🐦 A £3.6m Train Scrub, Free Sustainable Whiskies & Rizzle Kicks Chats

Hello, Brighton & Hove!

The city is absolutely baking, and we have officially reached the stage of the British summer where everyone collectively forgets how to function in 25-degree heat. If you can survive the sticky night, England takes on Ghana tonight, giving us all the perfect excuse to crowd around a pub screen with a freezing pint.

Cultural duties are calling loudly this week. We’ve got a massive £3.6m commuter train deep-clean underway, a sustainable distillery handing out free single malts, and Rizzle Kicks star Jordan Stephens hosting a vital chat about modern masculinity at The Old Market. Whether you are sweating it out on the sun-baked outdoor decks at Babble or molding a clay masterpiece of your kitty, stick the kettle on and let's dive straight in.

Here is what’s squawking this week:

🚊 A massive £3.6m deep-clean project scrubs 115 regional commuter trains.
🏆 Brighton is officially crowned Britain’s number one seaside nightlife destination.
🥃 A sustainable Yorkshire distillery hands out free single malts this Friday.
🗣️ Rizzle Kicks star Jordan Stephens tackles modern masculinity at The Old Market.
🚋 A new £750k appeal aims to bring back 1930s electric trams to Stanmer.

🚊 Rail operator launches £3.6m train refresh project

Great Thameslink Railway has begun a major cleaning and maintenance program across 115 of its regional trains. The deep-clean initiative includes scrubbing train exteriors, repainting onboard toilets, and applying anti-graffiti wall vinyls to improve passenger comfort before Great British Railways takes over.
→ read more on BBC News

🏠 Derelict seafront hostel set for 27-person HMO conversion

A crumbling former backpacker hostel on Kings Road, next to Burger King, could be transformed into a large house in multiple occupation. Developer Zaid WR Ltd has submitted plans to add two extra floors to the property, creating a six-storey block with 17 en-suite bedrooms, five shared kitchens, and six communal living rooms.
→ read more on Brighton and Hove News

📋 Surge in conduct complaints against city councillors

Eighteen formal complaints have already been logged against Brighton and Hove city councillors this year, with 11 cases still under active investigation. The council's latest standards report shows a backlog of unresolved disputes, including allegations of inappropriate behaviour, the spreading of misinformation in newsletters, and the ignoring of constituent parking queries.
→ read more on Brighton and Hove News

🗳️ Teenager stands for Conservatives in Goldsmid by-election

Eighteen-year-old student Louis Bird is contesting the upcoming Brighton and Hove City Council by-election on June 25 following the resignation of Jackie O'Quinn. The young candidate has pledged to focus on grassroots issues such as street litter, broken pavements, stuck parking permits, and crumbling park infrastructure.
→ read more on The Argus

🧖 Sea Lanes wellness hub plots second seafront sauna

Popular beachfront venue Sea Lanes could double its wellness offerings after Luna Hut submitted planning permission for a second outdoor sauna box. The proposal for the temporary, black-timbered structure has received overwhelming backing from local swimmers who praise it as a fantastic community health asset.
→ read more on The Argus

🏆 Brighton crowned UK's ultimate seaside nightlife destination

A comprehensive new study examining 50 coastal resorts has ranked Brighton as the number one spot in Britain for a vibrant night out. The city secured a near-perfect index score of 29.3 out of 30 due to its dense concentration of 122 clubs, 227 local pubs, and nearly 1,000 restaurants.
→ read more on The Argus

Also in the news:

🎬 Film student wins award: Varndean Sixth Form College student Rosie Merat Brandwood has won the prestigious "One to Watch" prize at the star-studded Into Film Awards in London, securing a £1,000 grant to back her future filmmaking career.
→ read more on The Argus

🌭 Shop owner unsafe after burglary: The owner of Duke Street bakery Nine Rolls has spoken out about rising security concerns after a thief smashed his glass door to steal just £25, leaving him with an estimated £1,000 bill for repairs. → read more on The Argus

🚋 Stanmer Park historic tram bid: The Brighton 53 Tram Society has launched a £750,000 self-funded appeal to build a workshop, museum, and short heritage track at Home Farm to bring a beautifully restored 1930s electric tram back into public use.
→ read more on BBC News

