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A Brighton Resident


Stenun
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Just thought I'd post a few things from the point of view of someone who has lived in Brighton for 37 years. Feel free to ignore or ask further questions if I can be of help. :-)

 

Firstly, I assume most people will be arriving in Brighton either at Brighton Train Station or the coach park (known as Pool Valley). From both locations you can see the sea; head towards it and when you reach it, turn right.

If coming from the train station, you will be standing at the Odeon cinema, if heading from Pool Valley walk in the direction you are facing until you reach the aforementioned cinema. From there, the Hilton Metropole is but 3 minutes walk. If you're interested in politics, you might recognise it from the current coverage of the Labour Party Conference.

 

If you're staying over night and want something to do, the aforementioned cinema is a good bet but avoid the bars/clubs on the seafront as they are extortionate. There is a Nando's 3 minutes walk North from the cinema and 2 minutes more walking will get you to the a large tower with a clock on it (called, for some reason lost in the mists of time, the Clock Tower) and from there you can spot a major shopping area with McDonald's, Subway, and various cafes and bars that are cheaper than their equivalent on the beach.

 

From the venue you will be able to spot an over-priced pier to the East and, if you are interested, there is an over-priced Sea Life Centre right next to it. Both are within walking distance.

 

To the West there is nothing but hotels and B&Bs, I don't really recommend heading in that direction unless you just fancy a pleasant walk along the promenade.

 

If you have the time, I strongly recommend checking out either the Royal Pavillion or The Lanes/North Laine. The first is a royal palace dating back a few hundred years and the second is the vague equivalent of the idea of an "Old Town" that you get in lots of continental European cities full of independent shops and much more reasonable eateries. However both of these will take time to explore so I won't go in to details as I imagine most people will just be arriving for the Con. If you have the time, though, google them!

 

If you are arriving by car ...

... things get more complicated.

Of major importance to bear in mind is that all parking in the street is restricted within the city limits. If you don't have a residents permit or buy a special day ticket in advance, you will more than likely by fined or even clamped. Because of that, you will need to park in a a pay carpark. There are several near the venue and despite their expense I really do recommend paying the cost rather than risk parking in the street; but of course, it's up to you.

 

I think that's the bare basics. Any questions about the city at all ... ? :-)

Edited by Stenun
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thanks for the info most useful.

 

Have to say when I saw Brighton as a venue I wondered on parking too, I went there last year for a weekend and it was nightmare to park there just isn't any around I think it was £25 a day in the ones I could find which is expensive and you had to book way in advance to get a place. A couple of the hotels had a couple of spaces but then its just the meters along the front I could see, I got a friend to drop us in the end as it was too much trouble but even drop offs restricted, was told one of the worst places in the uk for parking by a resident. This is what is putting me off going. I wanted to pop down for a couple of hours but need to get home by a certain time, we have no train in my village anyway so do you know where the car parks are nearby and what the current costs are as I could only find one way out of the town when I looked? many thanks

Edited by buffy2k
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I'm afraid I can't comment on car parking costs as I only ever use the public transport to get around the city.

However, I can say that next to the Odeon cinema there are two car parks and all the drivers I know tell me that the more southernly of the two is the more expensive; so use the northern one if you can.

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Regarding car parks. Use the Churchill square one (northern most of the two aforementioned) it's much much cheaper than the other,which is easily recognisable because of the NCP sign hanging outside it. Avoid that one :) Brighton is a great city and there is plenty to see and do after the show!

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Churchill Square car park

Up to 2 hours £3.50

2-3 hours £4.50

3-4 hours £6.50

4-6 hours £10.00

6-8 hours £15.00

8-12 hours £20.00

12-24 hours £25.00

 

NCP

1 hour £4.50

1 to 2 hours £9.00

2 to 3 hours £13.50

3 to 4 hours £18.50

4 to 24 hours £26.00

 

If you're gonna stay more than 8hrs, (and don't want to walk far) on street parking on Kings road 5 minutes walk along from hotel is as below.

 

Period Price

1 hour £3.20

2 hours £5.20

4 hours £10.40

11 hours £15.60

(You only pay 9am-8pm, so an 11hr ticket bought at 9am covers you till 9.10am the next day).

 

If you'd be ok with up to a 20 minute walk, you can get on street parking of 11hrs for £5.20

Edited by Murph
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Also to clear up a point by the OP, it's illegal for anyone but the DVLA to clamp your car (and they will only do it if your tax has expired by at least 2 months).

 

On street parking is perfectly fine and MUCH cheaper. You just need a little local knowledge of all the best places to park.

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As has been stated, the cheaper car park is the northern one of the two next to the cinema.

 

As for clamping in the street; didn't know that! I honestly thought you'd be clamped and/or towed if parked in the street without a permit - but as I say, I only ever use public transport. What is certain, however, is that you will be ticketed if you don't have a parking permit. As for the cost of the fine:

https://www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/content/parking-and-travel/parking/how-much-a-penalty-charge-notice

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  • 3 weeks later...

