Four times time

Ninety-five years ago toady, on 27 June 1930, Brighton’s Mayor Horace Aldrich formally opened the clock tower at the entrance to the Palace Pier. Commissioned by the Brighton Marine Palace and Pier Company and built by W. G. Beaumont & Company, the new clock tower was designed to create a grander gateway for visitors, replacing the original ironwork arches as part of a widened promenade. Its four faces have since become an iconic feature at the pier’s entrance, though the clock faces don’t always tell the same time!

Local lore holds that the clock’s internal mechanism and faces were salvaged from the Brighton Aquarium, during its 1929 demolition, and repurposed into the new pier entrance (see My Brighton and Hove). While this is a persistent and colourful legend - referenced in community histories and online forums - there seems to be no definitive documentation to confirm it. 

The clock has not always run smoothly. During the Second World War, the mechanism and faces were removed for safekeeping, protecting them from potential bomb damage or sabotage. When the pier reopened in June 1946, the clock was reinstalled and the tower rebuilt. Over the decades, the coastal environment - with its salt, wind and storms - has taken its toll, leading to periodic wear and tear and necessitating regular maintenance.

One of the most notable recent challenges occurred during a particularly wet winter in the late 2000s. The tower’s waterproofing failed, causing wooden structural supports to decay. This led to the clock’s shafts binding and the mechanism losing time. The problem was resolved by engineers from Hastings, who restored the clock and repaired the structure. Nevertheless, in the last few years, when on the beach, I’ve learned to check more than one face if I need to know the time.

The wreck of the Atlantique

On a stormy June night in 1860, Brighton Beach became the stage for a maritime tragedy that left one man dead and a French vessel stranded in the surf. The Atlantique, a coal-laden ship bound from Bowness to Marseilles, was driven hopelessly off course by days of violent weather. As the gale intensified, she struck the beach behind the Albion Hotel, within sight of the town’s esplanade. 

The wreck became the subject of local newspaper reports and a dramatic engraving in the Illustrated London News (1860-06-16: Vol 36 Iss 1036). A copy of the original edition, but with an imperfect image, can be freely viewed online at Internet Archive. A much better image - of which this is a screenshot - can be found at the Regency Society website (the digital image being owned by the Society of Brighton Print Collectors).

Here is the brief article that appeared with the picture in London Illustrated News.

‘The terrific gale which blew on Saturday week was felt in its full force at Brighton, and two vessels - the Transit, of Shoreham, and the Atlantique, of Nantes - were driven on shore. We give an engraving of the wreck of the latter vessel, from a sketch taken on the Pier Esplanade by Mr. E. Nibbs, of Howard-place, Brighton. The following details of the disaster are from a local paper.

The wreck of the Atlantique, of Nantes, took place last night, and, unfortunately, there was loss of one life. Between eleven and twelve o’clock the vessel was seen driving towards the shore, until at length, just at the turn of the tide, and during the height of the gale, she struck the beach at the back of the Albion Hotel, carrying away part of the groyne, and the sea began to beat furiously over her. Captain Manby’s apparatus was called into requisition, and rockets were thrown, by means of which a rope was thrown over the vessel and communication with the shore established. The captain and some others threw themselves into the sea, and got safely to shore. One young man, however, was carried away by the sea and drowned, his body being found not far from the spot about an hour afterwards. The rest were saved by means of the ropes of the ship and the exertions of those on the shore. The exhausted and weatherbeaten men, including the captain, five men, and a boy, were taken to Mr. Payne’s Marine Hotel, where fires were prepared and every kindness shown them. The Atlantique was bound from Bowness to Marseilles, laden with 210 tons of gas coal. She was driven considerably out of her course by the heavy gales of the previous Sunday and Monday, and, after encountering much bad weather, on Saturday, the 2nd inst., was forced helplessly on the Sussex coast.

South-East History Boards has a transcript of the local newspaper report on the inquest into the death of Celestin Pruneau, First Mate of the Atlantique. 

An attempt was made to refloat the Atlantique, the same source reveals, but this failed - the salvors sold her cargo of coal, the purchaser being the Brighton & Hove Gas Co.

Jet skis not great whites

Jet skis - not great whites - are a familiar sight slicing through the waters near Brighton’s Palace Pier, though sometimes they can become so frenzied it is difficult to tell the difference! The main operator offering these central seafront sessions is Simply Good Times, an events company that runs guided jet ski safaris directly from the pebbles. Riders gather just west of the Palace Pier, where they’re kitted out in wetsuits and given a safety briefing before heading out onto the open water.

Prices for these beach-based safaris can appear surprisingly low - sometimes advertised from around £55 per person - but that figure typically reflects group bookings where participants share jet skis and ride in rotation. Rather than operating as a solo rental service, these sessions are designed for hen and stag parties, birthdays, and corporate outings, where the focus is on shared fun and accessible thrills. The jet skis themselves are similar to those used by professional outfits at the Marina - modern, powerful, and fast enough to send a cold plume of salt spray over the Palace Pier's ironwork.

