What has happened to Brighton?

[Cheeky Monkey]

I assume you've got kids so the proximity of bowling and food is useful so I'm not specifically picking on you here.

But I find The Marina an interesting watertest of people. If they really like the combination of uninspiring, identikit, entertainment and dime a dozen national chain restaurants I suspect they could live far cheaper and happier lives elsewhere. The Marina is the anti-Brighton.

(Though the Weatherspoons is alright.)

A friend was saying the other day that if they'd got a Waitrose down there rather than an Asda the whole vibe might have been different, as it is you've got these 'paint by numbers' chain restaurants Zizzis, Cafe Rouge etc. which strangle everything like culinary bindweed, or as the Simpsons put it:

 

[spring hall convert]

A friend was saying the other day that if they'd got a Waitrose down there rather than an Asda the whole vibe might have been different, as it is you've got these 'paint by numbers' chain restaurants Zizzis, Cafe Rouge etc. which strangle everything like culinary bindweed, or as the Simpsons put it:

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It's fine if you've got completely vanilla tastes but I then question why you would pay a premium to live in a city with a thriving contemporary arts scene to ignore it and regularly experience something you could in any mid sized town in the country?

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

It's fine if you've got completely vanilla tastes but I then question why you would pay a premium to live in a city with a thriving contemporary arts scene to experience something you could experience in any mid sized town in the country?

You're on the money saying the Marina is anti-Brighton, but, playing devils advocate, Brighton is made up of much more than precious North Laine hipster sensibilities, and the Marina is on Whitehawk's doorstep after all.

 

[spring hall convert]

You're on the money saying the Marina is anti-Brighton, but, playing devils advocate, Brighton is made up of much more than precious North Laine hipster sensibilities, and the Marina is on Whitehawk's doorstep after all.

It's only a 15/20 minute bus ride into town from Whitehawk or a half hour walk.

I live in Newhaven now so it's not as if I don't go past the ****ing thing every time I come into Brighton (which is still a lot.) Unless you've got a young family I just don't understand why you'd (as some people I speak to do) view it as some beacon of high entertainment.

And more importantly, if that is your bag, why not live somewhere a bit cheaper? I mean this is where I have some sympathy with [MENTION=5729]sir albion[/MENTION] on this thread. He doesn't want anything particularly interesting, challenging or out of the ordinary where he lives so why not save yourself a few quid rather than hang on somewhere you're clearly not equipped to get the most out of.

 

[Chicken Run]

I'll give you some of that, but the i360! Come on. The poky New England area flats are already looking weathered and tawdry, lots of daylight yobbery as a result of the nearby substance abuse drop in centres. New Road is full of street drinkers and there's usually a police van parked up, and as officially the only member of NSC who still uses local lending libraries I'd say the Jubilee falls way short of what it could have been, very bad use of space and a surprisingly small book selection for what is arguably Sussex's flagship library.

I confidently predict that the “New England Quarter” will be downtrodden and rancid in 25 years from now!

 

[marcos3263]

I assume you've got kids so the proximity of bowling and food is useful so I'm not specifically picking on you here.

But I find The Marina an interesting watertest of people. If they really like the combination of uninspiring, identikit, entertainment and dime a dozen national chain restaurants I suspect they could live far cheaper and happier lives elsewhere. The Marina is the anti-Brighton.

(Though the Weatherspoons is alright.)

I genuinely hate the Marina with a passion, ugly approach, a miss match of developments as later additions haven't gelled. The old dead village, the chain restaurants.

The impending tower blocks will be hideous especially the massive tower that you will be able to see for miles and all this with crap transportation.

However I do have a 4 year old who likes Bella Italia and the wife likes bowling and I like free parking so we go twice a year.

I dont like Portsmouth but their Marina smashes ours

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

I confidently predict that the “New England Quarter” will be downtrodden and rancid in 25 years from now!

Try 25 minutes from now, you've got that compact row of relatively new social housing opposite with white goods and all sorts of crap dumped in the front gardens, if you can call them gardens, the flats themselves are cheap builds, the wooden detailing on the fronts already sun bleached and weathered. Say what you like about the Victorians, but they knew about construction and longevity.

