What a disappointment for visitors!

North Street, Brighton
Photo by Jack Latimer

There are many contenders for the worst street in Brighton and Hove! At present North Street, apart from a couple of buildings, must be pretty low: unoccupied buildings, unimaginative modern architecture, fly-posting, dense traffic, and cheap eating places.

Principle trading street
Only recently it was one of the South’s principle trading streets with character and style: Hanningtons, Vokins, the Essoldo cinema, the Princes News Theatre, Clarence Hotel (where I had my stag night in 1972!), the Red Lion pub.  All gone or out of original use.

Connecting the city
This road connects the jewels of the tourist city: the Royal Pavilion, The Lanes, North Laine, St Nicholas, Old Steine…even Churchill Square and Western Road shops. What a disappointment for visitors…and residents!

Comments about this page

  • I totally agree with your comments on all your featured sites. I have been Christmas shopping with my ten year old daughter today and as usual both North Street and London Road made me feel uncomfortable. Opposite St Peters Church is my pet hate! My husband Barry and I would also quite like to live in Clifton Terrace!

    By Julia Clifton (13/12/2003)
  • The best thing I can remember about this otherwise nondescript part of town was the closing down sale of the record / Hi-Fi store ‘Sounds Unlimited’ in early 1977 where I bought the albums ‘Smile’ by Laura Nyro and ‘Seed of Memory’ by Terry Reid, both in mint condition, for a pound each!

    By Sedat Nemli (16/01/2005)
  • I happen to live on North Street, and I love it. I live in an amazing flat and it is a superb location. The range of shops is not that bad, and as was mentioned earlier it connects all of the ‘gems’, so it is not necessary for it to also contain fabulous shops and architecture. I see North Street as for the locals with necessary amenities such as banks and newsagents. So leave it alone!!!

    By Vicky Burbridge (26/11/2006)
  • It’s not the street itself, it’s what the people of Brighton have made it! It may not be the classiest of streets, but Brighton isn’t exactly a ‘show town’ is it? North Street and Churchill Square have a lovely sense of home, especially at Christmas time.

    By Jasmine (11/12/2006)
  • Does anyone remember Virgin record store in North Street in the 1960s? It was at the top end of the road. It had record booths where you could listen on a head set. I remember it as a seedy type of place. It must have been Richard Branston’s first enterprise? This must be a claim to fame for North St.

    By David Maynard (02/02/2007)
  • Response to David Maynard above.
    There is a 1970s picture showing the Virgin store on the corner of North Street on the following website.
    http://www.terramedia.co.uk/brighton/Regent.htm

    By Roy Grant (25/01/2008)
  • I enjoy North Lane a bit more than North Road because a man stopped me in the street and told me that all the food places made you get food poisoning! North Road and North Lane are both fun and exciting though!

    By Meghan Morris (07/06/2008)
  • I am opening a coffee house/patisserie in North Street and would love to see some old pictures (if there are any) of the old Clarence Hotel.

    By Sandi Radford (25/06/2008)
  • Does anybody know anything about the Bricklayers Arms that was in North Street, as my great, great, grandfather William Revening was landlord there in 1840?

    By G Cox (16/07/2008)
  • I currently live in quite a grand flat on North Street. I’d love to see more old photos of the street and find out about the history of the buildings.

    By KC (06/09/2008)
  • I have lived in Brighton my whole life and I think your satement is a little unfair. I know North Street is not the best but it’s 100% better than the London Road-the main road which all tourists drive out of- that is a hole that should be removed. Plus times have changed since 1972 when you had your stag do… move on and live for today.

    By Alex (13/05/2009)
  • Unfortunately, I also think this area has gone to the dogs. Do the local council not have the wanting or belief that their town could be better?  Why waste money on arty things that have no meaning to most, spend money on what can save an area and attract much needed investment. Open your eyes, there are a million visions for you.

    By Greg (14/11/2009)
  • Stop moaning about parts of Brighton. I was brought up there and have a lot memories from 1945 on.

    By Jean Martyn (13/06/2014)

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