beside the mile long Volks railway (more about this in a future blog post!) which is only open in summer months.

You then walk along on Madiera drive to the Pier where your journey ends.

To do the full walk from Rottingdean to Brighton Pier would take around 2-3 hours, including a few leisurely stops.

If you pick the right day, you can see for miles, possibly even to France, just across the channel.

What is your favourite place in Brighton Marina? or on the walk from Rottingdean? Let us know below:

Debbie BridgeJanuary 18, 2016August 15, 2022 England, Rottingdean, United Kingdom No Comments

Introduction to an A to Z of Brighton

Over the coming year we are going to write an A to Z for Brighton and other nearby places in Sussex.

I have lived in Brighton and Hove for the last 10 years and Debbie has been a resident for over 20 years. Originally, she was from Vancouver, Canada and I was from Wellington, New Zealand. Both Canada and New Zealand are beautiful places to live but Sussex and Brighton have a lot of attractions too.

: Directions

: Brighton Pier

: Royal Brighton Pavilion

: What is left of West Pier

Hopefully our time in Brighton will benefit you when your planning a trip to visit this wonderful area of the world.

The A to Z of Brighton

Below is a list to the introduction of A to Z of Brighton and some of the letters will cover more than 1 attraction or experience:

A for the Aquarium and Airbnb

B for the Brighton Pier, Booth Museum of Natural History

C for the Chattri, Chapel Royal and Charleston

D is for Devils Dyke

E is for great eateries

F is for the many comedy, theatre and food festivals, Fishing Museum

G is for the Ghost Walk in the Lanes

H is for Hove

I is for the annual winter ice skating rink and i360.

J is for Jungle Rumble Adventure Golf

K is for the Komedia and Kemptown

L is for the Lanes

M is for the Marina and the Museums of Brighton

N is for the Newhaven Fort, North Laine

O is for the Old Police Cells Museum

P is for the pubs and annual Pride Festival

Q is for the beautiful Queens Park

R is for quirky village of Rottingdean and Royal Pavilion

S is for the South Downs National Park, Shoreham, Seven Sisters and the Seagulls

T is for Theatre Royal, Tea and the Albion Museum for the Brighton Football team

U is for the Undercliff Walk

V is for the Volks Railway

W is for the West Blatchington Windmill and walks

X is for American Express Stadium

Y is for Yoga and wellness retreats or just treats!

Z is for Zorian Art Works

We hope you will find this introduction to an A to Z of Brighton useful. Let us know if we have missed anything or you would like covered below.

Debbie BridgeJanuary 12, 2016June 19, 2020 Brighton, England, United Kingdom No Comments

Living in Brighton

My 1st introduction to Brighton was a weekend away in 1997 and I got eaten alive by bed bugs at a divey hostel. Not an auspicious start and little did I know that in 8 years time I would return to live in the city I now call home.

After reading quite a few blogs on Brighton from people who visit I decided this year to write an A-Z of Brighton and the surrounding area of Sussex.

This is the 1st post introducing Brighton for people planning on coming to visit this lovely city.

Brighton and Hove is a seaside city located in East Sussex with a population of 273,000. A fast train from London Victoria will take you under an hour to get to Brighton and Gatwick Airport is also half an hour by train.

From the South Downs with the Devils Dyke to the coastline with Seven Sisters chalk cliffs or the famous Brighton Pier and Royal Brighton Pavilion or the crazy night life and great restaurants and world-class venues for entertainment, I suggest the top 3 places you should visit are the Royal Brighton Pavilion, Brighton Pier and exploring the narrow lanes, especially, if you’re a 1st time visitor to Brighton.

30 Years in Brighton

Debbie, my Canadian/UK wife has lived in Brighton for 20 years and I have lived here 10 years. Between us we have 30 years of experiences living by the seaside in Brighton.

: Our lovely little house

Before that I was living in Amsterdam for 2 years and prior to that New Zealand. Debbie lived in Germany and Canada. We are often asked why we do not live in New Zealand or Canada – New Zealand we both love going for holidays but neither of us want to live there permanently and Canada, well, we are looking to build a life there and maintain our life here, but more about that later.

There are many reasons we like living in Brighton and Hove, which is the correct title of the city since Hove was amalgamated into Brighton many years ago. The great lifestyle, beach, friends and the weather is surprisingly excellent because of the micro climate.

Brighton is wedged between the South Downs and the English Channel which produces a great climate most of the year.

Brighton at Christmas is also a lot of fun, click on the link for more info on that.

All of this adds to why 8 million people visit annually for day trips or a weekend. According to Tripadvisor Brighton is #1 of the top 10 destinations in the UK to visit.

Royal Brighton Pavilion

Famous throughout the world is the iconically designed Royal Brighton Pavilion.

John Nash, was commissioned by George IV, to build the Royal Brighton Pavilion. It was completed in 1823 with its domes, minarets and towers. The Pavilion was unique with its combination of Chinese, Turkish and Eastern influences. George IV was a man who liked the good things in life: food, entertaining, horse riding and collecting art/furniture from France, China and India, so throughout the Pavilion, in different rooms, are a treasure trove of different collections.

Brighton Pier

Brighton Pier is a step back in time to the Victorian age where the main attraction when visiting the seaside was the pier.

The 1st pier was built-in 1823 and called the Old Chain Pier and was used for disembarking passengers from Dieppe. Entrepreneurs saw the money to be made from the passengers and kiosks and amusements were built. In 1889, a storm completely destroyed the pier. 10 years later the new Brighton Marine Palace and Pier was opened. The last refurbishment was in 1984 and nowadays, the pier has not lost its allure.

