Lets get a proper Pride indication ........

[Tom Bombadil]

sounds like a closet mincer to me

You need to be careful with accusations like that around British Bulldog, what with his barely repressed homosexual tendencies. He's nearly out of the closet and doesn't need your sort of offensive homophobic language.

 

[Cian]

Brighton was a successful place long before pride and it will still be a successful place long after pride is finished.

Not denying that. But the first year that Pride doesn't happen, there'll be a few million quid missing.

If you're willing to damage the local economy just to further your personal opinion, so be it. Just as well you're not an elected representative.

 

[El Presidente]

for fucks sake its only on for one day...................... sigh of relief

The UEFA cup final was only on for one day in Manchester this year, but it did make a difference!

 

[algie]

No, the sun does that, and if case you haven't noticed, it was noticeably absent yesterday!

Key word you obviously missed was "SUMMER"

 

[El Presidente]

Key word you obviously missed was "SUMMER"

Really, all the time I lived in Brighton I never saw people flocking to the beach when it was pissing down.

 

[British Bulldog]

You need to be careful with accusations like that around British Bulldog, what with his barely repressed homosexual tendencies. He's nearly out of the closet and doesn't need your sort of offensive homophobic language.

Have you ever thought about getting some help?

 

[fosters headband]

In this context, name a group that ISN'T a minority.

I assume you feel you are talking on behalf of the 'majority' in saying that this carnival has no place in Brighton any more? Or are you suggesting that a vote needs to be taken across the city to see if the same carnival should be held each year?

Alan I am giving my own opinion and talking for no one else, but I understood the meaning of Pride was to make the majority of the population aware of the discrimination that they receive. I think in Brighton, in the main, the gay community has been accepted and live their lives quite freely. The point I am trying to make is that it appears to me they need to widen their protests to a far greater area of the population. This event should perhaps be taken to other cities where perhaps the gay community is not accepted as well as it is in Brighton. Why keep preaching to the converted so to speak? A new city each year for this event would make far greater sense to me.

 

[British Bulldog]

Not denying that. But the first year that Pride doesn't happen, there'll be a few million quid missing.

If you're willing to damage the local economy just to further your personal opinion, so be it. Just as well you're not an elected representative.

So what your saying is that pride is'nt actually about gays at all it's just about getting money in to the local coffers and everybody just having an excuse to get pissed?

 

[fosters headband]

Not denying that. But the first year that Pride doesn't happen, there'll be a few million quid missing.

If you're willing to damage the local economy just to further your personal opinion, so be it. Just as well you're not an elected representative.

Just how much does this reduce my rates each year is a question I keep asking. I realise hotels etc make a killing but how much of this is passed on to the residents of the city?

 

[HampshireSeagulls]

Perhaps.

Brighton has a long history of louche beahviour - the original 'dirty weekend' destination, the 'theatrical population' etc, - and Pride is merely an extension of that tradition. However, without these people ('outsiders' as they're dismissively termed), Brighton would be another reactionary, small-town attitude place like many others - 'this is MY facking town' etc - and a damned sight more unpleasant place to live in.

When Pride started up, Brighton appeared a logical place to hold the protest, and there was a social political message to convey. It was a march, rather than a parade which served a purpose. I think that that argument, on the whole, has been won. However, these days, it's a carnival/party which, having read some on this thread, still needs to serve the same purpose.

But Brighton does need a party now and then. And Brighton as a whole does benefit.

Agree. I'm just back in from the Stokes Bay Festival in Gosport, and that was a battle against the NIMBY's who treat Stokes Bay like their own personal beach. They raised objections against every aspect of the Festival, but lost in the end. If you don't push the small minded idiots out of the way, you end up with a town/city with no personality, run by the few, for the few.

Some good lineups over the weekend as well:

Thursday 31 July

Gates open 5pm
The Blues Band
Glenn Tilbrook & The Fluffers
Kent Duchaine
Rory Ellis
Friday 1 August

Gates open 12 Noon
The Saw Doctors
Dick Gaughan
Chumbawamba (acoustic)
Roy Bailey & Tony Benn
The David Munnelly Band
Gretchen Peters
Devon Sproule
Karen Tweed’s Circa Compania
The Chair
Huun Huur-Tu (Tuva)
Saturday 2 August

Gates open 12 Noon
Capercaillie
Show of Hands
Martyn Joseph
The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain
Huun Huur-Tu (Tuva)
Martin Hayes & Dennis Cahill
The Shee
Big Noise Samba
The Fabulous Fezheads
Sunday 3 August

