Hello, Brighton & Hove!

What a wonderful bank holiday weekend that was. The weather really turned it on for us, the seafront was absolutely packed, and the city felt like the busiest place on the south coast. The momentum is carrying straight into the week too, with plenty of unique things happening right across town to keep that summer feeling going.

Away from the front, things are feeling distinctly creative. You could be catching an award-winning West End deception story over at the Theatre Royal, letting the kids join an interactive cooking experience at Caravanserai, or heading out to Hove for a sophisticated, weatherproof Italian dinner by the pebbles at Cecconi’s. Grab a brew and let’s dive straight in.

Here is what’s squawking this week:

👑 A Fiveways craft shopkeeper officially becomes our new mayor.
⚖️ A property developer demands legal costs over stripped pub tiles.
🏢 Plans are submitted for a huge 12-storey co-living tower block.
🏫 Middle Street Primary faces closure over a major budget deficit.
🚨 A beach patrol charity demands urgent funding following tragic drownings.

Fancy reaching over 5,200 Brightonians? Just reply to this email to ask about our options.

👑 Meet Brighton's new mayor: From local shopkeeper to first citizen

Labour councillor Theresa Fowler has officially taken office as the new mayor of Brighton and Hove for the upcoming municipal year. Raised in Fiveways and well-known for running a local craft shop, Fowler is a passionate environmentalist who intends to use her neutral ceremonial platform to champion local children's charities.

→ read more on Brighton and Hove News

🗳️ 🚨 Patrol charity demands funding boost following beach deaths

Brighton Beach Patrol volunteer Jake Cressey has warned that the charity desperately needs financial support to continue its early hours monitoring. Following the recent drowning of three sisters off Madeira Drive, volunteers are calling for extra funding to maintain and run both of their quad bikes simultaneously to keep late-night revellers safe.

→ read more on BBC News

⚖️ Pub tile developer demands council pays legal costs

Property developer Charlie Southall has launched a court bid to force Brighton and Hove City Council to cover his legal expenses after they dropped a criminal prosecution against him. Southall was originally taken to court for stripping historic tiles from the Montreal Arms, but he claims the council acted unreasonably as independent engineers had already deemed the work structurally necessary.

→ read more on Brighton and Hove News

🏢 Huge 12-storey co-living tower planned near Brighton Station

Watkin Jones Group has submitted planning applications to construct a 336-flat tower block on New England Street, which would sit directly alongside the Brighton Greenway. The development features communal amenity spaces and commercial units, though it has already sparked objections from local residents over its potential to overshadow the popular green corridor.

→ read more on The Argus

🏫 Brighton's oldest school to close following dramatic budget deficit

Brighton and Hove City Council has used its Labour majority to pass a definitive vote to close Middle Street Primary School at the end of August. Despite an impassioned 1,300-signature petition from parents, officials defended the decision after falling pupil numbers and long-term staff absences triggered a catastrophic £400,000 deficit.

→ read more on Brighton and Hove News

🚌 New combined bus route to connect Queens Park and Hollingdean

Brighton and Hove Buses will launch the new route 20 next month, merging the existing 18 and 50 services into a single cross-city link. Operating on a 15-minute weekday frequency, the revised service will introduce direct neighbourhood connections to Brighton Station and North Road, though it will bypass Churchill Square.

→ read more on Brighton and Hove News

🚁 Royal Sussex Hospital helipad opens after seven-year delay

A state-of-the-art £15.5m rooftop helipad at the Royal Sussex County Hospital has finally become fully operational after enduring extensive pandemic-related setbacks. Trust clinical leaders confirmed that landing trauma patients directly on the hospital roof saves an average of 11 critical minutes compared to landing in nearby East Brighton Park.

→ read more on BBC News

Also in the news:

🎬 Grace filming road closures: Loder Road and Roedean Road will experience temporary traffic closures this week to facilitate safe filming for the popular ITV television drama. → read more on The Argus

🧱 Brighton Brick Festival: LEGO enthusiasts from across the UK will gather at the Amex Stadium on June 27 for the return of the popular festival, featuring master builder displays, speed building challenges, and rare minifigures. → read more on The Argus

⚽ Albion seal European spot: Brighton and Hove Albion have successfully qualified for the Conference League despite a deflating 3-0 final day defeat to Manchester United at the Amex. → read more on Brighton and Hove News

🏥 Sussex Cancer Centre milestone: Alongside the opening of the helipad, hospital directors have laid the foundation stone for a transformational £250 million cancer treatment facility slated to open in 2029. → read more on Brighton and Hove News