Other places of interest for tourists/those wanting interesting shops are:

 

Choccywoccydoodah (as seen on television) is in the lanes. One can also be found in London, but Brighton is their flagship store. If the Halloween display is still in the window then it's always worth a look. This store is generally busy on weekends so please don't be disappointed if you can't get into the cafe. The shop has nice things, anyway.

 

Pom Poko is a Japanese restaurant. It's opposite the corn exchange. Find the main shopping street (North Street) with a lot of bus stops on it, banks, a Tiger store, etc. Walk past or through the Pavilion gardens (there's a grey paved street you can go straight through past small theatres and restaurants), and you'll come to a one way road. You should see a pub on a corner and a small, unassuming restaurant beside it. This is Pom Poko. Again, it gets very busy. Don't expect sushi here. You're looking at takoyaki, gyoza dumplings, ebi fried, katsu curry, and nan ban don to name a few. They have a website. They only take CASH.

 

More into noodles? There's a noodle bar on West Street. Find the odeon (as stated above) and walk up the street as if you're heading for the clock tower. On your left (right beside a cross walk) there's a noodle bar. As with Pom Poko, they only take cash.

 

Sushi more your thing? Itsu is on the corner beside the clock tower, opposite the large boots store. You can't miss it.

 

Like fancy French cakes? See that cross walk I mentioned for the noodle restaurant? Cross the street and you'll find yourself facing down a wide side street between two banks. A few shops down this street on the left is Julien Plumart. Best. Cakes. Ever. They do take cards. You're looking around £3.50 per single portion of cake. They also sell macarons in a variety of flavours.

 

On the right side of this street just a little further is a Bagelman store. Yummy bagels with your choice of ingredients, toasted or not. They sell drinks and such as well. They do accept cards.

 

Or there's a Nandos opposite Bagelman.

 

If you fancy a nice pub lunch, then a little further down this same street from Bagel man is a pub on the corner with green tiles on the outside. It's called 'The Victory Inn'. They do a lovely burger with hand cut chips and home made coleslaw. My boyfriend hates coleslaw but he loved it from here. They take cards. They also serve their food on chopping boards so if you don't hold with all that hipster nonsense it might not be the place for you.

 

Along this street you'll also find a Montezuma's chocolate store.

 

If you've headed over to Pom Poko (honestly it's my fave I can't recommend it enough and you'll get a side, a drink, and a main for about £10) then you're also in the lanes. You're just one road down, in fact. Head up to the crossing you can see just up the street and you're between two of the lane streets. Now, if you're looking UP the road, then to your left you'll find a Shakeaway branch for milkshakes. There's also an Irregular Choice shoe shop (take many monies), and a store called 'This is not a butcher's' that sells quirky, geeky gifts.

 

If you're looking UP the road and decide to go to the RIGHT instead, then you will see there's an amazing Gelato store on the corner (long lines for this one sometimes), a bubble tea store called Pearls (peach bubble tea is to die for), and a little further down this street is a CyberCandy where you can indulge in imported, international candy. There's also a Gourmet Burger Kitchen. Owned by the Nando's chain but producing burgers, expect to shell out a little more for this. On the upside, free peanuts with your order (not sure why but there you are) and the oreo milkshake is a dream.

 

While you're on this street, look for the Bluebird Tea Co. store. This is beside a piercing shop and is open fronted, but surprisingly easy to miss. It's on the same side of the street as gourmet burger kitchen. Bluebird Tea Co. sells loose leaf and bagged tea, but it's not your usual fare. My favourite is Strawberry Lemonade. It has real dried strawberry pieces inside the bag and is utterly divine. They have more flavours for the loose tea. Definitely worth a visit. They also have a website.

 

If you've carried on through these lanes, past the amazing tea and all the candies, then you will find yet ANOTHER crossing into a very narrow and often crowded street. It is here that you will find Snooper's Paradise. Be aware that there are some smaller stores operating in the space so if you're not sure where you have to pay for an item you can ask a member of staff. Most of these smaller stores are by the door, either outside or just inside and on the right. They have clothes, antiques, old star wars toys, and even retro games consoles.

 

In this street you'll also find a store that has wall to wall pic'n'mix sweets you can choose from. They do take cards but only over a certain spend. Trust me, you will reach that spend limit in this store.

 

HOPE THIS HELPS!

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Oh and I should add while we're on the subject of geekery and amazing things:

 

If you have ventured as far as Snooper's Paradise (the last location above) and go to the end of the street, you'll find yet ANOTHER street carrying on which is to your right. You could turn left at this point. There's a little known but very nice small Mexican restaurant with tables outside to your left, and also a sausage shop. Yep. Lovely freshly made sossijis and cheeses. Very yummers. Or you can just go for the Mexican food.

