Mysterious gates, raining rocks and other stories (#9)
TL;DR of local press and stories from Brighton and surrounding areas.
News
A photographer called Ben Harvey has released his 5-years-in-the-making project called Brighton - Now & Then, a collection of 15 pictures blending old pictures from 100 years ago with pictures from today. Ben went to great lengths to figure out the original locations and camera settings. The results are incredible. Check out this behind the scenes video too if you are curious.
Some London commuters might have noticed in the past this mysterious gate between platform 5 and 6 in Brighton Station. A Redditor asked about it on the excellent r/brighton, and another kind Redditor explained that the gate leads to the shooting range of the Brighton Railway Rifle Club, as you can see in this video.
Meanwhile Three pledged to provide stronger internet signal for London commuters.
Almost one third of the homes in Brighton & Hove are privately rented.
An attempt to getting electrocuted on the seafront railway tracks, to attract Tinder users.
A puppy who enjoys collecting bags of litter.
The West Sussex County Council published a survey about proposed cycling and walking improvements between Shoreham-on-Sea and the boundary of Brighton & Hove.
The public toilet saga continues. The council originally seemed determined to introduce public toilet charges, however some councillor voted against the plan. Furthermore 18 public toilets are at risk of closing from April. See more details here. A petition on the matter has already attracted more than 4000 signatures and it will be presented on 9th February.
The next local election will be held in May, and we’re starting to see articles about candidates, starting with Greens and Independents.
Extinction Rebellion unveiled a satirical blue plaque protesting Southern Water, which allegedly keeps dumping sewer water near Brighton beach.
The BTN Bikeshare tractors bikes are being donated to a charity which will send them to support communities to Malawi.
From a Comparethemarket study: “Brighton & Hove has the second-best quality green spaces and parks (85.23) of the top five healthiest cities.
[…] Brighton & Hove has the third-highest number of healthy restaurants – 67 – in the top ten locations.”. B&H also came out in third place on the list of UK’s best locations to raise a family.
The Undercliff Walk has been temporarily closed due to ‘raining rocks’.
Some impressive stats about the Madeira Terrace’s restoration challenge: “Of all the projects underway perhaps the biggest challenge is to dismantle, transport, restore and then rebuild the country’s longest cast iron structure – Madeira Terrace. […] There are six tonnes of cast iron in each one of the 151 arches, which will be dismantled and taken away from site. […] Once the full restoration is completed, over 900 tonnes of cast iron will have been removed and reinstated.”
Greggs and its new vegan options are about to open a store in Gatwick Airport.
In the last issue we mentioned that the Saltdean Lido restoration is on track to finish before end of summer. Read more on the latest issue of the *Saltdean Lidonian*.
Snacks and the City
Mac’s Cafe — Burgers and Dogs
Frickled pink by this new hidden gem in Kemptown
We walk past Mac’s Cafe every day, but I have to admit we usually visit its sister at Roedean for breakfast as it seems to have a better veggie offering. So we were pleased to hear that Mac’s is now open in the evenings for Burgers and Dogs — and both veggies and vegans are well catered for. We ordered the halloumi burger with portobello mushroom, cannellini garlic paste, and sriracha mayo, and a vegan dog topped with BBQ jackfruit, pickled red onion, and jalapeno veganaise (both come with fries and I got marmite mayo, which was a revelation). The quality took us by surprise for such an unassuming venue. Everything was delicious and flawlessly cooked. But the star of the show was The Frickle, a humble pickle slice deep-fried in perfectly crispy batter that has changed my life for the better. On the downside, this is not the cheap eat we thought it would be (both our orders were £14) but I’d pay that for one frickle. Plus, it’s on Deliveroo if you’re not local. Brb, going to order a year’s worth of frickles to go.
9/10
Cryptic crossword
Solution to crossword in issue #8.
Music
“The Wellington Wailers, who proclaim themselves to be "Sussex's premier sea shanty crew," will be performing a charity performance at the Duke of Wellington, in Brighton Road, Shoreham.
In support of Shoreham Lifeboat and the RNLI, £3,400 will be presented to the Coxswain of the lifeboat during the proceedings on Thursday, January 19.
£2,400 has come from the Brighton Masons, a branch of the freemasonry organisation, and a further £1000 contribution from the Wailers.
The crew of the Shoreham Lifeboat and representatives of the Brighton Masons will be attending the performance at the Shoreham venue.
In total, the Wellington Wailers have donated over £6,000 to the lifeboat - through the sale of their two CDs “Welly boots and shanties” and “High tide and low life”. £5 of each sale is donated to the lifesaving institution.”
History corner
“Journey with us into the rich history of Brighton’s Fishing Community. Discover a Brighton of the past: a bustling little fishing village on the south coast which was transformed into a fashionable seaside resort. […] The [Brighton Fishing] Museum offers a truly intriguing look at the history of this famous town and it’s community. […]
Let us guide you through the Brighthelmstone of the 1700s, when patients were first prescribed the seawater at Brighton for its medicinal benefits. You’ll discover how Brighton soon developed into a fashionable resort town, a retreat for the rich, following the patronage of the Prince Regent – all with mixed reception from Brighton’s fishing community at the time.
By the mid 1800s, with the arrival of the railway, Brighton had become a haven for day-trippers. […] Fishermen became boatmen, showmen of the sea and the water a funfair. Other aspects of the story of Brighton Seafront the West Pier, Brighton Swimming Club and Punch and Judy.”
