I used to like Brighton. There was a feel to the place. A permissiveness that gave Brighton a bohemian feel and made it special. Unfortunately the conmen and incompetents known collectively as “The Council” obviously spent many happy days in Blackpool in their youth and have been hell-bent on destroying as much of the seafront as they possibly can.
The first odd addition to the seafront was the massively ugly ferris wheel. Unhappy that London had one, Brighton fast-tracked planning permission for this monstrosity overriding Brighton residents directly affected. The result: a fairground ride, permanently blocking the sea views for everyone.
Emboldened by this success, the next attraction to make an appearance was the i360. It’s a giant penis-style structure rising several 100ft into the air – making it impossible to ignore, even if you want to (a bit like a real one, coming to think about it). The council actually put £30m of taxpayer match funding into this phallic symbol (look it up!). When complete, it will have a doughnut-shaped ring which will slowly ascend and descend this erection. Picture it, and you’ll understand why locals refer it to the “self-masturbating penis attraction”. To add insult to injury, they built this “thing” in front of the most beautiful Regency Square in the city. So far so bad.
Add to that the dreadful brutalist Brighton Centre – who’s redevelopment was messed up by the same council who instead gave the go-ahead to the rubbish attractions, you’d think that they’d have done enough.
But no… They are now building a massive offshore wind farm, It will stretch all the way from Newhaven past Brighton to Worthing and all you’ll be able to see is rows and rows of ugly wind turbines instead of a horizon. Navigation which brings in significant tourism from abroad will cease,as it will be too dangerous to sail through, and the Marina where they are building hundreds of new flats with absolutely ZERO new infrastructure, schools, or transport will be empty of boats as people move away.
Brighton will decline further as there doesn’t seem to be any real vision for the city apart from “I’ve had this great idea. Why don’t we build a great huge friggin’ ugly structure in a place we haven’t destroyed yet”
There is one silver lining. For property owners, there is good news. Brighton is a London overflow. With easy links to Victoria and London Bridge pampered Londoners wanting city life next to the sea won’t mind the cultural destruction going on as they already experience it every day in their own city. With house prices rising, but still a fraction of London, it’s a logical choice.
That bohemian, free, tolerant feeling that pervaded the city will disappear with the influx from “the great smog”. You can already see and hear it. Time to move, methinks. Anyone have any suggestions?
