The Brighton Squawk
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🐦 New Routes, Clay Dates & Good Deeds

🐦 New Routes, Clay Dates & Good Deeds

Your guide to getting around, going out, and giving back.

Ben Watkins
September 02, 2025

👋 Hello Brighton

Summer may be ending but the city isn’t going into hibernation with Fatboy Slim’s happiness project, an alternative artistic date spot and a calendar shifting from beach days to concerts, lectures and community events. Plus, the introduction of new bus routes, food waste collections begin and the debate regarding Hove’s Floral Clock rumbles on.

Here’s what’s squawking this week:

🚌 New bus routes to ease traffic & food waste collections start
🎭 A packed week of events, from fiery circus shows to Fatboy Slim experiments
🕊️ A local church’s emergency appeal with quiz nights & concerts
🫖 Painting pottery for a hands-on (& BYOB) date night

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🚌 Two new routes will ease school traffic

Two new bus routes are being introduced in Brighton this month to ease students’ access to school without contributing to traffic congestion at peak hours. The 94B route will connect Whitehawk, Manor Hill, and Elm Grove with Varndean and Dorothy Stringer schools.

Later in the month, the new 3X service will run between Falmer and Hangleton linking some of the schools like King’s, Cardinal Newman, BHASVIC, Hove Park, and BACA. It is hoped that the changes will ease the school run and clean up the air.

Further changes are imminent at a later date, with councillors revealing they will review the travel habits of pupils and boost connections where needed.
→ Read more from BBC News

🥕 First Brighton areas to receive food waste collections

Food waste collections will begin soon in Brighton with collections starting from households at Saltdean, Rottingdean, Ovingdean, Woodingdean, and Brighton Marina. Residents will get caddies, liners, and information about their collections from 15 September.

It is part of the council’s staged program and food waste is now being composted and not sent to landfill. It is hoped it will cut the 21,000 tonnes of food now placed in bins each year.

City-wide roll-out will take until March 2026 and will encompass a total of 76,000 households. Councillors think it will save money, recycle more waste, and preserve the environment.
→ Read more on Brighton & Hove News

🌸 Proposed Hove floral clock removal plan public hearing

Activists are heightening their cause to protect Hove’s iconic Floral Clock. Organisations are hosting a public meeting outside the Cornerstone Community Centre and inviting councillors to defend their decision-making after it was announced that the clock was being removed without general public consultation.

Over 2,200 have already signed the petition seeking the retention of the Coronation-era building, and many of them undertook to repair it at low or zero cost. Opponents argue the council has not explored these options and are not happy that funds are being set aside to give a makeover to Palmeira Square.

Residents are also questioning planting, tree felling and the fate of ancient toilets beneath the square. Campaigners believe the consultation is inaccurate and are seeking the clock to be saved.
→ Read the full story on Brighton & Hove News

Also in the news:

📉 Brighton has third lowest fertility rate in England and Wales - New ONS data shows Brighton’s fertility rate has dropped to 0.97, one of the lowest in the country.
→ read more from The Argus

🐴 Brighton man rescues abandoned clothes horses - Support worker Sam Smith has turned unwanted clothes horses into a TikTok sensation with his quirky “Clothes Horse Sanctuary…”
→ read more on BBC News

🛍️ Churchill Square extends opening hours - Brighton’s main shopping centre will stay open until 8pm Monday to Saturday, following the launch of the new Ikea.
→ read more on The Argus

🍳 Moksha Caffe in Brighton among UK’s best breakfast spots - York Place’s family-run Moksha Caffe has been named one of the country’s top 50 breakfast spots, praised for fresh ingredients, homemade touches, and cocktails to match.
→ read more on The Argus

🕊️ St Mary’s Kemptown - Charity of The Week

St Mary’s is a welcoming, inclusive Anglican church in the heart of Kemptown, known both for its beautiful Victorian interior and its lively programme of concerts and community events.