 

[Guinness Boy]

I genuinely hate the Marina with a passion, ugly approach, a miss match of developments as later additions haven't gelled. The old dead village, the chain restaurants.

The impending tower blocks will be hideous especially the massive tower that you will be able to see for miles and all this with crap transportation.

However I do have a 4 year old who likes Bella Italia and the wife likes bowling and I like free parking so we go twice a year.

I dont like Portsmouth but their Marina smashes ours

A few years ago we were up at my sister in law's house, staying over for the weekend to meet her new other half. At the time she lived in a little village just outside Towcester in Northamptonshire.

On the Saturday we did two things. We did a quick bit of shopping in Milton Keynes in the day. I remember walking in to the shopping centre and thinking "wow, this is just like Churchill Square". Then, that night we went out in Northampton, where my sister in law's new beau took us to Frankie and Bennys at Sixfields. I remember thinking "wow, this is just like the Marina, only with a football ground at the end instead of the sea".

I happen to like Brighton despite the Marina and Churchill Square and visit either only when absolutely necessary, normally due to a demand to shop in a shit high street store from my wife or play tenpin bowling from one of my kids. I suspect [MENTION=5729]sir albion[/MENTION] and [MENTION=2393]Uncle C[/MENTION] would take the Marina and Churchill Square and dump ever more shit pastiches of them on top of any area that looked like it might contain Green voters or a few too many bicycles. If I had my way I'd knock down both and replace them with cycle hubs, homeless centres and arts studios just to f*** off the sort of people who like the Marina.

 

[The Clamp]

A few years ago we were up at my sister in law's house, staying over for the weekend to meet her new other half. At the time she lived in a little village just outside Towcester in Northamptonshire.

On the Saturday we did two things. We did a quick bit of shopping in Milton Keynes in the day. I remember walking in to the shopping centre and thinking "wow, this is just like Churchill Square". Then, that night we went out in Northampton, where my sister in law's new beau took us to Frankie and Bennys at Sixfields. I remember thinking "wow, this is just like the Marina, only with a football ground at the end instead of the sea".

I happen to like Brighton despite the Marina and Churchill Square and visit either only when absolutely necessary, normally due to a demand to shop in a shit high street store from my wife or play tenpin bowling from one of my kids. I suspect [MENTION=5729]sir albion[/MENTION] and [MENTION=2393]Uncle C[/MENTION] would take the Marina and Churchill Square and dump ever more shit pastiches of them on top of any area that looked like it might contain Green voters or a few too many bicycles. If I had my way I'd knock down both and replace them with cycle hubs, homeless centres and arts studios just to f*** off the sort of people who like the Marina.

When I lived in Kemptown we used to like going to the Marina cinema on afternoons off. The only people that use that cinema are parents and kids and teenagers. Meaning the decent films were always quiet. I agree though, it's a dive but a ten min stroll and I could be watching a film in peace anytime I liked.

 

[pearl]

I confidently predict that the “New England Quarter” will be downtrodden and rancid in 25 years from now!

there's something seriously amiss with the paving there, like there's been a mini quake or something

 

[pearl]

Try 25 minutes from now, you've got that compact row of relatively new social housing opposite with white goods and all sorts of crap dumped in the front gardens, if you can call them gardens, the flats themselves are cheap builds, the wooden detailing on the fronts already sun bleached and weathered. Say what you like about the Victorians, but they knew about construction and longevity.

sounds a bit like my flat, grand Victorian front and shite 70s cowboy built extension at the rear

 

[LlcoolJ]

People moaning about Brighton need to give their head a wobble. That and/or visit all the other identikit town centres round the country where that's all they have.

One of the reasons I love Sheffield is that near where I live there are lots of independent shops, bars, pubs and restaurants rather than just the standard shite. That's available obviously but there are other options too. Like Brighton.

If you want standardised, clean, shiny and soulless then move to Milton Keynes. I enjoyed visiting for our last match there but **** me it's a weird place. The nearest thing to a local boozer we found was the spoons (and that was shit).

Oh and it also had plenty of homeless people too. That's called Tory government and it affects all major towns and cities. Not just Brighton.

I liked the comment about Glasgow being nicer than Brighton too. Needed a bit of a core workout.

