From Britain with Love

Brighton is located on the South coast of England, just an hour by train from London.

The beach, of course, plus the North Laine (pictured) which is packed full of little independent shops. If you like walking, the South Downs are a stone’s throw away and you can do all of this without a car - the bus service to the downs is ace. Brighton is wonderfully lively with a holiday feel. It is really liberal and has lots of free festivals. 

Beaconsfield Studios is full of artists including myself (children's book illustration pictured) and up and coming illustrator Yumi Okuda also resides here. Near upper Gardner Street there is a flea market and a second hand children’s book stall. It’s all on one street but lively and fun in between your cappuccino and walk to the sea.

Upper Gardner Street on a Saturday is great for locally grown veggies and each week I go, there are more food stalls popping up with yummy looking pies and groovy cup cakes. A stone’s throw from here is Infinity Foods Cafe which sells locally sourced, organic produce and wonderful pizza and cheese scones in the bakery section. Farmer’s markets are often found in Jubilee Square and on Wednesdays in Churchill Square.

There are some cool boutique hotels such as the very rock and roll Hotel Pelirocco on Brighton Beach (pictured), and Kemp Townhouse with its blend of contemporary style and English eccentricity.

Check out the boot sale at Brighton Marina on Sunday mornings for a great experience and a wonderful early start to Sunday. Loads of great stalls including vintage furniture and cheap bikes. The Fishing Museum located in the Fishing Quarter along the seafront towards the West Pier is worth a visit. Also the Brighton Toy Museum by the station on Trafalgar road and a bit further afield towards Hove is the very Victorian Booth Museum. A fascinating museum, including hundreds of British birds displayed in recreated natural settings. Plus butterflies, skeletons, a whale and dinosaur bones.

If you want to experience the starlings flying around the West Pier go in autumn. You’ll miss the mass of summer tourists and may still have some lovely sunshine.

There is a festival at the end of October called White Night. It marks the end of British Summer Time and uses your extra hour when the clock goes back wisely, by doing something different all night long.

In the spring there is the Brighton Festival and of course the Fringe Festival too, which hosts many interesting events. There are also Artists Open Houses in May and December, which are a great time to check out new and interesting arts and crafts.

There are many other food and sport festivals throughout the year, such as the Brighton Food Festival, the Brighton Art Fair and Made, Brighton’s Design & Craft Fair in November.

Brighton has something for everyone and is guaranteed to be a great place for a holiday or cultural experience.