This year hasn’t been kind after a break-in, storm damage and broken heating having left the church urgently needing to raise £30,000 by 30 October. Without repairs, lettings and events could be at risk through the colder months. Donations can be made online, via bank transfer (ref: emergency appeal), or directly at the church.

Upcoming Events at St Mary’s:

🤔 Quiz Night | Sat 13 Sept, 6pm | More Info
🎶 We’re Having a Heatwave! | Sat 27 Sept, 7pm – fundraiser concert with the Actually Gay Men’s Chorus. | More Info

Other Community Charity Events This Month:

🚶 Walk The Walk | Sat 20 Sept, 10am @ Brighton Pier
Charity walk raising funds for Gaza relief and The Clock Tower Sanctuary. Tickets

🎤 Comedy for the Clock Tower | Tue 23 Sept, 8pm @ The Forge Comedy Club
Suzi Ruffell and friends perform to support homeless young people in Brighton & Hove. Tickets

🏊 The Rockinghorse Relay | Thu 25 – Fri 26 Sept @ Sea Lanes Brighton
One-hour swim relays (solo or teams) raising money for children’s charity Rockinghorse. Tickets

🫖 The Painting Pottery Cafe

If dinner and drinks feel a bit samey, swap your wine glass for a paintbrush (though you can still BYOB - with no corkage!🍷). Since 1998, Painting Pottery Café on North Road has been one of Brighton’s cosiest creative spots, the kind of place where dates turn into keepsakes. Paint pottery, hand-build with clay, or try your hand at the wheel in a relaxed, social setting.

Evening classes (ages 18+ only) are small (usually 8 to 12 people) and you can only book up to 4 spots together. Why? Because the café likes to encourage mingling and new friendships while you work the clay. It’s a three-hour session with all materials and firing included, and you’ll even come back a few weeks later to paint what you’ve made.

The whole vibe is friendly, laid-back, and a little bit messy, so jewellery off and a willingness to get creative is all that’s required. If you want a date that’s equal parts hands-on, social, and memorable, this is it.

📍 31 North Road, Brighton
🕒 Pottery Painting daily | Evening classes & late-night sessions on select Thursdays
💷 £50 per person (extras priced separately)
🔗 Their Lovely Website

Special Events this week:

✨ Paint Your Own Trinkets Evening | Wed 3 Sept, 6-9pm | Paint quirky trinkets for your own collection (BYOB, 18+). Tickets
🎨 Late Night Painting | Thu 4 Sept, 6-9pm | After-dark pottery painting with a fun, social atmosphere. Tickets

🍭 A Sweet New Pad

Once a Maynards factory, now a seriously sweet home. This four-storey townhouse blends exposed brick, soaring ceilings, and contemporary design. Spread across four levels, it comes with three bedrooms, three bathrooms and a landscaped tropical-style garden with studio boasting sea views.

📍 Stoneham Road, Hove, BN3
💰 £1,000,000
🔗 View on Rightmove

events marked with a * are sponsored

Tuesday

🎤 Hammer & Tongue Poetry Slam
7:00 - 10:30pm @ The Walrus
Brighton’s longest-running poetry night returns with headline acts and their iconic open slam. More Info

😂 Scoops Improv Comedy Night
8:00 - 10:00pm @ The Actors
A rotating cast of top improvisers spin audience suggestions into hilarious, unpredictable comedy. More Info

🎭 Death Comes to Pemberley
2:30pm & 7:30pm @ Theatre Royal Brighton
A gripping stage adaptation of P.D. James’ Pride and Prejudice-inspired murder mystery, mixing Regency romance with dark intrigue. More Info

Wednesday

🎧 The Happiness Experiment with Fatboy Slim
6:00pm @ The Old Market
Dance, connect and explore joy in this immersive gig-meets-experiment, soundtracked by Fatboy Slim with live data on happiness. Tickets