 

If you go down and turn right as if doubling back on yourself but down the next street, you'll see some amazing examples of street art. You'll also be walking towards a Starbucks and a Wagamamas. But who wants to go here? For reals.

 

However, I highly recommend you do indeed go to the right and down this extra lane. All the interesting things are on the right side of the lane. This includes TWO Dave's comics stores. Dave's comics sells comics (duh) but the person serving you may or may not be called Dave. The reason there are two is because one is more the standard comic release and the other is more merchandise and books, etc. They carry Manga and that kind of thing as well.

 

There's also a really lovely stationary and writing shop here. On my first visit to Brighton this is where I found a beautiful quill (yep), wax seal (yep yep) and ink (I know right?). They have leather bound journals, pretty cards, and hand made natural paper. It's just a really gorgeous shop to find yourself in.

 

BUT!

 

There's also Yum Yum's Oriental Market (insert fan fare here).

 

There's an entire aisle pretty much dedicated to instant ramen noodles. The good kind actually from Asia and not made in America with a stupid stereotypical name on it. You can get big bowls of instant noodles as seen in your favourite anime shows, at the back there are some frozen foods, and you can get some nice chilled Asian drinks from the chiller cabinet beside the tills. They usually carry a few Japanese snacks but you won't find scores of them here. This is usually where I go to get the packet mix to make steamed buns. That's at the back of the far aisle in a box on a wire stack of shelves. Not that I do this often, you understand. *cough*.

 

Upstairs there's another Japanese restaurant. TAKE CASH! The store and the restaurant are NOT equipped for cards.

 

Here's a street view of that particular lane - https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Yum+Yum+Oriental+Market/@50.8279099,-0.1376062,3a,75y,241.34h,72.8t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1srBAjcsTjgxjAwshanWBtQg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0xdcf81f9e4da2e53c!6m1!1e1

 

Okay, now the next part is for those of you who have stuck with me on this adventure and are truly, truly into your Japanese and Korean foods. Still with me? Here we go. And clutch those credit/debit cards tight because where we're going we can use them.

 

Bypass Yum Yum's (cry a little inside if you must) and carry on to the end of the lane. Stop (hammer time). Turn to your left. You will see a junction beside a yellow fronted store called 'Hen'. Go to that junction. You are now looking down a street with a car park on the right and a large tower block on your left. Cross over to the side with the car park and keep walking down this street, right past a Halfords autocentre, and to a cross walk. Cross the street to continue in this direction.

 

Stop crying, I'm not getting you lost. Trust me.

 

You are in a residential area (ish) with towering apartment blocks called New England Street. Walk down this street in the same direction you were on. You will come to a small courtyard area with a Subway, a Sainsburys, and a few cafes. You will see a shop beside Subway that looks like this - https://www.google.co.uk/maps/uv?hl=en&pb=!1s0x48758576060a03b5:0xbc9e85127f46f8f!2m5!2m2!1i80!2i80!3m1!2i100!3m1!7e1!4shttps://picasaweb.google.com/lh/sredir?uname%3D105248608057994070194%26id%3D6113417747530079490%26target%3DPHOTO!5se-kagen+shop+-+Google+Search&sa=X&ved=0CHEQoiowCmoVChMI9qKHiZfMyAIVRVsaCh17MQrN

 

This shop used to be called E-Kagen but I think they recently changed the signage. The content is the same. At the back of the store in the chiller cabinets there's a plethora of wonderful things like takoyaki, gyozas, ebi fried, and full meals. You can actually make a meal deal out of this. The only reason I don't go on my lunch break is I can't get there and back in 30 minutes from the office. They can heat these things for you at the counter. They'll ask if you'd like it microwaved or not.

 

You can also get real rice balls (or triangles) in different flavours, dorayaki (google it and your life will be forever changed), I've found curry bread in here before but you have to get there early, mochi (get the chocolate moons out of the freezer if you want to know what heaven tastes like), Japanese beer, sake, ramune soda, cold green tea, kimchi, and all kinds of snacks.

 

I guarantee you'll spend more money than you'd like in here, but it's so worth it.

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Still on the summer tariff on Mad drive. So unless you go down the Concorde 2 end, you'll pay £15.60 for the day. If you're gonna pay that, you might as well park right by the Hilton.

It changes to winter tariff after 31st Oct

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If you're coming in by motorbike there are a few spaces up by the old ice rink. It's where all the taxi cabs are in Queen Square. I think there's space for about five bikes there and it fills up pretty quickly. It's usually used for the office staff in Queen Square House but on the weekend they have minimal staff on duty so there's usually a spot or two.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I found the specialist shop around the corner (Daydream Nation) Jodi was / is a life saver and she runs a good game still.

 

Here, here!

Jodi is AMAZING! Love her to bits! You can tell her The Man In The Hat says so! :-D

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