🏫 Middle Street Primary closure: Middle Street parents have expressed immense frustration over governance failures, as the historic school enters its final half term with only 37 pupils left. → read more on BBC News

🏛️ Scrutiny transparency row: Green and Independent opposition councillors have accused the ruling Labour administration of leaving them in the dark since the council switched to a cabinet system. → read more on Brighton and Hove News

🍻 Three Jolly Butchers to close: The popular North Road pub, famous for its authentic Thai cuisine and cosy snug, has shocked patrons by announcing its closure at the end of the week. → read more on The Argus

🎤 Suggs hypes beach show: Madness frontman Suggs has shared his excitement for the band's upcoming sold-out July beachfront gigs, recalling his youth spending school holidays by the Sussex coast. → read more on BBC News

🖼️ Helm gallery

📆 Open Daily
📍 17-18 Market Street, The Lanes

Helm Gallery is the result of a collective vision aiming to provide a unique, dynamic arts and exhibition space situated right at the heart of Brighton's cultural quarter. As co-founder Luke Davis puts it, "Helm is about creating a new kind of welcoming and dynamic space where art is more than displayed, it's actually enjoyed and brought to life." Founded by art-lovers for art-lovers, the team brings together years of industry experience from collectors and curators to consultants, delivering a space that represents the culmination of all that is Brighton.

The physical gallery spans two distinct floors designed to broaden the city's artistic horizons. The ground floor comprises a rotating selection of limited-edition prints and highly sought-after original pieces, while downstairs lies a vast exhibition hall hosting cutting-edge shows, classes, and immersive experiences. By day, visitors can relax in the coffee area, enjoy the artwork, or browse a library of rare art and design publications. By night, Helm transforms into a cocktail bar to service a regularly scheduled lineup of evening events. Whether you are looking for investment pieces, starting a collection, or just eager to learn more, Helm offers an expansive platform for everyone to experience some of the finest contemporary art in the country.

🎨 Thursday Night Art Club | 7pm @ Helm Gallery
Amy from Cult Milk hosts a playful, beginner-friendly workshop focused on mark-making and collage to help you unwind and socialise. More Info

🔗 Explore the Helm Gallery

 🍝 Cecconi’s

If you love a proper Italian meal and, by chance, would like it served with a striking sea view, Cecconi’s is a spot I always recommend to everyone. It is owned by Soho House and sits right next door to their Brighton clubhouse, sharing that exact same beautiful beach view across the pebbles. While the member space next door is exclusive, this place is open to everyone, bringing a slice of sophisticated Venetian dining right to the seafront without losing that accessible, breezy local energy.

Every time I drop in, the atmosphere strikes that perfect balance of feeling like a real occasion while remaining completely relaxed. The service is incredibly slick, making it a brilliant backdrop for a proper catch up or a memorable date night where you can actually hear each other speak.

The food is second to none, focusing on classic, hand rolled pasta and beautifully executed cicchetti. My absolute go to is the spaghetti lobster, though you cannot go wrong with their wood fired pizzettes. They also mix some of the best Negronis you will find along the coast.

If you are planning a weekend visit, they do a fantastic brunch that offers a refreshing alternative to the usual local cafe options. Have a browse through their Instagram to get a look at that stunning seafront terrace, and then make sure to get a table sorted for your next night out.

📍 2-3 Grand Junction Road
🕒 12pm to 11pm (Mon to Thu), 12pm to 12am (Fri to Sat), 12pm to 10pm (Sun)
🔗 Book a table

🏠 The Ultimate Regency Dream

Oh my god, look at this absolute behemoth on Eastern Terrace. Spanning a mind-boggling ten thousand square feet, it is one of the grandest private seafront homes in Britain, and I am officially crying into my morning coffee, wishing I had a spare three point five million pounds to buy it. We are talking sixteen-foot ceilings, a magnificent cantilevered stone staircase, and an actual double-height galleried library that looks like a member’s club. The real kicker for me is the rooftop terrace with jaw-dropping panoramic views over the sea, plus a massive lower ground floor complete with a full-sized billiard room and courtyard gardens. Honestly, it is the ultimate fantasy home for anyone wanting to live like absolute royalty on the coast.

