Is it just me or has Brighton gone downhill?

[Newmeagain]

I was there for a weekend about 15 or 16 years ago. I have memories of lots of interesting, independent shops and eating places, particularly in the lanes and around that area.

I went today and was really disappointed. No interesting shops, restaurants were mainly chains. Some nice independent coffee places but that’s about it.

Has it changed or are my memories clouded?

I think Eastbourne is much nicer.

I follow a few people on Instagram who specialise in Brighton and Hove independent restaurants and coffee shops. A little research any have made a better trip.

I'm staying in West Sussex atm and went to Brighton last night to see a comedian. It finished well after 10pm and I was surprised - as I always am - that Brighton was heaving. There are always people out drinking, eating, dancing. First time I visited, I saw groups of people roller skating to disco music late at night. It is run down and the stench of pot is overwhelming and the homeless problem, stark. But it still has a lot of heart.

I read about it last month. It's called the Rayner effect.

I hadn't been to Brighton since the 90's, when I attended a relative (who used to live there) wedding. My husband, son and I visited a couple of years ago, and it was awful. I've never seen so much graffiti and rubbish. I couldn't wait to leave, and definitely won't be back in a hurry.

I went recently and had a brilliant time…but was not prepared for the open drug injecting we saw from people sat outside the lanes.

Chilli pickle and terre a terre are two of my favourite restaurants, we used to pre kids drive to Brighton regularly from Essex just to go to them!

Along with tacky and tatty, Brighton also has an international arts festival which attracts people and performers from all over the world, and I've seen it claimed that it's the biggest in the UK after Edinburgh. I think that elevates it quite a bit beyond Blackpool!

I'm sure Blackpool has its nice parts too, but whenever I've been there I've never found anywhere that comes close to parts of Brighton like Sussex Square/Lewes Crescent, or the beautiful Regency terraces up near Seven Dials, or the pretty little terraces of Hanover. The "posh" bits of Brighton are very posh and affluent.

I've never got the Bohemian, arty, hipster vibe in Blackpool that parts of Brighton have either.

I can see distinct similarities, too though. Both have issues with pissheads falling out of clubs in the small hours and fighting, both have problems with homelessness and drugs and both have areas that are quite deprived. I think that's a general big seaside resort thing, though. My brother lives near Clacton and that's fucking grim.

I live a few miles from Brighton, and it's really changed in the 30-odd years I've been here. It used to be great for shopping, but now I prefer to go to Horsham or Chichester.

Well, as you have been in, what, 30 years I
guess you deffo won’t be back in a hurry 😅

Most seaside towns are like this though?

It's like a lot of other seaside towns, a bit rough, we used to go in the caravan about 10-15 years ago and it was a bit rough then. Probably similar to Bournemouth in roughness or niceness

Brighton always been a mix. It's posher than it used to be in the 80s but less individual shops now. Car parking is hell. However the lanes are still interesting. Last time we went there we stumbled into a demonstration which was loud and aggressive and it frightening my 8 year old. Luckily a couple of policemen slipped us safely away from the demonstration. Sadly not wanted to return since due to that and the parking but maybe when she's a teenager.

Bournemouth has sandy beaches - you can't beat the sand dunes at Shell Bay. Brighton has rocks.

Of all the things to complain about I don’t think the restaurants and shops would be either. So many brilliant places to eat. And I don’t know many places with as many great independent shops, there’s no boarded up places like some towns. Did you go the North Laine or The Lanes? It doesn’t sound like you did.

And it’s expensive because loads of people want to live there! Just this week I’ve been to two comedy gigs, a spoken word thing at the open air theatre, arty circus, gig at The Chalk, swam in the sea three times. Walked on the downs.

Friday night at the station isn't something I want to repeat in a hurry. I say that as someone who lived in London for over 20 years and always took the last train back from Charing Cross. Brighton felt like it was going to kick off any minute ,very edgy and not in a good way.

The beaches are fantastic in Bournemouth but it has noticeably gone downhill as well. The town centre is a shadow of its former self - covid really speeded up the deterioration.

A lot of seaside towns have gone the same way unfortunately.

I visited once about 4 years ago and wasn't impressed. I got off the train and it was quite grim walking down in to the town - felt like a moderately deprived northern town tbh (I'm a northerner before people call me out on this). The beach was crap and there was open drug use evident.

Overall it felt like a very expensive Scarborough, with a much worse beach. I won't be rushing back.

I grew up there which was great. (Clubbing in the 90s) Moved away early 2000s and definitely wouldn’t move back!

My parents still live there but I hardly visit as I just think it is so awful. It’s like a concrete jungle now, very built up, graffiti everywhere and homeless druggies.

Plus the beach is hard pebbles.

I think it's fun as a student and good vegan restaurants etc
But it doesn't do anything that Bristol or Cardiff doesn't do and Cardiff does it all better!

There's a very handy park & ride from the outskirts of Brighton into the city centre. It's easily accessible from the A27, just west of where it meets the A23.

I've never used it myself (there are 4 buses an hour to Brighton from my town, and I'm a pensioner, so they're free!), but friends who have reckon it's a lot less hassle than trying to find somewhere to park in the city centre.

Try Sheringham and Cromer. Great beaches, very old fashioned seaside vibe. Good for families.

I'm very fond of both Sheringham and Cromer, but they're weeny compared to Brighton and probably a fair bit more than an hour on the train from London.

Last time I drove to Norfolk, it took forever.

Are they small towns? Brighton is big. I live in another seaside town also big. Same problems. Took a look at photos online from yesterday and the beaches looked hell. But we’re the nearest seaside to London so it gets super congested when hot. But we don’t have quite the same arts scene as Brighton. Just antisocial behaviour and a lot of addiction. And yes, it has its wealthy areas.

I go about once every 6 weeks. It's a parody of itself now. And it tries too hard to be LGBTQ+ friendly.

Last time I went, I wasn't surprised to see a fight take place at 2pm over a drug deal. I was surprised to see it happening in the doorway of the Hotel du Vin on the front.

Much nicer seafront towns in either direction along the coast. Hastings has got a much livelier local cultural scene imo.