 

[Dirk Lehmann's Python]

There are a lot of shit things in Brighton but none so more about the prescious snobby ***** who look down their noses at chain restaurants like they are going to kill you. Some of the above posts are embarrassing.

Funnily enough guys some people like a Harvester or a Zizzi. Not the most amazing food but you can print off a voucher and a family of 4 can do 3 courses for 40 quid. It's a no brainer. Yet some people make out that these chains are vermin.

The same twats who sneer at Donatello or Pinocchio because they'd rather let everyone know they went to the vegan gluten free shoe-friendly independant italian where they can enjoy a cuorn and avocado pizza for 23.95. Utter bellends.

No wonder nobody normal can afford to live there anymore. There is room for nice independant places, Michelin stars and chain restaurants for God sake.

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[spring hall convert]

There are a lot of shit things in Brighton but none so more about the prescious snobby ***** who look down their noses at chain restaurants like they are going to kill you. Some of the above posts are embarrassing.

Funnily enough guys some people like a Harvester or a Zizzi. Not the most amazing food but you can print off a voucher and a family of 4 can do 3 courses for 40 quid. It's a no brainer. Yet some people make out that these chains are vermin.

The same twats who sneer at Donatello or Pinocchio because they'd rather let everyone know they went to the vegan gluten free shoe-friendly independant italian where they can enjoy a cuorn and avocado pizza for 23.95. Utter bellends.

No wonder nobody normal can afford to live there anymore. There is room for nice independant places, Michelin stars and chain restaurants for God sake.

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This insinuation that independent means expensive is complete horseshit. I don't doubt you may be able to get some good deals if you scout around but a high number of the places in the Marina don't even represent good value.

I don't think anyone is saying chains are vermin and I'd imagine most people on this thread eat at a chain of some description on a fairly frequent basis. I'm just trying to say that if you aren't interested in testing your boundaries at all then it doesn't surprise me that many people such as the OP move away from Brighton and find something more to their taste and cheaper. It doesn't make them wrong for doing so or Brighton a bad place to live.

I also think many people without realising, blame their surroundings for changing when it's actually them and/or their priorities that have changed. I lived in Brighton for 35 years and it has been by and large the same sort of place for that length of time. Some people in life need to create a narrative that big life decisions they have made are absolutely right when all they really need is for the change to be right for them.

 

[CheeseRolls]

There are a lot of shit things in Brighton but none so more about the prescious snobby ***** who look down their noses at chain restaurants like they are going to kill you. Some of the above posts are embarrassing.

Funnily enough guys some people like a Harvester or a Zizzi. Not the most amazing food but you can print off a voucher and a family of 4 can do 3 courses for 40 quid. It's a no brainer. Yet some people make out that these chains are vermin.

The same twats who sneer at Donatello or Pinocchio because they'd rather let everyone know they went to the vegan gluten free shoe-friendly independant italian where they can enjoy a cuorn and avocado pizza for 23.95. Utter bellends.

No wonder nobody normal can afford to live there anymore. There is room for nice independant places, Michelin stars and chain restaurants for God sake.

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Value though is personal. Where I live there are no chain restaurants within a short walking distance. I therefore have to make a conscious effort to visit one. I am also a competent cook and enjoy putting a meal together. I can do this easily for half the price of your voucher offer even with a bottle of decent wine thrown in and often I think I can do it better.

If I eat out in Brighton it will be cheap indie street food ( I am out anyway and just want to grab something to eat), some exotic treat, which I can't simply cook at home or a chain restaurant, because I am socialising and it is someone else's choice and the company trumps the food choice. Brighton isn't the only place that has this attitude, Norwich and Bristol are other examples. Guildford is a perfectly nice town, relatively clean and prosperous, nice surroundings, but not particularly inspiring place to eat and drink. There are cheaper places to live than all of those I have mentioned.

 

[Dirk Lehmann's Python]

Value though is personal. Where I live there are no chain restaurants within a short walking distance. I therefore have to make a conscious effort to visit one. I am also a competent cook and enjoy putting a meal together. I can do this easily for half the price of your voucher offer even with a bottle of decent wine thrown in and often I think I can do it better.