🏫 Schools battle £6.6m deficit crisis: Official council figures show that 22 state schools across Brighton and Hove ended the financial year deep in the red, with Hove Park and Cardinal Newman accounting for over half of the combined multi-million-pound debt. → read more on Brighton and Hove News

📱 Upskirting called gateway offence: Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne has warned that secret upskirting photography acts as a clear indicator of escalating sexual deviancy, pushing forces to thoroughly audit suspect phones for wider patterns. → read more on Brighton and Hove News

🏗️ King Alfred design slammed: The Regency Society has submitted a formal objection to the multi-million-pound King Alfred Leisure Centre redevelopment, lambasting the updated exterior architecture as an unimaginative, boxy "shopping centre" design. → read more on The Argus

🎨 Tributes to community arts champion: Mourners are celebrating the immense creative legacy of John Varah, the legendary former artistic director of Same Sky who spent three decades orchestrating Brighton's iconic Burning the Clocks and Children’s Parades. → read more on Brighton and Hove News

🌱 The Hangout Brighton

📆 Deadline Approaching Soon
📍 St Patrick's Church, Hove

I'm always backing initiatives that breathe new life into our local spaces, and there's an incredibly exciting project taking root right here in Hove. The team behind The Hangout Brighton are on a mission to transform the historic, Grade II listed St Patrick’s church into a vibrant, inclusive hub for movement, visual arts, and social connection. Their dream is to fill this beautiful space with circus apparatus, artist studios, dance classes, and community nights something that is seriously needed for families and creatives in this part of town year-round.

With two other community offers now on the table, the team urgently needs to hit 500 signatures on their public interest form to strengthen their funding case before the deadline. If you want to back this dream or if you're a grant writer, solicitor, or surveyor who can offer your skills to the project, please reach out and show them some love.

🔗 Sign the interest form and back The Hangout

🌅 Babble, Hove

Hove’s new Beach Park development has scored a massive win with Babble. This independent spot has taken over the promenade, boasting sweeping terraces that look straight out across the pebbles. With a scorching summer right on our doorstep, their sun-baked outdoor decks are absolute heaven on earth for crisp spritzers and catching the golden hour sea breeze.

The team is deeply focused on community, sourcing from local legends like Barfields Butchers and Shrub Provisions. Mornings start with great breakfast baps, but as soon as the sun breaks through, they fire up a massive outdoor beach BBQ for a beautifully laid-back vibe right by the waves.

Upcoming Events:
24th June 7pm | Big Babblebox Quiz
25th June 8am | Rooftop Yoga
25th June 6:30pm | Not Your Usual BBQ with Highland Park

📍 Hove Beach Park, Kingsway, Hove
🕒 Cafe & Kitchen: 9am-10pm (Mon-Thu), 9am-11pm (Fri-Sat), 9am-9pm (Sun)
🔗 Book a table

🏠 Have I got a farm for you?

Sitting right at the heart of Brighton's most famous historic parkland, this staggering 610 acre estate presents a truly rare commercial opportunity. The massive site includes nearly 30,000 square feet of traditional farm buildings, alongside vast swathes of permanent pasture ready to be transformed into a flagship destination. The council is inviting expressions of interest from forward-thinking occupiers looking to create anything from an outdoor leisure and wellness hub to a cutting-edge educational facility or charity base. Offered on a long-term lease starting in autumn 2027, it is the ultimate blank canvas for an ambitious enterprise wanting to add massive value to the local community.

📍 Stanmer Park, Brighton
💰 Terms on Application
🔗 View on Knight Frank

Tue

🦪 BITE Brighton Oyster Festival | 12pm, Tue @ Various Venues
Graze your way across the city with a self-guided trail of £15 oyster-and-drink pairings, alongside quirky themed dinners inside the aquarium and Toy Museum. More Info

🐛 Caterpillar | 7:30pm, Tue-Fri @ New Venture Theatre
A chaotic seaside B&B sets the stage for family drama and an eccentric guest determined to fly in the town's Birdman competition. Friday's performance is already sold out. More Info

