Modernist Abstract
Hidden Places In Brighton
Brighton is a small city on the coast of the UK, south of London and less than an hour’s train ride from the capital. It has a history of attracting artists, slackers and tourists who come for the clean air and stayed for the nightlife, art galleries and relaxed atmosphere.
Like any English city, Brighton has its chain shops and mainstream attractions. Happily, they are easy to avoid and you can experience the more unique side of the city without having to put in any extra effort. As parking in Brighton is almost impossible, lets presume you’re arriving on the train and provide you with an interesting walk through the often overlooked places that make Brighton worth visiting.
As you come out of the station, turn right before the bike racks, then back left and walk down the hill that is Trafalgar Street. Under the station frontage is the Brighton Toy and Model Museum. Perfect for children or the very young at heart, this tiny museum contains a wide range of toys including puppets, antique dolls, and a very large set of model trains which have been lovingly laid out with model villages and working points.
Continuing down the hill from the museum, the Lord Nelson is a lovely place to enjoy a pint of the fine Harveys ale, brewed only ten miles away in Lewes. Then it’s downhill a little more to turn right at Sydney Street. This is the start of the North Laine shops. The trading association does not allow chain stores in the main streets, giving space to a wide range of independent traders, coffee shops and small restaurants. If you want a tattoo, a unique haircut, or a bonsai tree, you’ll be able to find it here.
Once you’re refreshed, take in the photography exhibition above the Snoopers Paradise flea market in Kensington Gardens. Regularly changing, they show fantastic shots of Brighton from a wide variety of photographers, from people who have been homeless to experienced professionals. Once you’ve had your fill of art, you can pop downstairs and pick up a new (old) outfit, books, computer games, antique furniture, die-cast models and practically anything else you can think of.
If you like graffiti or ‘street art’, take in Robert Street, which runs parallel to Kensington Gardens. Seeminly an average back street, look opposite the glass-fronted offices and you can see the backs of the shops have been decorated by a local permitted-graffiti scheme.
If your need for art isn’t quite satiated, take a left down Church Street and then right in to the Pavilion Gardens. The most famous building in Brighton, the Pavilion looks like an Indian palace dropped in to a seaside tourist town. Hidden in it’s gardens is the Brighton Museum and Art Gallery, which displays both local historic artifacts and local and visiting art exhibits.
You can follow Brighton’s growth from a small fishing village in the 1800s to it’s current incarnation as a vibrant city. You can also see a range of influential furniture, clothing through the ages, and regularly changing exhibitions.
Walking through the Pavilion Gardens, then cutting across North Street (ignore those chain stores!) You make it in to the Lanes. The buildings of the Lanes are the last survivors of the original fishing village and are now home to a variety of shops and businesses. Most famous for it’s jewellery shops, the Lanes is also home to a range of restaurants, cafes and antiques shops.
For food in the Lanes, the Bath Arms pub on Union Street is highly recommended. Although still ‘pub grub’, it’s higher quality fare than most of the nearby restaurants serve. The Hop Poles on Ship Street is also excellent, but sadly is also usually crammed with people enjoying it.
For a quick bite you can’t beat Piccolos, an Italian restaurant in Duke Street which serves with astonishing speed from it’s busy, visible kitchen. You can have a two course meal and be off to the pub before most restaurants have taken your order at Piccolos.
The Lanes leads you down to the sea. Whilst not exactly a hidden part of Brighton, you shouldn’t avoid seeing it while you’re in the city. On the seafront between the Palace Pier and the remains of the West Pier is a range of galleries, art shops, and the fishing museum.
Grab an ice cream and fight your way over the pebbles to the sea for a paddle. If you decide to stay, there’s an excellent boutique hotel in Brighton just ten minutes walk away. If you’re down for a day trip, talk the walk back to the station and have another look around, you’ll find some things you didn’t notice before as there’s always something new to see in Brighton.
Today’s Painting: Hands on Green
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