There”s a sense of real anticipation gliding into Brighton”s rather splendid railway station.
Particularly if the sun is shining, the sea can be glimpsed shimmering from the hill and the first plaintive cry of the gull immediately gives the south coast town a sense of place.
Is it a frisson of Brighton”s subconscious fin de siecle naughtiness or is it simply a sense of heightened awareness that being by the seaside ” even in the bleak midwinter - brings?
Whatever it is, the city is looking to move on from its historical Edwardian atmosphere, with a slick campaign from the Visit Brighton office highlighting the place as suitable for any number of conferences and events, and yes, perhaps even a nod and a wink to the odd leisure weekend too.
I was billeted in Snooze bed and breakfast in Kemptown ” one of Brighton”s er, more Bohemian areas. There”s no getting away from it ” the town is home to an eclectic hotchpotch of residents ” not perhaps to everyone”s taste ” but its reputation attracts a vast cocktail of the generally more liberal elements of society.
Breakfast room, Snooze
The Snooze b&b features a small selection of seven rooms ” but with the difference that each one of them is individually themed ” mine had a wall-mounted wooden wardrobe, a large Sailor Jerry Rum poster, leather sofa and small TV ” but others offer an arty or more decadent approach.
A breakfast room redolent more of a canteen ” very retro ” serves a hearty full English or veggie breakfast ” while the helpful owners are on hand to serve and offer tourist advice.
Two words that are heard everywhere about the city are quirky or eccentric and that is certainly true of a large number of Brighton”s inhabitants, but folk are friendly enough. There”s also a vast array of attractions ranging from myriad restaurants, bars, nightclubs and sporting venues such as the Sussex County Cricket ground and Brighton Racecourse to pass a few entertaining hours.
One of the must-see architectural extravaganzas in Brighton and a short stroll from The Snooze, has to be the Royal Pavilion. Built during a 35-year period from a farmhouse into the present-day neo-Indian palace, it became synonymous with the-then Prince of Wales, subsequently to become George IV.
Depending on your opinion, it”s either a magnificent example of quirky ” there”s that word again ” brilliance or tacky imitation. Certainly, it”s quite a surprise to enter the Pavilion on a bright day and to be met with an unremittingly gloomy interior that appears to be stuffed with every bit of tat collected from the more exotic reaches of the British Empire.
The central dining room is initially breathtaking with an enormous dragon holding the main chandelier, but its vast excess made me despair of just how suffocating all that buttoned-up starchiness must have been. George IV had something of a reputation as a partygoer, but the endless requirement to adhere to etiquette outlined in just who sat where and in what order for example, made me beat a hasty retreat.
In fairness, the Chinese Tea and Music rooms as well as the enormous kitchen were impressive, but none of it cut any ice with the doughty Queen Victoria who was an infrequent visitor. She dispensed with a lot of the Pavilion”s frippery, preferring a more sober and less ostentatious approach.
No visit to Brighton is complete without a meander through The Lanes ” a collection of winding streets near the Pier that is home to a raft of boutique shops ” and prices to boot ” as well as city stalwarts pubs such as The Sussex and Druid”s Head.
Just opposite The Sussex is English”s ” one of Brighton”s most well-known seafood restaurants and which sports a magnificent and original brass frontage outside. Replete with murals and red velvet, the feel is one of a bygone era, while the various gastronomic offers feature the restaurant”s Seven Stars Menu, priced at ”24.95 (two courses) and ”29.95 (three courses). Oysters are a speciality.
After lunch, a quick trot brings the visitor to Brighton”s famous pier starting from its pebble beach and close to the almost completely derelict West Pier.
Jutting a considerable way into the sea, this landmark doesn”t feel as if anything”s changed in 200 years. A ubiquitous funfair complete with whistles, bangs and frequent exhortations to part with punters” cash lies at the end, while an all-pervading smell of frying fat hangs over the whole edifice.
There is the sensation that Victorian ghosts continue to promenade up and down the creaky boards, while on a clear day the fiery winter sunset being quickly extinguished by the sea is a sight to behold.
Brighton is the UK”s seaside town writ large; it”s brash, bold, colourful, excessive and individual. It is also undeniably vibrant, lively and powerfully magnetic.
Simon Warburton
Editor ” ABTN
Snooze Hotel
25 St Georges St
Brighton
BN2 1JJ
01273 605797
Sun ” Thurs ” from ”80
Fri, Sat and bank holidays ” from ”100
www.snoozebrighton.com
www.visitbrighton.com
Getting there:
Rail: Fastest service ” 49min from London Victoria. Services also from London Bridge, Kings Cross and Bedford.
Car: 35min from M25 London orbital motorway.
Air: 30min road or rail from London Gatwick or 90min by road from Heathrow.
Sea: 20min by road or 25min by rail from Newhaven port connected to Dieppe by ferry. www.transmancheferries.com