🚌 Our Day Out | 2pm & 7pm, Tue @ Brighton Open Air Theatre
Willy Russell's classic, bittersweet comedy follows a class of underprivileged school kids on a thoroughly chaotic, heartwarming coach trip to North Wales. More Info

🎸 Acoustic Night | Intimate Music | 7:30pm, Tue @ The Bees Mouth, Hove
Emerging local talents Oliver Meadows, Mia Nicholls, Dusk, and Riley Viljoen perform an intimate showcase blending flamenco, folk, and soul. More Info

Wed

🎭 The Brighton Slamologue | 7:30pm, Wed @ The Yellow Book
Watch performers duke it out with quirky, offbeat 3-minute monologues before a voting audience decides who takes home the cash prize. More Info

🏮 In the Dark Movie Club Special: Spirited Away Live | 7pm, Wed @ Presuming Ed Coffeehouse - A charity screening of Studio Ghibli's masterpiece in memory of a dear friend, with all proceeds raised going directly to support her daughter. More Info

 🎤 Laura Smyth, Ivo Graham and MC Suzi Ruffell | 7:30pm, Wed @ Brighton Open Air Theatre - An elite trio of Live at the Apollo stars brave the unpredictable elements of open-air comedy for a spectacular evening of stand-up under the Sussex sky. More Info

📚 Matilda Junior | 7:15pm, Wed-Sun @ The Barn Theatre, Southwick
A talented young cast brings Roald Dahl’s anarchic, telekinetic heroine to life in this compact, high-energy adaptation of the hit West End musical masterpiece. More Info

🍷 Opera at Sunset 2 | 7pm, Thu @ Brighton Open Air Theatre
Soak up an open-air evening of sweeping dramatic romance as talented vocalists run through a packed programme of operatic crowd-pleasers and lesser-known gems. More Info

📚 Maiden: An Evening With Georgia Leighton | 7pm, Wed @ Lost in the Lanes
The bestselling fantasy author sits down to discuss her new novel over a hosted Q&A, table visits, and book signings, with tickets including a copy of the book and a welcome drink. More Info

⚽ Albion City Takeover | Wed @ Seven Stars
Mark the 125th anniversary of Brighton and Hove Albion FC right where the club was founded, with a city-wide public celebration returning to its original historic roots. More Info

Thu

🎱 Bingo at Tiffany’s with Audrey Heartburn | 7:30pm, Thu @ Saltdean Lido
Award-winning character comedian Tracey Collins brings her hilarious Audrey Hepburn spoof to the poolside for an evening of comedy, music, and a proper game of bingo. More Info

🎹 Glamazon Prime: Katie Pritchard | 8pm, Thu @ Komedia
An all-female troupe conjures up a completely unscripted musical from audience suggestions, kicked off by a delightfully absurd, baking-themed opening set from Sir Elton Scone. More Info

⚽ Sapphire Mcintosh: Squeaky Bum Time | 7:30pm, Thu @ Caroline of Brunswick
Fresh off the pitch from the latest season of Ted Lasso, comedian Sapphire McIntosh tests out her fast-paced debut hour mapping out the utter absurdity of chasing big dreams. More Info

🗣️ Change The Record with Jordan Stephens | 8pm, Thu @ The Old Market
The Rizzle Kicks star sits down with special guests for a candid chat about the modern narratives pulling young men in the wrong direction, followed by a community discussion hosted by Amnesty International UK. More Info

🍷 Opera at Sunset 2 | 7pm, Thu @ Brighton Open Air Theatre
A massive cast of over 30 top-tier vocalists from the likes of Glyndebourne and the Royal Opera deliver a glorious evening of classic and rare masterpieces, all in aid of Martlets Hospice. More Info

Fri

🎤 Dane Baptiste - The Secret Comedy Club | 8pm, Fri @ Artista
The sharp, award-nominated Dane Baptiste takes the headline slot at Hove’s premier intimate basement venue, packed with a stellar supporting bill of comedy circuit regulars. More Info

🦖 Picturehouse Outdoor Cinema: Jurassic Park | 6:30pm, Fri @ Preston Manor
Watch Spielberg's classic dino blockbuster on a giant screen under the stars in the historic grounds of Preston Manor. More Info