Whether you just take a stroll along the pier or enjoy the amusement park at the end, the Pier is some good nostalgic fun.

: Brighton Pier

: What is left of West Pier

I personally would eat elsewhere as the deep-fried food will solidify any artery and guard your chips as there is a constant chance of a sneaky seagull stealing the chips or any food you choose to buy.

The Lanes

The Lanes are a collection of narrow alleyways to explore and shop till your heart is content.

The Lanes are famous for their quirky and unusual shops to explore as well as some great restaurants to enjoy a snack, lunch or dinner.

Afterwards you can be scared with the ghost walk of the lanes a 70 minute stroll visiting and hearing about the ghostly past of Brighton.

: Directions

: Lanes getting busy

: Ghost walk anyone

Have you been to Brighton? What was your favourite memory?

Debbie BridgeJanuary 8, 2016October 22, 2018 Brighton, England, United Kingdom 2 Comments

Christmas in Brighton

Merry Christmas, Brighton!

I just couldn’t resist. It may be a bit after the date, but not too much and it just might wet some of your appetites to come over next year!

We have some events which are special just for Brighton at Christmas time events. Hence, why I wanted to make this blog post, as many tourists would not know what is so unique to us and why it’s such a great time of year in Brighton and Hove, actually!

Ice Skating

1 of my favourites is the ice rink in front of the Brighton Pavilion. I try to go once every year I’m here for Christmas and the best time is in the evening when the lights are all over the, very unique, Brighton Pavilion. There is no other building in the world that is like it and it’s a beautiful place to skate around.

This year, I managed to drag out a fellow Canadian and childhood friend to join me in my annual skate and it was a great catch up time while doing a very favourite Canadian pass time.

Friends on Ice at Brighton Pavilion

It’s not cheap and they don’t have figure skates, just ice hockey skates, but it’s worth it to do it once a year, especially with a friend.

Beach Huts

Every year the Hove Beach huts do a nativity advent calendar and each night a different beach hut opens it’s doors to the public, so they can see what Christmas theme has been designed for that night. I don’t know anywhere else that does this and if they do, most likely, it was Hove which started it.

Advent Beach Hut in Hove

It’s such a great excuse to get out after dark and go down to the beach. Mulled wine and minced tarts are on the offer as well, so you need not go without.

Burning of the Clocks

Every year on the shortest day, Brighton has a big parade to celebrate the darkest day by having a parade of lights. Local children and families make lanterns and parade through the streets of Brighton down to the beach where all the lanterns are put on a pile and burned.

Fireworks are set off as well, as long as there isn’t too much wind. It’s a great community event, which incorporates all communities, as it’s not a religious festival, so you can see all of the multiculturalism of Brighton at this event.

Some participants in the Burning of the Clocks

If you are interested in taking part in next year’s parade and making a lantern, you can do so by clicking here.

Where did you spend your Christmas this year? What unique places or events happen there?

Debbie BridgeJanuary 2, 2016March 10, 2018 Brighton, England, United Kingdom No Comments

How I was converted to cruises

I swore I would never go on a cruise. My wife finally convinced me to go on one. I wish I had started earlier. This is how I was converted to cruises.

My 1st Cruise

A few years ago I went on my 1st cruise on the Noordam operated by Holland America. We did a week-long cruise in the West Mediterranean beginning in Citavecchia and going to Livorno, Monte Carlo, Barcelona, Malaga, Tunis, Palermo, Naples and back to Citavecchia or the gateway to Rome. We joined the cruise with my in-laws for the first half of their cruise as a surprise. I have to say from the beginning I was very anti-cruise and it did not appeal to me, however I was converted after this voyage.

We stayed at a lovely hotel just out of Citavecchia with fantastic views of the town and sea.

: Feast at hotel before we leave on cruise

: We had the raw of beef on hot stone

: Surprise on the ship on Debbie’s folks 50th wedding anniversary

: Noordam in Monte Carlo

Our cruise in the Med

What amazed me is how comfortable you can be on the ship. Our cabin was not too small and the bed comfortable. On the 1st day we found out the spa had a special limit, which was for 20-30 people to have unlimited entry into the spa, pools, sauna and hot tile beds. It cost $10 a day each and was a great investment as people under the age of 18 were forbidden entry. It became an oasis of calm away from the main pool where it was Lord of the Flies on a boat. Kids without parental supervision having a free for all: the crew too fearful of offending the parents by telling kids to keep out of the Jacuzzi or bomb in the pool.

The other thing I enjoyed on the cruise was the food. We did go to a few speciality restaurants but mostly we went to open dining. Holland America lets you bring on board your own wine. I am not sure if this is still the case. Entertainment was ok and the best I thought was their piano player at one of the bars.

: Leaning tower of Pisa

: Top of the tower glad we booked the tickets two months in advance

: Waiting fo the train at Livorno to Pisa

Shore excursions

I organised all of our shore excursions with the exception of 1 in Tunis, the worst one. My advice to save money and to be independent always organise your own shore excursions. We walked around Monte Carlo, Malaga, visited the top of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, explored Pompeii, took a bus tour of Barcelona and explored by foot Palermo in Sicily. In Tunis, we toured the city, visited the American WWII cemetery and some Roman ruins. I enjoyed the cruise and my introduction to life at sea in luxury.

: Monte Carlo Palace

: Barcelona

: Tunis

: Pompei

My first cruise will definitely not be my last!

How about you? What is your experience of cruising? Do share below:

3f6647661ce082f734cffbf2b95c9dce2fb5ee1f5c6d5a2000

Debbie BridgeNovember 24, 2015October 25, 2023 Cruise, Travel 1 Comment