What was Brighton like in 1984?

[Brighton Breezy]

Saw an article the other week looking at what the UK was like in 1984 - with the year picked because of the Orwell book and the fact it is 30 years ago this year. One of those pieces which looks at predictions against reality type thing.

Got me wondering, what was Brighton like in 1984?

Obviously there was the Brighton Bomb etc. Would be interested to know what it was like at the time and how much it has changed in the 30 years since.

 

[supaseagull]

Saw an article the other week looking at what the UK was like in 1984 - with the year picked because of the Orwell book. One of those pieces which looks at predictions against reality type thing.

Got me wondering, what was Brighton like in 1984?

Obviously there was the Brighton Bomb etc. Would be interested to know what it was like at the time and how much it has changed in the 30 years since.

I loved '84. Decent summer and lots of snow in Coldean.

It was still a time when Brighton was home to Brightonians - before they got pushed out by the student population.

The usual areas were still rough...But I would say that there was ALOT less to do for the teenage population than there is now.

I reckon Hove is probably now more like Brighton in the 80's.

 

[tinycowboy]

Where do we start? I haven't got photos, but it was scruffy, not particularly aspirational, plenty of cafes, but not posh ones. Churchill Square was like the pedestrianised bit of Burgess Hill town centre in terms of attractiveness. Shops were a draw - big chains that weren't so prevalent back then. North Laine was full of second hand shops, great for record buying. North of Trafalgar Street was a wasteland. West Street was often full of casual teens.

 

[glasfryn]

Brighton 1984
Eastbourne 2014

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

We were in the (old) div 2

 

[amexee]

Quite rundown and scruffy. In comparative terms property was dirt cheap.

 

[Bevendean Hillbilly]

I was in Birkenhead in 1984. Last year of school and was really getting into birds and fashion. My family were in Worthing and, honestly, it ain't changed much since then.

Brighton has improved in leaps and bounds. Imagine a whole town that looked like the Brighton centre and thats about right.

 

[Goldstone Rapper]

Churchill Square shopping centre had those slopes to get from one story to another. Made for lovers of concrete. London Road had more life to it.

 

[symyjym]

In the 80's we still had illuminations along the seasfront and two Piers, albeit only one open. Part of the town died when the West Pier was set on fire and then collapsed into the sea but it was a slow death over 30 years. Certainly seems a different place without it nowdays.

The old Peter Pans playground was even a good place to go but with the introduction of the nudist beach that part of Brighton became a best avoided location for families. So with this area abandoned and the collapse of the West Pier the seasfront destination has narrowed.

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

Brighton 1984
Eastbourne 2014

Eastbourne was not and is not now as scruffy as Brighton was.

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

Where do we start? I haven't got photos, but it was scruffy, not particularly aspirational, plenty of cafes, but not posh ones. Churchill Square was like the pedestrianised bit of Burgess Hill town centre in terms of attractiveness. Shops were a draw - big chains that weren't so prevalent back then. North Laine was full of second hand shops, great for record buying. North of Trafalgar Street was a wasteland. West Street was often full of casual teens.

I used to love shopping in North Laine and Trafalgar Street. As you say record shops, bookshops, what's not to like?

 

[The Large One]

Churchill Square was basically deserted.

The land adjacent to the Prince Regent Swimming Pool was a rough car park, and had been since 1970. North Laine was nothing like what it is now; it was mostly former local shop fronts (butcher, baker, ironmonger etc), boarded up, except for Kensington Gardens, Sydney Street (which seemed to be mostly second-hand record shops), Gardner Street and Bond Street.

The area immediately east of the station - former goods yards - were car parks and builders yards.

London Road was more thriving with Sainsbury's, Marks & Spencer, Timothy Whites, Woolworth's Co-Op and Fine Fare all very busy. MacDonalds was a painting & decorating shop (Corbyn's).

Hannington's was the main department store in Brighton, Hill's of Hove its western counterpart.

My memories of Brighton in the 1980s aren't especially positive. It's much better now.

 

[Badger]

The first 9 days were CRAP, then I arrived and everything was AMAZING.

 

[Taybha]

Rory from coasters dyed his dog orange ,or was it pink , and i discovered not all women like being taken to the graveyard on a date

 

[Ernest]

Coasters was the top night out spot in Brighton, it was a lovely hot summer and we got thrashed by the West Indies at cricket. Albion did a pre season tour of Northern Ireland which Ill never forget as well as the financial problems starting to happen

 

[The Large One]

I loved '84. Decent summer and lots of snow in Coldean.

It was still a time when Brighton was home to Brightonians - before they got pushed out by the student population.

The usual areas were still rough...But I would say that there was ALOT less to do for the teenage population than there is now.

I reckon Hove is probably now more like Brighton in the 80's.

Sorry... Brightonians got 'pushed out' by students? 30 years or so after the University opened, the students pushed the natives out?

 

[mlg57]

Crikey yes I remember it well, I moved north in 1985 so remember the summer of 1984 quite fondly. Memories of days spent in the lanes and fun shops off Trafalger street. I can't believe it has been nearly 30 years, I still visit regularly (5 or 6 times a year) and seen it develop into a nice City.

 

[Ernest]

Rory from coasters dyed his dog orange ,or was it pink , and i discovered not all women like being taken to the graveyard on a date

He died his poodle pink

 

[HawkTheSeagull]

Eastbourne was not and is not now as scruffy as Brighton was.

2 major developments on the cards for Eastbourne - it might even start to rival Brighton in a few years time.

Town Centre and Harbour expansions should be starting sometime this year pulling in new stores.

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

2 major developments on the cards for Eastbourne - it might even start to rival Brighton in a few years time.

Town Centre and Harbour expansions should be starting sometime this year pulling in new stores.

About time....

Glasfryn may have been referring to the shopping facilities in Eastbourne, which frankly are in much need of improvement. We'd have had a new town centre were it not for the EU but that's another argument.