🐦 Brighton Border Expansion Confirmed, Late Night Terry Wogan & Lewes Bonfire Travel Warning!

Hello Brighton & Hove!

I hope everyone had a cracking Halloween weekend and made it through the madness in one piece. We barely have a second to catch our breath, though, as Bonfire Night is on Thursday.

Lewes is clearly the main event on everyone’s radar, hosting the celebration with its massive torchlit processions, traditional bonfires, and fireworks. However, organisers and transport authorities strongly advise non-residents to stay away because of severe road closures, cancelled trains, and massive crowds. If you are determined to head over despite the transport nightmare, there is a brilliant mass bike train departing from The Level that you can join.

As for Friday, I am still weighing up a few options, but I am definitely off to catch Rival Consoles and cannot wait, alongside plotting a visit to the new Vagabond wine bar and a couple of fresh food spots. There is heaps going on across the city to keep you entertained.

Let’s get stuck into the week ahead.

Here Is What's Squawking This Week

🏊 Withdean swimming pool plans stall as construction costs soar.
✨ Blue Camel Club brings firework-themed clubbing to the Corn Exchange.
🎭 Toy Museum unveils two centuries of historic miniature stages.
🏥 Veteran councillor praises A&E staff despite hospital corridor stay.
🎸 Acoustic celebration honours six decades of Paul McCartney classics.

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🗺️ Brighton boundary expansion confirmed as government lifts pause

Plans to expand Brighton and Hove City Council’s borders eastward into East Saltdean, Telscombe Cliffs, and Peacehaven are back on after the government officially unpaused local government reorganisation. Brighton and Hove and East Sussex are among five nationwide areas where restructuring has been confirmed, promising to unify Saltdean under a single local authority.
→ read more on Brighton and Hove News

🏥 Former councillor Dawn Barnett praises caring A&E staff after corridor stay

Long-serving former councillor Dawn Barnett has defended Royal Sussex County Hospital staff after spending hours receiving care in an A&E corridor following a collapse at home. While acknowledging the acute overcrowding, the 85-year-old retired carer praised the doctors and nurses as organised and first-class throughout her stay.
→ read more on Brighton and Hove News

🏊 Rising construction costs force Withdean pool plans back to councillors

Soaring building costs have pushed the budget for a brand new swimming pool at Withdean Sports Complex beyond its approved limits, requiring councillors to authorise additional funding. Design alterations, including adjustments to accommodate single-sex changing facilities, have necessitated additional funding to proceed with the project.
→ read more on Brighton and Hove News

⚖️ Standards panel hears former mayor's complaint against deputy behind closed doors

A formal complaint lodged by former mayor Amanda Grimshaw against former deputy mayor Ty Galvin was heard in secret by a council standards panel. The decision to exclude the press and public went ahead despite protests that the hearing should proceed in open session in the interests of transparency.
→ read more on Brighton and Hove News

🛑 Police and fire chiefs urge spectators to avoid Lewes Bonfire Night

Emergency services have issued a strong warning advising visitors from outside Lewes to stay away on November 5 due to serious overcrowding and safety concerns. Extensive road closures and strict parking controls will be enforced across the town from midday to manage the world-famous Sussex celebration.
→ read more on Brighton and Hove News

🏗️ Planners approve £5.3m council flats scheme for Edward Street site

Brighton and Hove City Council’s Planning Committee has unanimously approved plans to demolish 1970s Oakley House to make way for 20 council homes. The £5.3 million development on the corner of Edward Street and Tillstone Street will deliver a mix of one-, two-, and three-bedroom flats despite neighbour concerns about the building's height.
→ read more on Brighton and Hove News

🩺 Healthwatch bosses welcome government reprieve following abolition threat

Directors at Healthwatch Brighton and Hove have welcomed a national government reprieve after ministers reversed previous plans to abolish local health watchdog bodies. The decision follows widespread concern that scrapping the independent patient champion would undermine public accountability across health and social care services.
→ read more on Brighton and Hove News

Also in the news:

🚸 Former police chief shocked by lollipop patrols needing body cameras: Former Brighton police commander Graham Bartlett has voiced dismay at school crossing patrols being equipped with body-worn video cameras to deter abusive drivers.
→ read more on The Argus

🏃‍♀️ Female runners forced to change habits over safety concerns: A new campaign highlighting a "hidden curfew" reveals that more than half of women feel unsafe exercising outdoors alone after dark, leading many runners in Brighton to alter their evening routines.
→ read more on BBC News

💃 Platinum Lace applies to renew sexual entertainment venue licence: City strip club Platinum Lace has submitted an application to renew its sexual entertainment licence, with public representations open until 17 November.
→ read more on The Argus

🏆 Brighton tutor Charlotte Austwick wins national neurodiversity trailblazer award: Dyslexia advocate and PhD researcher Charlotte Austwick has been honoured with the Judges' Special Recognition Trailblazer Award at the 2026 Dyslexia Awards.
→ read more on The Argus