📍 Eastern Terrace, Brighton
💰 £3,500,000
🔗 View on Aucoot

Tue

🎭 Babel Beast | 6pm @ The Actors Pub
This explosive one-woman multi-lingual cabaret lands in Brighton to remix pop culture, nostalgia, and ancient Greek myths. More Info

🎤 Best of the Fest | 3:30pm @ Artista
Voted Best Fringe Venue three years straight, this showcase brings you the finest high-energy comedy talent across the lanes. More Info

🎪 Caravanserai Festival | 12pm @ Caravanserai
Explore an eccentric, free-to-enter pop-up world north of St Peter's Church built completely from repurposed treasures, food, and bars. More Info

🍮 Custard Club by Alice Harris-Deans | 5pm @ The Lantern Theatre
A touching and funny play following a young woman who summons four iconic 20th-century women to her kitchen table over custard. More Info

💄 Jonny Woo: Suburbia | 7pm @ Ironworks Studios
The award-winning legend brings his solo show home, blending drag, cabaret, and burlesque in a wild journey from Kent to NYC. More Info

🎭 Lessons From Teacher X | 7pm @ The Lantern Theatre
EastEnders star Barbara Smith plays 15 characters in a gripping solo play about a schoolteacher, an online model, and a shared secret. More Info

🎤 Paul Hilleard: Grogg at The Secret Comedy Club | 6:30pm @ Artista
Catch dry, award-winning wit from the BBC New Comedian of the Year 2024 finalist as he debuts his highly anticipated new hour. More Info

🎭 Operation Mincemeat | 7:30pm @ Theatre Royal
The Olivier Award-winning best new musical hits Brighton, delivering a fast-paced and witty retelling of a secret WWII deception operation. More Info

Wed

🎨 ARTiculate | 2pm @ ARTiculate
A completely zero-pressure afternoon gathering built around storytelling, simple art-making, and a quiet space to unwind. More Info

🎶 Ergod Trio| 7:30pm @ At The Coach House
An intimate evening of avant-garde music featuring incredible, completely improvised contemporary soundscapes from veteran collaborators. More Info

🏏 Special Olympics Cricket | 1:30pm @ Moulsecoomb Community Leisure Centre
Sussex Cricket coaches host a relaxed, inclusive session teaching core basics to adults with learning disabilities or autism. More Info

🎤 Gary Meikle: Yer Maw | 6:30pm @ Komedia
The stand-up powerhouse returns with a brand-new, self-deprecating hour of brilliantly chaotic and breathless storytelling. More Info

🎭 Flufflin & The Shooting Star | 2pm & 4pm @ The Brunswick
A dreamy, interactive family tale of self-discovery utilizing beautiful puppetry and projection mapping to build kids' confidence. More Info

🎸 Bloody Knees | 7pm @ The Hope & Ruin
The Cambridge foursome hits the stage with a heavy, raw dose of grungy, feedback-soaked indie rock straight from the 90s playbook. More Info

💃 Breakin' Convention | 2:30pm & 7:30pm @ Brighton Dome
The ground-breaking international festival returns with world-class poppers, lockers, and b-boys alongside the fierce Femme Fatale crew. More Info

🎭 The Brighton Slamologue | 7:30pm @ The Yellow Book
A quick monologue slam where performers deliver quirky 2-3 minute pieces, leaving the cash prize completely up to an audience vote. More Info

🔮 Madame Isolde's Crazy Zodiac Cabaret | 7pm @ Caroline of Brunswick
Step into a hilariously chaotic night of variety acts, raw cabaret, and complimentary astrology read by a deranged cosmic hostess. More Info

Thu

🎨 Thursday Night Art Club | 7pm @ Helm Gallery
Amy from Cult Milk hosts a playful, beginner-friendly workshop centered on collage and mark-making to help you connect and unwind. More Info

🇮🇹 Brighton Italian Festival | 3pm @ Horatio's Bar
The massive Italian cultural celebration takes over the pier for a vibrant afternoon of food, drinks, and live entertainment. More Info

🎸 Prewn | 7pm @ The Green Door Store
Expect raw, unsettling, and heartbreakingly honest songwriting anchored by gritty riffs and haunting vocal beauty under the arches. More Info

🎺 Town of Cats // Binbag Wisdom // Brassic Parp | 2pm @ Caravanserai
Festival favorites Town of Cats bring an explosive outdoor fusion of afrobeat, Latin grooves, and blasting brass sections to the big top. More Info

✨ Andrew Frost - Pretending | 7pm @ The Lantern Theatre
Fresh from Edinburgh, magic-maker Andrew Frost delivers an unmissable evening focused entirely on wonder and suspended disbelief. More Info