For those seeking a full hour solo on a jet ski - with uninterrupted ride time and private guidance - providers like Lagoon Watersports at Brighton Marina may be a better fit, albeit at a higher price point (around the £150 mark). But if you’re after a taste of jet-powered freedom without leaving the beach, and you don’t mind sharing the ride, then Brighton’s central Jet Ski Safaris offer a rare blend of speed, salt, and spectacle - apparently, with deckchairs and doughnuts waiting when you return.

Jet skiing began in the 1970s with Kawasaki’s original stand-up Jet Ski, and since then, personal watercraft (PWCs) have become a popular form of coastal recreation in the UK. As of 2021, there were an estimated 12,000 to 15,000 jet skis in use across the country, with around 1,200-1,400 new units sold each year (see this government briefing paper). In 2023, UK legislation brought PWCs under the Merchant Shipping Act, following safety concerns and a rise in accidents. This means jet skis are now legally treated as vessels, subject to maritime rules and heavy penalties for misuse.

These photos were shot last weekend from the Palace Pier; and the AI image of a great white is taken from StockCake.

Stormzy stars in Brighton short

Stormzy’s new short film Big Man, much of it shot in Brighton - on the beach and the pier - marks the artist’s first leading role on screen. The 20-minute film, directed by Oscar-winner Aneil Karia and released this month, was shot entirely on the latest iPhone and produced by #Merky Films in collaboration with Apple.

The short film follows Tenzman, a former star adrift in a creative slump, who reconnects with joy and purpose after an unexpected encounter with two young boys (played by Klevis Brahja and Jaydon Eastman). Their adventure takes them to Brighton Beach, where scenes of them running across the pebbles, trampolining and eating chips together capture moments of emotional clarity for Stormzy’s character. 

Stormzy himself was born Michael Ebenazer Kwadjo Omari Owuo Jr. in Croydon in 1993. He rose to fame in the mid-2010s with tracks like Shut Up and his debut album Gang Signs & Prayer, the first grime album to reach number one on the UK Albums Chart. In October 2015, he played at the Brighton Beach venue, Concorde 2, during his first-ever UK headline tour. A year later he was back in town performing a high‑energy set at the Dome during The Great Escape festival.

Known for his political engagement and cultural influence, Stormzy has since expanded his impact beyond music, launching a publishing imprint, founding #Merky Books, and supporting educational and justice initiatives. Big Man signals a new creative chapter, blending music, narrative, and location in a quietly ambitious short film rooted in real emotion and recognisable British landscapes.

The film, from which these screenshots were taken, can be viewed at Time Out's website.

Double six every time

No one had asked for them. They weren’t on any plan, proposal, or procurement list. Yet there they were, two enormous red dice, half-buried in the shingle between the pier and the overflowing litter bin.

Councillor Denise Griggs first spotted them on her brisk morning walk. She frowned, took a photo, and sent it to Highways, assuming they were bollards gone rogue.

By lunchtime, a petition was circulating to keep them.

Locals swore blind they’d been consulted. ‘It was in the newsletter,’ said a man who had never read a newsletter in his life. ‘A playful intervention in public space,’ chirped an art student, taking selfies with them in six different outfits. ‘They soften the hardscape,’ said a yoga instructor who had just learned the word ‘hardscape’.

But others were less charmed. ‘We need benches,’ muttered June Tranter, aged 84, who sat on the dice because it was the only thing lower than her knees but higher than the ground. ‘And I slipped on one last night,’ said a man who had, in fairness, slipped on most things.

By Friday, the dice were on TripAdvisor. ‘WHIMSICAL INSTALLATION! So Brighton! 😍🎲🎲 #DiceLife’

‘Can’t tell if they’re art or bins. Love it.’

‘Would recommend for ten minutes.’

Then came the theories.

One woman claimed they were part of a secret casino testing public tolerance. A boy in Year 5 declared, with perfect sincerity, that if you rolled both sixes, the West Pier would regenerate like Doctor Who. A retired magician offered £500 to anyone who could make one disappear ‘properly’.

Denise Griggs, meanwhile, was deep in council minutes. There was no funding. No invoice. No artist named. A FOI request revealed only a baffling line item: ‘Urban Dice (2) - As per civic gamification strategy. Approved retroactively.’

Retroactively?!

At the next council meeting, the Leader, Julian Parkes, admitted - off the record - that the dice had been ordered by his predecessor during a failed - Playful Urbanism - initiative meant to make Brighton a finalist for the European City of the Unexpected. ‘There was a deckchair maze too, but it blew away,’ he mumbled. ‘And we think the dice were meant to be mobile.’

