London Road and Roundhill

Welcome

by John Blackwell

Your editor for London Road and Roundhill is John Blackwell. If you've got any queries about this area, or can add any information, photos or memories, please send My Brighton and Hove a message via the Comments form at the bottom of this page.

I have lived all my life in Brighton, in the same street in which I was born. My recollections go back to the Fifties and I have been interested in local history for forty years. My particular interest is transport and industry as can be seen from the following notes.

The Area Today
To the west of London Road is a mixture of light industry, social housing and car parks. The tower blocks of Theobold House, Circus House and New England House, an eight-storey block of small industrial units, together with Pelham Tower, the City's College of Technology overlook the London Road. A city eyesore is the site of the former railway goods yard and works, which were demolished in 1979, and despite many schemes, mostly totally unsuitable, remains as a giant car park. London Road was once a thriving commercial area but now has a decaying aura particularly the area opposite St Peter's church, even the Open Market once bustling and thriving seems afflicted with a sad malaise but is still excellent for cheap produce. The area between the London and Lewes roads has been covered with housing for over a hundred years and has changed little; the most obvious casualty has been the corner shop. Lewes Road continues to serve the local community's needs as it has for over a century.