🎻 Friday Night is Music Night | 7:30pm, Fri @ Brighton Dome
The BBC Concert Orchestra takes over the Concert Hall for a live Radio 3 broadcast packed with classical heavyweights alongside jazz classics made famous by Ella Fitzgerald and Nina Simone. More Info

🐈 Sculpt Your Cat! Clay Portrait Workshop | 6pm, Fri @ Purrfect Space
Craft a custom air-dry clay portrait of your own kitty or one of the venue's resident rescue cats, with all materials, bottomless hot drinks, and an extra 30 minutes of dedicated cuddle time included. More Info

🥃 Meet The Maker: Cooper King | 6:30pm, Fri @ Cut Your Wolf Loose
Drop by this informal, unticketed evening with the sustainable Yorkshire distillery to sample some of their award-winning English single malts for absolutely zero pence (whilst stocks last). More Info

Live Music

Mbira Workshop with Linos Wengara | Tue @ Rose Hill | Tickets
Delirium (Delirium) | Tue @ Rossi Bar | Tickets
Helicopter Pirates Rat Wedding, Left Ventricle | Tue @ The Pipeline | Tickets
Jazz Jam | Tue @ The Brunswick | Tickets
LIFE: Live + Signing | Tue @ Resident | Tickets

Sunglasz Vendor | Wed @ Rossi Bar | Tickets
Listen Club #36: Claudia Molitor ‘The unheard also glistens’ | Wed @ Rose Hill | Tickets
LEMONSUCKR | Wed @ Alphabet | Tickets
Beverley Knight | Wed @ Brighton Dome - Concert Hall | Tickets
Dead Letter Presents…. Dungeön + Support | Wed @ Prince Albert | Tickets
WRENCH + CLOUDED + SUNBOUND | Wed @ Hope & Ruin | Tickets

Melting Vinyl presents Juni Habel + REA | Thu @ Rose Hill | Tickets
UNB4RRED | Thu @ Rossi Bar | Tickets
James Marriott | Thu @ Concorde 2 | Tickets
King 810 | Thu @ Dust | Tickets
QUEER DIARY + SCHOOL DISCO | Thu @ Daltons | Tickets
JUKEBOX | Thu @ Alphabet | Tickets
The Wattles + Actrs + Mosaic | Thu @ Prince Albert | Tickets
Steph Fraser | Thu @ Folklore Rooms | Tickets
University | Thu @ Green Door Store | Tickets

Reggaeton Party (Brighton) June | Fri @ Dust | Tickets
Surge Lamiia, Carva, Dateless Wonder Club | Fri @ The Pipeline | Tickets
Everywhere At Once with Slady + Support | Fri @ Prince Albert | Tickets
Carne | Fri @ Rossi Bar | Tickets
Disco On The Terrace | Fri @ Concorde 2 | Tickets
THE CJP BAND | Fri @ Alphabet | Tickets
X-Tapes @ Patterns | Fri @ Patterns | Tickets
alligatr | Fri @ Folklore Rooms | Tickets
Yoni Mayraz - Dogs Bark Babies Cry | Fri @ The Old Market | Tickets
Nuke Watch + F.Ampism | Fri @ Rose Hill | Tickets
CONCRETE AGE | Fri @ Daltons | Tickets
Koala Bar - UK Tour 26' | Fri @ The Brunswick | Tickets
Temples: Live + Signing | Fri @ Resident | Tickets
Everywhere at Once – Trip Westerns | Fri @ Green Door Store | Tickets
HH Presents: Vona Vella + Joe Little + Mookie + Tia Ice | Fri @ Hope & Ruin | Tickets
30 Years of Volks presents: Slipmatt | Fri @ Volks | Tickets

Last week's trivia saw a serious wave of nostalgia! While 42.86% of you were entirely correct, it was a close call with the rest of the pack. Over 250,000 ravers completely swarmed the pebbles for Fatboy Slim's legendary Big Beach Boutique II in 2002. You can relive the absolute, beautiful chaos on the Big Beach Boutique II Wikipedia Page.

This week, we are looking ahead to Brighton Pride. Firmly established as the UK's biggest and most popular international Pride festival, it brings hundreds of thousands of people to our streets. While it is a massive carnival today, its historic beginnings were a much smaller but revolutionary affair.