Gates open 12 Noon
The Levellers
Alabama 3
Phill Jupitus & The Blockheads
Bellowhead
Michael McGoldrick & Friends
3 Daft Monkeys
The New Rope String Band
Lauren MacColl, Rachel Hair & Maeve Mackinnon

 

[Soul Finger]

Alan I am giving my own opinion and talking for no one else, but I understood the meaning of Pride was to make the majority of the population aware of the discrimination that they receive. I think in Brighton, in the main, the gay community has been accepted and live their lives quite freely. The point I am trying to make is that it appears to me they need to widen their protests to a far greater area of the population. This event should perhaps be taken to other cities where perhaps the gay community is not accepted as well as it is in Brighton. Why keep preaching to the converted so to speak? A new city each year for this event would make far greater sense to me.

Exactly. Good point, well made.

 

[El Presidente]

So what your saying is that pride is'nt actually about gays at all it's just about getting money in to the local coffers and everybody just having an excuse to get pissed?

Bit like New Years Eve then

 

[HampshireSeagulls]

Just how much does this reduce my rates each year is a question I keep asking. I realise hotels etc make a killing but how much of this is passed on to the residents of the city?

Why should it reduce your poll tax? Do the residents around Withdean get a reassessment when we play at home and put some extra cash in the local coffers? The money gets pumped into the local economy, which in turns sustains the quality of life you recieve, not the quality of local services. If you want it all to come back in the form of poll tax reductions, then once it's spread over all the residents, you would get about 80p back!

 

[fosters headband]

Why should it reduce your poll tax? Do the residents around Withdean get a reassessment when we play at home and put some extra cash in the local coffers? The money gets pumped into the local economy, which in turns sustains the quality of life you recieve, not the quality of local services. If you want it all to come back in the form of poll tax reductions, then once it's spread over all the residents, you would get about 80p back!

I ask this because several posters claim that the resident’s benefit financially from this event as an argument put forward to the importance to the people of Brighton. If you say I receive 80p and you can substantiate that claim then I for one would rather pay another 80p next year.

 

[Buzzer]

I ask this because several posters claim that the resident’s benefit financially from this event as an argument put forward to the importance to the people of Brighton. If you say I receive 80p and you can substantiate that claim then I for one would rather pay another 80p next year.

They do if they work here. All B&Bs and hotels and guest houses were full. ALL of them throughout Brighton and Hove. I know this for a fact as my brother had quite a busy evening taxi-ing partygoers to and from Worthing B&B's. Pubs, restaurants, cafes, supermarkets, off licences, newsagents, clubs, people who let out their place as a holiday let, taxi firms, coach hire companies, fancy dress shops, fashion shops all benefitted.

What with the credit crunch a lot of the leisure industry and those that rely on disposable income have been taking a big hit lately. This is a massive boost for the town's economy. And if local business thrives then so do we as residents.

 

[HampshireSeagulls]

I ask this because several posters claim that the resident’s benefit financially from this event as an argument put forward to the importance to the people of Brighton. If you say I receive 80p and you can substantiate that claim then I for one would rather pay another 80p next year.

I didn't say you DO receive 80p, I said you WOULD receive around 80p. Considering that it has been claimed that Pride is good for around £1M to the local economy, then if you took all that back away from the local business and made them donate it to the council, once they had divvied it up amongst the tax-paying people of Brighton and surrounding areas that have any impact on the Pridce festival, plus they took the required admin charges out of it, then you would end up with around 80p.

The residents benefit indirectly from Pride. It brings in money over one weekend which enables locals business to improve, employ people and generally make changes/improvements/enhancements to their business that lasts longer than just the weekend. How many additioanl bar staff were paid this weekend? How many extra people were employed in hotels? How many extra in businesses that extended opening hours?

You need to think on a wider scale than just your theoretical 80p, which lets face it would't buy the biscuits for a meeting to discuss Pride at the council.

 

[Gully]

...they don't need biscuits, most of them are already crackers!!!

 

[Lord Bracknell]

hope some one on the council will see sense and ban this charade ................fingers crossed

Don't worry ... the council were there, taking part in the event, as it happens.

Councillors Carol Theobald, Geoffrey Theobald and Garry Peltzer Dunn, the Mayor of Brighton & Hove, up front. All Conservatives.

 

[British Bulldog]

Don't worry ... the council were there, taking part in the event, as it happens.

And no doubt claiming on expenses for the privilage of it as well.

 

[Brighton Breezy]

Live outside Brighton so not overly bothered to be honest.

BUT

It does generate a lot of money for the local economy and promote the city as a tolerant and liberal place which cannot be a bad thing.

Surely if you don't like it, don't go out that weekend. Simple enough.