‘On wheels?’ Denise asked.

‘No. Metaphorically.’

Weeks passed. The dice stayed.

Teenagers lounged. Seagulls perched. A local poet declared the left die ‘a metaphor for uncertainty’ and the right ‘just another lie.’ Someone started leaving single dominoes around them. A TikTok trend briefly flourished: #DiceDance. Then vanished.

And every so often, late at night, under cover of darkness, the dice would jiggle themselves, just for a few seconds, smiling urbanely at each other, before re-settling - double six every time.

Hot but not hottest

As a wave of hot weather sweeps across the UK, Brighton Beach finds itself once again at the frontline of a summer heatwave. Crowds have surged to the seafront, swimmers dot the water, and sunbathers are making the most of the unusually high temperatures. With temperatures nearing - and in some parts exceeding - 30°C this week, Brighton is experiencing its hottest spell of the year so far, mirroring a national trend that has prompted heat health alerts and coastal safety warnings.

According to the Met Office, Brighton recorded its hottest day of the week earlier this month, part of a broader trend of increasing summer extremes. The warmest day ever logged in Brighton remains 19 July 2022, when temperatures spiked to 35.7°C. That same day also marked a historic national milestone: the UK’s all-time record high of 40.3°C was reached in Coningsby, Lincolnshire.

The photograph above was taken yesterday afternoon (while the sun was taking a break from scorching); and the photos below were taken in July 2022 (the one on the left sourced from The Argus, the one on the right from Sussex Live).

In contrast, this June’s heat is not yet record-breaking for Brighton, but it is consistent with the increasing frequency and intensity of heat events in southern England. Coastal towns like Brighton are experiencing earlier and more sustained summer heat spells, driven by both global climate shifts and regional atmospheric patterns. The BBC reported a few days ago that temperatures were well into the high twenties, triggering yellow health alerts and packed beaches from Bournemouth to Blackpool. 

But while the sunshine may tempt thousands to flock to Brighton Beach’s iconic pebbles and cool waters, safety experts have been urging caution. The RNLI issued renewed warnings, especially in light of the growing crowds and warmer air temperatures. Despite the heat, the sea around Brighton remains relatively cold - a dangerous contrast that can lead to cold water shock. ‘Air temperatures may feel warm, but UK sea temperatures are cold enough year-round to trigger cold-water shock,’ warns Chris Cousens, RNLI Water Safety Lead. ‘Big waves and strong rip currents can overpower even the most confident swimmers.’

The RNLI’s Float to Live campaign is being widely promoted across coastal communities. The advice is simple but proven to be life-saving: if caught in trouble, tilt your head back, submerge your ears, stay calm and float - don’t try to swim immediately. So far, the technique is credited with saving at least 50 lives.

Statistically, the risk of accidental drowning increases fivefold when air temperatures rise above 25°C, according to research from the National Water Safety Forum and the Royal Life Saving Society (see Swimming.org). With that threshold breached in Brighton this week, the RNLI warning is especially timely - particularly for teenagers finishing their exams and heading to the beach to cool off, sometimes without awareness of the dangers.

However, as I write, the forecast is for temperatures to fall, to around 20°C for the next week.

London to Brighton for £2!

The fifth annual London to Brighton Electric Vehicle Rally rolled out from Westminster this morning, as more than sixty quiet yet determined electric vehicles - ranging from sleek city cars to robust SUVs - set off on the scenic 60-mile journey to Brighton Beach. Two Teslas pulled in first.

Launched in 2021 as a grassroots initiative to inspire confidence in EVs, the rally has grown exponentially - beginning with just 23 participants at its inception, climbing to over 120 competitors and drawing an estimated 35,000 spectators this year. Today, the first to arrive was a grey Tesla, closely followed by a father and son in a second grey Tesla - competition number 37. The driver of the second Tesla told the MC that the trip had only cost him £2 on ‘fuel’.

According to the promoters: ‘Whether you’re a participant or a visitor, Madeira Drive in Brighton is the place to be on rally day. With over 35,000 expected visitors, it transforms into a hub of electric vehicle innovation and entertainment. At the centre of it all is our EVillage, featuring partners like BYD and Hankook Tyres. Here, attendees can test drive a wide variety of electric vehicles with zero obligation, engage with manufacturers, and learn about the latest advancements in electric mobility.’ Tonight, an award ceremony is due to take place at the Brighton i360 - a celebration of the year’s most efficient vehicles.

The organisers are keen to demonstrate the advance of EVs. In 2021, they made up only 11.6% of new car registrations. In 2025, that figure has passed 27%, and the government predicts it could hit 50% by 2028. Charging infrastructure has improved too, with over 60,000 public charge points available across the UK - up from just 9,000 in 2018. Ultra-rapid chargers are appearing on motorways, in supermarkets, and even in remote villages - see more at Fully Charged Show.