If I eat out in Brighton it will be cheap indie street food ( I am out anyway and just want to grab something to eat), some exotic treat, which I can't simply cook at home or a chain restaurant, because I am socialising and it is someone else's choice and the company trumps the food choice. Brighton isn't the only place that has this attitude, Norwich and Bristol are other examples. Guildford is a perfectly nice town, relatively clean and prosperous, nice surroundings, but not particularly inspiring place to eat and drink. There are cheaper places to live than all of those I have mentioned.

To be honest i think Brighton is great for food and drink, the range is just obscene from cheap and cheerful to premium meals. There is literally something for everyone. I just don't like the snobbish attitude many have towards the chains. They have as much of a place as your Salt Rooms and Coal Sheds (who by the way, have just opened at London Bridge - are they now an identikit chain to be looked down on? See Bills)

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[WATFORD zero]

To be honest i think Brighton is great for food and drink, the range is just obscene from cheap and cheerful to premium meals. There is literally something for everyone. I just don't like the snobbish attitude many have towards the chains. They have as much of a place as your Salt Rooms and Coal Sheds (who by the way, have just opened at London Bridge - are they now an identikit chain to be looked down on? See Bills)

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But don't you understand, if I admitted to taking advantage of everything Brighton had to offer from the chains to the independents, then you wouldn't realise how eclectic my tastes are

 

[oneillco]

People moaning about Brighton need to give their head a wobble. That and/or visit all the other identikit town centres round the country where that's all they have.

One of the reasons I love Sheffield is that near where I live there are lots of independent shops, bars, pubs and restaurants rather than just the standard shite. That's available obviously but there are other options too. Like Brighton.

If you want standardised, clean, shiny and soulless then move to Milton Keynes. I enjoyed visiting for our last match there but **** me it's a weird place. The nearest thing to a local boozer we found was the spoons (and that was shit).

Oh and it also had plenty of homeless people too. That's called Tory government and it affects all major towns and cities. Not just Brighton.

I liked the comment about Glasgow being nicer than Brighton too. Needed a bit of a core workout.

Hear hear, well said. Britain, not just Brighton is having a tough period of local government spending cuts, and homelessness is a nationwide disease. I don't pretend Brighton hasn't got issues and multi-millions of £s are needed to renovate the sea-front. But I travel round the UK a lot and only small affluent towns seem able to keep-up appearances. That being said, there are so many great things going on in Brighton to compensate for some scruffiness, and this is what makes it a great place to live.

 

[Guinness Boy]

There are a lot of shit things in Brighton but none so more about the prescious snobby ***** who look down their noses at chain restaurants like they are going to kill you. Some of the above posts are embarrassing.

Funnily enough guys some people like a Harvester or a Zizzi. Not the most amazing food but you can print off a voucher and a family of 4 can do 3 courses for 40 quid. It's a no brainer. Yet some people make out that these chains are vermin.

The same twats who sneer at Donatello or Pinocchio because they'd rather let everyone know they went to the vegan gluten free shoe-friendly independant italian where they can enjoy a cuorn and avocado pizza for 23.95. Utter bellends.

No wonder nobody normal can afford to live there anymore. There is room for nice independant places, Michelin stars and chain restaurants for God sake.

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The point I was making was that Brighton has a fairly unique vibe about it apart from the Marina and Churchill Square. Part of that vibe is the eclectic mix of independents and high street brands co-existing. This happens pretty much everywhere (even new areas like Jubilee St are like this) but the Marina and Churchill are JUST the same groupings of everyday high street franchises without any thought or creativity having gone in to them. My kids like Wahaca, La Iguanas and Waggamummas for example but all three exists in the bit of town centre space that has more exciting things going on as well. More than happy to go there with them, with or without GroupOn vouchers. Would I go to them for a meal with the Mrs or a group of clients? Not a chance. It's nice to have the option. If you live in Milton Keynes you don't, trust me.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Maybe it's just a case of familiarity breeds contempt? Have lost count of the number of times, three at least this year alone, where you're chatting to someone on a plane or booking into holiday accommodation, and the person you're chatting to's eyes light up when you say you're from Brighton and you find out they've been here to study or to do a language course or to just have a fun time. Have never met anyone from other than here with a bad word to say about the place.