🔥 Faustus
7:00pm @ Brighton Open Air Theatre
An interactive fire circus full of acrobatics, stage combat and comedy in a fiery retelling of Faustus’ pact with the devil. Tickets

📖 Natalie Haynes – No Friend To This House (Preview)
8:00pm @ Komedia
The writer and broadcaster re-examines the Argonauts’ myth, exploring how the Greeks themselves understood the Golden Fleece. More Info

🧠 The Science of Intergenerational Trauma
7:00 - 9:30pm @ Brighthelm Centre
A Seed Talks event on how trauma is passed down generations and the role of early intervention. Includes Q&A. More Info

📚 Brighton Telltales
7:30 - 9:30pm @ Yellow Book Bar
A monthly open night of storytelling where professionals and amateurs alike share tales from the everyday to the fantastical. More Info

💡 The Genius Myth with Helen Lewis
7:30 - 9:00pm @ The Walrus
Journalist Helen Lewis discusses her new book on the allure and danger of rule-breaking geniuses, in conversation with Rafael Behr. More Info

Thursday

🏉 Women’s Rugby World Cup Fan Zone
1pm - 8pm @ Victoria Gardens
A family-friendly fan zone with a big screen for the weekend matches, plus food, drink, live music, dance, crafts, and free non-contact rugby activities for all ages. More Info

🎹 Keyboard Karaoke In The Park
7:00pm @ Brighton Open Air Theatre
Join Gus and Glen for a chaotic, hilarious live karaoke night featuring competitions, characters, and audience singalongs. More Info

😂 Brighton AF Comedy at Tide Beach Club
7:30 - 9:30pm @ Tide Beach Club
A night of top-tier stand-up from Brighton locals and national acts, all with a beachfront backdrop. More Info

🕉️ Atomic Kirtan
7:00 - 9:30pm @ Brighton Unitarian Church
Sing simple mantras together in this uplifting community kirtan. No experience needed, just voices and energy. More Info

Friday

🕯️ Candlelight: A Tribute to Fleetwood Mack
7:00pm @ Royal Pavilion
A magical candlelit concert featuring string renditions of Fleetwood Mack classics. Tickets

💘 25-40 Singles Mixer: Love at First Sign
7:00 - 10:30pm @ Bohemia
A new kind of singles night combining cosmic data, connection games and mingling in a stylish Brighton bar. Tickets

😂 FILTHY FRIDAYS with Tom Ward
8:00 - 9:30pm @ Nautilus Lounge
A monthly comedy night hosted by Guy Lloyd with award-winning headliner Tom Ward. More Info

👶 Story Magic
10am and 11am @ Komedia
Interactive storytelling sessions for ages 9 months–4 years with songs, rhymes and puppets by Theatre Fideri Fidera. Tickets

Live Music

Jake Vaadeland & The Sturgeon River Boys + Special Guests | Komedia Tue 2 Sep 7:30pm | Tickets
Ducks Ltd. | Dust Tue 2 Sep 7pm | Tickets
Sandpit Collective Other Asias Film Screening || Aswaat/Voices: Nahla | Rose Hill Tue 2 Sep 7pm | Tickets
Gans | Green Door Store Tue 2 Sep 7:30pm | Tickets

Last week’s question was clearly too easy with over 95% of you getting it right (apparently everyone except me knew Fatboy Slim owns the Big Beach Café!). So let’s step it up.

This week we’re looking at another iconic performer, Charlie Chaplin, who performed at two famous sites including one of his first performances: a bit-part in theatre impresario Fred Karno's comedy Saturday to Monday, staged in May 1907.

Which of these three Brighton venues did Charlie Chaplin NOT perform at?

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💼 Voluntary Directors Wanted - Brighton & Hove Community Land Trust

Help shape community-led housing in Brighton & Hove with Brighton & Hove Community Land Trust. No experience needed — just enthusiasm, commitment, and a willingness to learn. We welcome people from all backgrounds. Email [email protected] to get involved today. Apply by Sept 8