🌊 Brighton's West Pier and its battle with nature: A retrospective examines the gradual decay and cultural legacy of the historic Grade I listed pier following the recent collapse of another section into the sea during autumn storms.
→ read more on BBC News

🚗 Parking bays suspended on Brighton street for Old Ship Hotel works: Brighton and Hove City Council has introduced temporary parking suspensions affecting permit, paid, and motorcycle bays to facilitate works at the historic seafront hotel.
→ read more on The Argus

🏛️ Brighton graduate Mary Duggan wins 2026 RIBA Stirling Prize: University of Brighton alumna Mary Duggan has won the prestigious national architecture award for her Lion Green Road community housing scheme.
→ read more on The Argus

👨‍👧‍👦 One Dad To Another

⏰ Regular Meet-ups, Buggy Walks & Family Experiences
📍 Across Brighton & Hove

Fatherhood is one of the most transformative roles a man can take on, yet so often dads are left to figure it all out in silence without much of a support network. That is why I have so much admiration for what Brighton dad Tyler Wilde is building with One Dad To Another. Tyler took a brave leap, leaving his job in gym management to build a dedicated community supporting local fathers. What started as just a few dads meeting for walks in the park has rapidly grown into a vital, thriving village.

Tyler has created an open, welcoming home for modern fatherhood where dads are celebrated, stereotypes are challenged, and blokes can genuinely connect while spending quality time with their kids. Alongside his community building, he is actively campaigning for better paternity leave and flexible working rights, drawing on his own lived experience as a dad of two to advocate for real support in those crucial early weeks of family life. Through relaxed buggy walks, coffee mornings, creative sessions, and family days out, he is making sure no father has to navigate this journey alone.

Their upcoming Dads & Dough pizza-making session at Jack's Pizza sold out almost immediately, but you can still hop onto the waitlist or dive straight into their thriving local network to catch the next meet-up.

🔗 Join the One Dad To Another community and find upcoming events

🥗 Garden Café

This spot quickly became one of my favourite places ever since my dear friend Natasha from the Brighton Wellness Festival "forced me" to meet her here once 😁 It feels like a mini oasis right in the heart of the concrete jungle.

Tucked away on North Road in North Laine, it looks like something straight off a Pinterest board. The entire space is packed with lush greenery, dreamy hanging lanterns, and gorgeous details that immediately slow your heart rate down. As a pescatarian, finding a spot that offers fresh, clean, plant-forward brunch without feeling boring is a huge win. The vibrant garden salad is spot on, their poached eggs on sourdough hit the spot every time, and the tropical smoothies are genuinely packed with the good stuff. It is the ultimate calm setting for a proper catch-up over quality food and coffee.

📍 29-30 North Road, Brighton, BN1 1YB
🕒 8am to 8pm (Mon to Sun)
🔗 Check them out

🏠 The 1930s Country-Style Villa

Tucked discreetly behind a carriage driveway on one of Hove's most prestigious avenues, this handsome circa-1930 red-brick detached residence spans approximately 4,400 sq ft across three expansive floors. The interior combines timeless elegance with generous entertaining spaces, featuring three substantial reception rooms, a dedicated home office, and an airy kitchen/dining room opening onto the terrace. The upper floors host five bedrooms, led by an exceptional principal suite with a luxurious en suite featuring a roll-top bath and a walk-in shower. The standout feature is the extraordinary, mature country-house-style garden, accompanied by a detached outbuilding with a kitchenette, a double garage, and off-road parking for eight cars, just a five-minute stroll from Hove Station.

📍 The Drive, Hove, East Sussex, BN3
💰 £2,300,000
🔗 View on Rightmove

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Tue

🎨 Poets' Corner Arts Lab | 6:30pm, Every Tue @ The Poets Ale & Smoke House
A free, offline creative meetup for artists across disciplines to share ideas and discoveries, find collaborators, work on ongoing projects, and make big plans together. More Info

✨ Blue Camel Club | 6pm, Tue @ Brighton Dome (Corn Exchange)
A firework-themed club night for partygoers with learning disabilities, featuring vibrant UK DJs, live performers, dancing, and glow-in-the-dark fun. More Info

📖 Matt King Aka Super Hans: Meet & Greet + Signing | 6:15pm, Tue @ Resident Music-Meet Peep Show's notorious Super Hans as actor Matt King signs copies of the unfiltered, wildly chaotic story of his cult character. More Info

🏃‍♀️ Pace Yourself Run Club Launch | 6:30pm, Every Tue @ Outside Yellowave, Hove-A relaxed, social 5K for beginners and anyone who fancies a slow jog, a chat, and a halfway breather. No PBs and no pressure, capped at a maximum pace of 7:30/km, where slower is always better. More Info

🎭 The Brown Suite | 7:30pm, Tue & Wed @ Theatre Royal Brighton
Seven lives collide on a vibrant 1970s New York dancefloor in this soulful tale of passion, romance, and life-changing connections. More Info

Wed

😂 Cardiac Comedy 13 | 8pm, Wed 4 Nov @ Komedia (Basement)
Brighton’s premier charity comedy night returns with stand-up sets from Roger Monkhouse, Dan Evans, Sarah Roberts, Dinesh Nathan, and MC Dave. More Info

