The Brighton Squawk
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🐦 Brighton’s First Italian Festival Has Landed

🐦 Brighton’s First Italian Festival Has Landed

Plus: Strikes, skyscrapers, and singing your heart out on your next date

Ben Watkins
September 23, 2025

Good morning Brighton,

It’s a busy week on the coast, and not just with students flooding back. Bus strikes loom, 500 new flats at the old Gasworks get the green light, and on the brighter side, Brighton’s first Italian Festival arrives while Lucky Voice turns karaoke into the city’s next big date night.

Here’s what’s squawking this week:

🚌 Bus strikes set to hit Brighton in October
🏗️ £280m Gasworks development approved despite fierce opposition
🍝 The brand new Brighton Italian Festival kicks off in style
🎶 Plus comedy, festivals, live music, and a marble mansion on the market

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🚌 Bus Strikes Looming in October

Bus chaos could hit Brighton, Hove, Crawley and Gatwick next month, after more than 1,200 Unite union members voted to strike over pay. Drivers at Brighton and Hove Buses and Metrobus rejected a 3.5% offer, below July’s inflation rate, with Unite calling it a “real terms pay cut.” Walkouts are set for Monday 6 October and Wednesday 15 October.

Unite’s Sharon Graham called the offer “insulting,” pointing to Go Ahead’s overseas parent companies making big profits while workers face rising living costs. Regional officer Janet Nobbs added that drivers are under constant pressure and “keep Brighton and Crawley’s workers and students moving,” but have been left with no choice but to act.

Bus bosses insist they’ve already improved their deal, offering 4.6% plus 5% back pay from July. They say the average driver earns £36,000 in Brighton and £38,000 in Crawley, and that pay has risen 33.5% in four years. Unless talks restart quickly, commuters and students should brace for major disruption across the city’s bus network.

→ read more on Brighton & Hove News

🏛️ Brighton Faces Council Shake-Up

Brighton and Hove City Council has unveiled its vision for a Sussex-wide shake-up that could redraw local government maps. Under Labour’s proposals, Brighton would expand to include Falmer and possibly Peacehaven, creating one of five new “unitary councils” across Sussex. The aim is to streamline services, cut duplication, and build councils serving at least 300,000 residents.

Council leader Bella Sankey said the changes would bring “councils big enough to be resilient and small enough to stay connected.” She highlighted shared infrastructure like universities, hospitals, and the Amex Stadium as reasons why places like Falmer naturally align with Brighton. The city also argues it represents Sussex’s youngest and most diverse community, with different needs from rural East or West Sussex.

But the proposals have sparked pushback. Lewes District Council’s consultation saw 89% against being absorbed, with fears of lost identity and weakened frontline services. Meetings at Hove Town Hall this week will finalise Brighton’s submission to government. If approved, the shake-up would mark the biggest change to local government in Sussex in decades.

→ read more on Brighton & Hove News

🏗️ £280m Gasworks Plan Approved

A controversial £280 million scheme for almost 500 flats on the old gasworks site in East Brighton has been given the green light by Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook. The council had previously rejected the plans, but developers St William won on appeal with the government ruling the project should go ahead.

The scheme will see nine blocks of up to 12 storeys rise near Kemp Town. Concerns were raised about harm to the area’s heritage, including the French Convalescent Home and Regency terraces, but inspectors ruled the benefits outweighed the impact. St William says the project could bring 195 jobs, but no affordable housing is guaranteed due to remediation costs.

Adding insult to injury for the council, it must also pay the developer’s appeal costs after being found guilty of “unreasonable behaviour” during the process. Campaigners from the Brighton Gasworks Coalition still have six weeks to appeal to the High Court, but for now, one of the city’s most divisive developments is officially moving forward.

→ read more from The Argus

Also in the news:

🏛️ Five new Sussex councils could save £52m - Brighton & Hove City Council says its plan to replace district and county councils with five new unitary authorities would save £52m a year, though critics accuse it of secrecy and disrespect for communities.
→ read more on BBC News

📱 Smartphones ‘unsafe for children under 14’ - Brighton & Hove City Council is urging parents to hold off giving kids smartphones until at least age 14, warning of serious risks of exploitation and mental health harm.
→ read more on BBC News

⚠️ Scammers posing as council workers - Tenants are being warned after fraudsters posed as housing staff offering “no win, no fee” claims over repairs, complete with fake ID badges. The council stresses it never makes cold calls.
→ read more from BBC News

💜 £60k boost for young abuse victims - Brighton domestic abuse charity RISE has received £60,000 from the Sussex police and crime commissioner to fund two new roles supporting children and teenagers in unhealthy or abusive relationships.
→ read more on Brighton & Hove News

🇮🇹 Brighton Italian Festival

🎟️ More info + list of events with tickets
📅 October 2nd - 24th

Brighton is getting a full dose of la dolce vita this October with the first-ever Brighton Italian Festival (BIF). Founded and artistically directed by William Ranieri, BIF is a love letter to Italian culture, born from his 22 years in the city and just a touch of homesickness.

