Brighton

Brighton is a popular seaside resort which forms part of the Brighton and Hove district along this Sussex coastline. Dating back to the Domesday Book of 1886 when it used to be known as Brighthelmstone, the town has seen rapid expansion in Victorian times and in particular since the arrival of the railways. The population has trebled since the 1960's and Brighton is a popular weekend retreat for Londoners, being just an hour by train from Central London.

Brighton has a magnificent  promenade with a number of impressive buildings along its sea front. Brighton used to have two piers - The Marine Palace Pier or Palace Pier which was opened in 1899 and which still has traditional amusements, restaurants and a variety of entertainment venues has survived. The West Pier which is slightly older, suffered badly from dereliction and a fire which has left it as a rusting wreck with little chance of renovation.

Brighton is a vibrant and busy city with a wealth of entertainment and good quality food and drink establishments. It is also recognised as the ' Gay capital of Britain' and holds a carnival every August which attracts thousands of people. There are many gay pubs and clubs in and around Brighton.

Famous and impressive buildings in the city include the Brighton Clocktower, The Grand Hotel, The Brighton Centre and Pavilion - to name but a few. Currently as of 2012 a new structure dominates the skyline in the form of the Brighton Wheel which is shown here in the photograph in its current location by the Brighton Pier.

Brighton's award winning Blue Flag Beach also features a nudist area which is situated near Kemp Town between the Brighton Marina and the Brighton ( Palace ) Pier. Brighton is a nightmare for parking with hourly parking costs exceeding those in London. It costs £3.50 per hour to park on the seafront and surrounding roads whereas in Hove the cost is just £1 per hour. Visitors looking to book accommodation in Brighton will find a similar scenario. Hove offers much in terms of better value for money.

For photographs of Brighton please click here