✏️ Duality: Draw to Live Music | 7:30pm, Wed @ Fabrica
An all-abilities, untutored drawing workshop featuring live ambient music by VCSB, guided prompts, and materials provided in Fabrica's historic space. More Info

🎤 Sound Affects #44 | 7:30pm, Wed @ East Street Tap
A night of music and subculture talks exploring pop history, Ultravox, and community stories with Jak Hutchcraft, Michael Cragg, and local DJs. More Info

🎵 Emptyset Audiovisual Show | Wed @ Attenborough Centre for the Creative Arts-An acclaimed experimental performance exploring the raw physical intersection of sound design and visual integration within contemporary digital art. More Info

Thur

🎨 Common Ground - Exhibition | 11am, Thu–Sun @ The Regency Town House, Hove-A free exhibition pairing Regency architecture with diverse works by six artists across painting, stone sculpture, ceramics, and sustainable jewellery. More Info

🚲 Bonfire Bike Train to Lewes | 5:30pm, Thu @ The Level
A fun, gentle mass cycle from Brighton to Lewes Bonfire featuring music, ride marshals, and optional meetups along the scenic route. More Info

🎙️ Late Night With Terry Wogan | 8pm, Thu @ Komedia (Basement)
Terry returns from beyond the grave for an offbeat comedy chat show featuring "celebrity" interviews backed by a full live band. More Info

🏉 Joe Marler | 8pm, Thu @ Brighton Dome (Concert Hall)
The former England rugby star and Celebrity Traitors standout shares his sharp wit, human insights, and infamous "Big Dog Theory" live on stage. More Info

🎆 Lancing Prep Hove Family Fireworks Evening | 6pm, Thu @ Lancing Prep, Hove-A sparkly family fireworks display featuring a 6:45pm show, hot food, and soft drinks included with every ticket. More Info

⭐ Olga Koch: Fat Tom Cruise | 8pm, Thu @ Komedia (Studio)
The Edinburgh Comedy Award-nominated star combs through recent history in an immersive, genre-defying stand-up show directed by Jet Vevers. More Info

🎭 Bluff Creek | 7:30pm, Thu @ The Lantern Theatre
Charlie Flynn’s one-man monologue delves into belief, obsession, and the infamous 1967 Bigfoot footage through the eyes of Roger Patterson. More Info

Fri

🎭 The Summer Palace | 7pm, Fri–Sun @ The Lantern Theatre
A chillingly funny psychological thriller starring writer Paul Bassett Davies and John Black, unravelling a tense interrogation under a totalitarian regime. More Info

🎬 24th CINECITY Brighton Film Festival | Fri-15 Nov @ Multiple Venues
Brighton’s acclaimed cinema festival spans ten full days, showcasing exclusive international previews, award-winning features, local documentaries, and live-scored screenings. More Info

🎵 DJ Yoda: 80s Mixtape Live! | 7pm, Fri @ Concorde 2
Hip-hop pioneer DJ Yoda blends beats, iconic pop culture clips, TV nostalgia, and scratch mastery in his acclaimed audiovisual live showcase. More Info

🎭 The Importance of Being Earnest | Fri-14 Nov @ New Venture Theatre
Oscar Wilde’s delightfully absurd Victorian satire returns to the Theatre Upstairs, packed with sharp wit, double lives, and chaotic romantic entanglements. More Info

🎭 Curtain Up! The World of Toy Theatre | Fri - 9 Jan @ Brighton Toy Museum-Discover over two centuries of miniature stages, Georgian origins, and Victorian pantomimes in this unique visiting exhibition of historic toy theatres. More Info

🎸 Paul McCartney - A Celebration | 8pm, Fri @ Ironworks Studios
An intimate acoustic tribute honouring six decades of music from The Beatles, Wings, and solo hits, plus a fun Macca quiz. More Info

💀 Day Of The Dead Celebration | 6pm, Fri @ Shelter Hall
Celebrate with live Mariachi music, Margarita deals, and authentic Mexican street food alongside seven seafront kitchens. Table booking is highly recommended. More Info

💻 UX Brighton 2026: Emerging Methods | 10am, Fri @ Brighton Dome
A premier design conference exploring cutting-edge AI workflows, behavioural research methods, and future design tools, followed by an evening networking party. More Info

Last week's cemetery trivia was a decisive win! A commanding 53.41% of voters knew that Sir George Everest, the Surveyor-General after whom Mount Everest is named, is buried at St Andrew's Church in Hove. You can read about the mountain's naming in The Guardian's Historical Archive Feature or on his official Wikipedia Entry.

This week, we are looking at Victoria Gardens' colourful Mazda Fountain. Gifted to Brighton in 1930 by British Thomson-Houston, the fountain was designed to dazzle crowds with water jets lit from below in shifting colours, powered by a quirky stained-glass kiosk nearby. After decades of darkness, it was revived in 2019 with vibrant new LED lighting.