Across three weeks, expect over 20 events blending the best of Brighton and Italy: food, music, cinema, wellness, language, and community. Think soulful jazz, pop-up opera, pasta-making, film screenings, and a whole lot of Aperol.

It all kicks off with the Official Launch Night on Saturday 4th October at Horatio’s Bar on the Palace Pier. The evening promises a packed line-up of live music and surprises.

All Brighton Italian Festival Events:

🎙️ Lucky Voice

A few years back I ended up on a date in a Korean karaoke bar (after a few drinks, mind you!) and it turned out to be one of the best dates out I’ve had. Karaoke might seem bold for a first date, but that’s exactly what makes it so fun. Just off the seafront, Lucky Voice is Brighton’s karaoke king, with seven private rooms, a buzzing cocktail bar, and a soundtrack that’s all yours.

Belt out cheesy duets, sip neon cocktails, and laugh through the bits where you don’t know the words. It’s silly, fun, and guaranteed to break the ice, plus Sundays from 12-4pm are reserved for family sings and kids’ parties.

Add happy hour deals until 8pm (Sunday to Friday), bottomless brunches, cocktail masterclasses, and themed nights, and you’ve got more than just a singalong.

Special Events coming up:

🎨 Paint, Sip & Sing | Lucky Voice Brighton Thu 25 Sept, 7pm
A creative night with Pinot & Picasso — paint a neon artwork, sip a cocktail, then finish with karaoke (20% off pods after).

🎃 A Wicked Halloween | Lucky Voice Brighton Thu 31 Oct, evening
Spooky cocktails, costume prizes, and karaoke corridors turned into a haunted singalong. All bookings entered to win cinema tickets for Wicked II.

📍 8 Black Lion Street, BN1
⏰ Mon-Thu 6pm-late, Fri 5pm-2am, Sat 12pm-2am, Sun 2pm-1am
🔗 Book your karaoke

🏰 Marble Mansion

A brand-new Hove masterpiece with over 5,600 sq ft of wow-factor: think marble staircase, smoked oak parquet, a cinema basement, and a garden built for entertaining with pool, hot tub, and outdoor kitchen. Four bedrooms, four bathrooms, triple garage with turntable, and panoramic sea views from its roof terrace. This is luxury on another level.

📍 Dyke Road Avenue, Hove
💰 £5,000,000
🔗 View on Rightmove

events marked with a * are sponsored

🍂 Autumn Leaves: Live Music | Pot Luck | DJ

Sun 28th September, 6:30pm @ The Garden Cafe, St Ann's Well Gardens
Celebrate the season with live music from Folkadelix and Witch and the Bear, DJ sets from DeeJave, and a community pot luck feast. In support of our friends at Little Forest Nursery in their immigration journey and battle against homophobia.*

🇫🇷 Soirée Amicale: Brighton and Hove French Circle
Wed Sep 24, 6pm-8pm @ Brighthelm Centre, North Road
Practise your French and meet new people as the Circle kicks off its 2025-26 programme of fortnightly events. Tickets Just £7*

Tuesday

🎭 Taylormania
7:30pm @ Theatre Royal Brighton
An award-winning Taylor Swift tribute show with live band and dancers delivering all the hits. Tickets

🎨 Painting Party
7pm-9pm @ The Railway Inn, Portslade
This month’s workshop guides you through painting Brighton’s iconic West Pier. More Info

😂 NLCA Comedy Night
8pm @ Komedia
A night of sharp stand-up from new and established comics. Tickets

🎶 Opera: Lucia di Lammermoor
7:15pm-9:15pm @ Ropetackle Arts Centre, Shoreham
Barefoot Opera reimagines Donizetti’s tragic opera with gypsy jazz instrumentation. Tickets