👑 Beaverhausen | 6:30pm @ Komedia
The queer, gender-bending drag king returns with a heavy dose of camp, big-prat energy on a mission to save his hometown. More Info

🎸 The Handsome Family | 7:30pm @ Komedia
The masters of gothic country rock tour their landmark album Singing Bones, famously featuring the hit theme song from True Detective. More Info

🎤 An Evening with Elvis Lesley | 7pm @ Saltdean Lido
Tracey Collins brings her hilarious, award-winning musical comedy show mapping an Elvis impersonator's dream of leaving their day job. More Info

🪵 Feast & Fable - A Story Cook-A-Long | 12pm @ Caravanserai
An immersive half-term family storytelling show that beautifully combines live cooking and theatre inside the Caravanserai hub. More Info

Fri

⚽ Active Future Futsal Academy (Ages 8-13) | 6:30pm @ Longhill Sports Centre
A fast-paced indoor futsal academy focusing on ball contact and quick reflexes, complete with two free taster sessions for kids. More Info

🎸 Currls + Masca + Aly | 7:30pm @ The Hope & Ruin
Brighton's DIY garage rock trio Currls headline a raw, high-energy underground set mixing punk riffs and sludgy pop hooks. More Info

💃 Dance - Powerful Dance Journeys | 8pm @ Brighthelm Church and Community Centre
A high-energy, expressive dance space tailored fully for electronic music lovers looking to find their true movement and unwind. More Info

🎤 A Head Full Of Bees By Lela Bergeron | 5pm @ The Lantern Theatre
A musical solo comedy described as Sesame Street meets The Exorcist, tracking what it means to love your own inner weirdness. More Info

Live Music

Hannah Peel & Beibei Wang: Live + Signing | 6:30pm, Tue @ Resident Music
Mestengo + Crowd + Thimble | 7:30pm, Tue @ The Hope & Ruin
Puma Blue | 7pm, Tue @ Chalk
Youth Fountain | 7pm, Tue @ Dust Brighton
Youth Fountain | 7pm, Tue @ Zahara

Bloody Knees | 7pm, Wed @ The Hope & Ruin
Ergod Trio | 7:30pm, Wed @ The Coach House
Sir Chloe | 7:30pm, Wed @ Concorde 2
Survivalist | 7pm, Wed @ Dust Brighton

Benjamin Steer | 7pm, Thu @ The Hare & Hounds
Bunkr Album Launch + Simon Heartfield + Songe | 7pm, Thu @ Alphabet
An Evening with Elvis Lesley | 7pm, Thu @ Saltdean Lido
Gershwin's 'Porgy and Bess'- Chris Coull | 7pm, Thu @ Brighton Open Air TheatreThe Handsome Family | 7:30pm, Thu @ Komedia
Maow! x Front Room Songs Pre. Rizzy & the Gents | 7:30pm, Thu @ The Hope & Ruin
La Notte Italiana presents: Spaghetti Disco | 7pm, Thu @ Hotel Pelirocco
Prewn | 7pm, Thu @ The Green Door Store
Sing-a-Long-a-Musical | 8pm, Thu @ Ironworks Studios

K-Pop All Stars | 6pm, Fri @ Brighton Centre
Helm Gallery’s ‘Take The Streets’ | 6pm, Fri @ Helm Gallery
Alan Barnes and David Newton | 5:30pm, Fri @ St Andrew's Church
Cobrah | 7:30pm, Fri @ Brighton Dome
Currls + Masca + Aly | 7:30pm, Fri @ The Hope & Ruin
Powerful Dance Journeys | 8pm, Fri @ Brighthelm Church and Community Centre
Deep Transmission VII Spring Bank Holiday | 9pm, Fri @ Waterbear venue
Francis Of Delirium: Live + Signing | 6:30pm, Fri @ Resident Music
Headmix & Tragic Roundabout: Live Music Extravaganza | 7pm, Fri @ Caravanserai
Mom Tudie | 7:30pm, Fri @ The Folklore Rooms
Rhythm of the 90s | 7:30pm, Fri @ Concorde 2
Scissor Sisters | 6pm, Fri @ Chalk

37% of you were correct! British inventor Richard Browning, known as "Jetman", broke the world record for the fastest flight in a body-controlled, jet-powered suit.
On November 14, 2019, he took off from Brighton Beach and flew along the coastline, hitting a record-breaking speed. Talk about an upgrade to the standard coastal commute. Read more

This week, we’re heading to the Royal Pavilion to look at a rather embarrassing architectural design flaw.