😂 Comedy for the Clock Tower with Suzi Ruffell
8pm-10:15pm @ The Forge Comedy Club
A fundraising night of comedy with Suzi Ruffell, Jen Brister, and more in support of The Clock Tower Sanctuary. More Info

📕 An Evening with Indyana Schneider & Ania Card
7pm @ The Werks, Middle Street
Join local authors Indyana Schneider and Ania Card for an evening of conversation, books, drinks, and music. £5 entry. More Info

Wednesday

😂 Solve-Along-A-Murder-She-Wrote
8pm @ Komedia
Interactive comedy screening of the classic detective show with games and singalongs. Tickets

😂 Tom Houghton: Deep
7:30pm-9:30pm @ The Forge Comedy Club
Fresh from an international tour, Tom Houghton brings his sharp new stand-up show. Tickets

🎭 The Unfriend by Steven Moffat
7:30pm @ The Barn Theatre, Southwick
A hilarious comedy about a holiday friendship gone wrong, written by Steven Moffat. Tickets

🎤 The Brighton Slamologue
7:30pm-9pm @ The Yellow Book Bar
Performers deliver quirky and offbeat 2–3 minute monologues in a slam-style night. Tickets

🎶 Robb Johnson & The Optimist Hotel
8pm-10pm @ Ropetackle Arts Centre, Shoreham
Veteran songwriter Robb Johnson performs tracks from his new album. Tickets

Thursday

🎬 New Genesis Film Festival 2025
3pm-6pm @ ODEON Brighton
Showcasing independent films from Brighton students and graduates. Tickets

😂 Jake Lambert: The Sunshine Kid
8pm-9:45pm @ The Forge Comedy Club
Rapid-fire gag-filled storytelling from rising stand-up Jake Lambert. Tickets

😂 Comic Boom Comedy Club
7:30pm @ Komedia
Komedia’s flagship monthly stand-up showcase with handpicked acts. Tickets

🎵 Simply Aretha
8pm-10pm @ Ropetackle Arts Centre, Shoreham
Jaelee Small pays soulful tribute to Aretha Franklin in this stirring live show. Tickets

📚 Hedgy Visits the Dentist - Book Launch
6:30pm-7:30pm @ Waterstones Brighton
A children’s book launch with authors and NHS oral health experts. More Info

🎭 Kinky Storytelling: Bound
7:30pm-11pm @ The Actors Pub
An evening of erotic storytelling hosted by the Kink Kollective. More Info

🏊 The Rockinghorse Relay – Charity Swimathon
7pm @ Sea Lanes
A 12-hour overnight swim relay to support children’s hospital services. More Info

Friday

🎶 Boundary Brighton Festival
26-27 Sep @ Stanmer Park
Huge two-day festival with Gorgon City, Shy FX, Andy C, Nero and more across four stages. Tickets

🎭 Stick Man
10:30am & 3:30pm @ The Old Market, Hove
Family theatre adaptation of Julia Donaldson’s classic tale with puppetry and live music. Tickets

🍳 Chamber Breakfast September
7:45am-9:30am @ Bill’s Brighton
Networking breakfast featuring Adam Joolia on music and social change. More Info

🎭 Murder Mystery Dinner on Volk’s Railway
7:15pm-9:30pm @ Volk’s Electric Railway
Step back to 1937 for a glamorous supper with intrigue aboard the historic railway. More Info

💃 DANCE - Powerful Dance Journeys
8pm-10pm @ Brighthelm Centre
Conscious dance with electronic soundscapes in a sober, inclusive space. More Info

🎶 Swing Evening - 1940s Onwards
8pm @ Patcham Community Centre
The Les Paul Big Band perform swing classics as part of Ageing Well Festival. Tickets

🎶 Latino Fest
11pm @ Concorde 2
Two rooms of reggaeton, salsa, bachata, and Latin trap with 600+ dancers. More Info

🎭 Ageing Well Festival
26 Sep - 10 Oct @ Various Brighton venues
A two-week festival of creative workshops, talks, and events for ages 50+. More Info

Live Music

Last week we asked: What does Brighton have the largest of in Europe? Our trickiest yet with only 9 of you nailing it: the correct answer was the Marina! Most of you guessed Pride Festival (a fair shout, but that crown actually goes to New York or São Paulo, both claiming over 4 million attendees). Brighton’s record is around 450,000, which, compared to the local population size would make it the biggest in the world per capita.

This week, we’re keeping the party vibe going after featuring Lucky Voice in our Date Spot of the Week. So here’s one for the singers: