A truck in thought

This photo shows a Davis Trackhire truck, equipped with a hydraulic crane, unloading or positioning a large stack of heavy-duty panels - temporary ground protection or trackway, designed to create stable surfaces for vehicles and crowds on uneven or soft ground. In the background, you can see the calm turquoise sea with the silhouettes of the Rampion wind farm turbines on the horizon, under a clear blue sky. What is the truck thinking?

‘How curious it is, to pause amid the salt-kissed air, steel sinews humming with potential, beneath the ever-watchful sun. They call me Davis - a name painted boldly upon my flanks, though what is a name to a mind busy with purpose and observation? Here, perched between shingle and surf, I contemplate more than just my cargo.

I have journeyed on many roads: winding motorways by dawn, city grids pulsing with restless ambition, and now the still calm of the coast. Each mile of my travel has etched stories into my chassis - patience when the world is slow, resilience when the elements test me, satisfaction upon completing my duty.

Today I am burdened, yet unbowed; my payload stacked with the meticulous care of intent and design. My mechanical arm curves with the choreography of industry, a testament to human ingenuity and my own quiet resolve. I find purpose in service, pride in precision. My mission is as clear as the horizon: to deliver, to build, to form the bedrock upon which progress is staged.

Yet I am not without wonder. As I gaze seaward, turbines spin far off, guardians of a future knit with wind and light. I marvel at what I carry, but also at what carries me - the systems and hands, decisions and designs, that coalesce in a moment like this.

I am more than machinery, more than fuel and metal. I am a witness to endeavour, a bearer of burdens, a contemplative spirit at the margin of earth and water. My wheels may rest, but my mind, galvanised by quiet reflection, wanders still.

So let it be written: I am truck, yet thinker; labourer, yet philosopher. On this stony edge, I am at once at home and ever in motion, ever turning ideas as surely as I turn my wheels.’

Bloc Party’s Silent Alarm

Today, Bloc Party headline On the Beach, the annual summer music festival that transforms Brighton’s seafront into a large-scale open-air concert venue. Held each July, the event draws thousands of fans from across the UK to the city’s iconic shingle beach. With the Rampion wind farm on the horizon and stages set just metres from the tide, the festival once again brings live music to one of the most distinctive coastal settings in the country.

On the Beach began in 2021, building on Brighton’s long love affair with large-scale seaside music. It channels the same spirit that drew quarter of a million people to Fatboy Slim’s chaotic beach show back in 2002 - a landmark event that still hangs heavy over Brighton’s pop-culture memory. Unlike that free-for-all, the modern festival is carefully ticketed and spread over several weekends each July, bringing big-name DJs, rock bands and indie outfits to stages erected almost within reach of the tide. Past years have seen Royal Blood, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, The Kooks and The Libertines claim the beach. This summer’s run continues the tradition, with today’s billing dedicated to a more guitar-driven, indie flavour.

At the heart of it all are Bloc Party, who tonight perform their seminal debut album Silent Alarm in full, marking twenty years since it first tore through the UK charts. Released in 2005, Silent Alarm fused jagged post-punk guitar lines, urgent dance rhythms and raw, nervy vocals into a sound that defined an era of British indie. Songs like Banquet and Helicopter became anthems in sticky clubs and muddy fields alike. Over the two decades since, Bloc Party have shape-shifted through electronic experiments, introspective rock and propulsive returns to form, all without losing their taste for sharp edges and restless energy.

Frontman Kele Okereke has cited everyone from The Smiths to electronic pioneers like A Guy Called Gerald as influences. Guitarist Russell Lissack, meanwhile, has a side passion for rescuing stray cats and once briefly joined Ash on tour. Joining the two founders of the band on stage will be Louise Bartle on drums and percussion - officially part of the band since 2015 - and Harry Deacon, who took over bass duties in 2023.

Sharing the stage with Bloc Party today are Everything Everything, the Manchester art-rock outfit celebrated for twisting pop into clever, unexpected shapes, and Mystery Jets, long-time darlings of the indie circuit whose bright, slightly psychedelic songs like Two Doors Down still ring with youthful rush. They’re joined by Leeds newcomers English Teacher (see English Teacher on the beach, who played this very location a couple of months ago) and Liz Lawrence, the genre-hopping singer-songwriter whose crystalline vocals have become a Brighton favourite. Rounding out the bill are FEET, bringing fresh energy off the back of their new album, and Martial Arts, a rising local band adding yet more sun-soaked guitar sparkle to the beach.

Trans Pride march

Brighton is hosting Trans Pride today, with thousands of people - not least Queen Victoria! - gathering to celebrate and advocate for trans, non-binary and intersex rights. The day began with a rally in Victoria Gardens at 11am, followed by a march through the city and along the seafront. An accessible route was provided from the Old Ship Hotel, and free taxis have been arranged to help participants move between key locations.

The march is a central part of the annual event, which began in 2013 and has grown to become the largest of its kind in Europe. Brighton & Hove City Council is flying the trans flag above its buildings in support of the event, and members of the council’s LGBTQ+ Workers Forum are present with a stall in New Steine Gardens. The city is expecting between 30,000 and 45,000 people to attend throughout the day.

After the march, the focus shifts to the park and community spaces - see Trans Pride and Scenemag. In New Steine Gardens, there are speeches, stalls, and performances on the main stage, while Dorset Gardens is hosting acoustic music and a relaxed picnic area. Brighton Dome and Corn Exchange are running a makers’ market featuring work by trans artists and vendors. The celebrations will continue into the evening with an after-party at North Laine Brewhouse from around 7pm.

Trans Pride Brighton is both a protest and a celebration. It provides a platform for visibility and solidarity at a time when trans rights remain a subject of national debate. The event continues to grow in size and significance, with its route along the seafront making it one of the city’s most visible annual demonstrations.

French attack repulsed!

Exactly 480 years ago today, and amid heightened hostilities between England and France, a French fleet launched an attempted landing at Brighton. The incident is vividly described in Holinshed’s Chronicles, later quoted by the Victorian historian John Ackerson Erredge. Alongside this narrative survives a remarkable contemporary map, now held in the British Library, which graphically depicts the French fleet offshore, the disembarkation of troops, and the town in flames.

In 1545, during the reign of Henry VIII, England was in conflict with France. After Henry’s forces had taken Boulogne and devastated regions of France, King Francis I sent Admiral D’Annebault with a formidable fleet to retaliate by striking at the English south coast. The event, described in Holinshed’s Chronicles (a three-volume British history published in the late 16th century), as quoted in History of Brighthelmston by Erredge (page 61), specifically mentions Brighton (then styled ‘Bright Hampstead’ or ‘Brighthampston’):

‘In 37[th year of the reign of] Hen. 8th, 1545, July the 18th, the admiral of Franco, Mons. Donebatte [a corruption of the name D’Annebault), hoisted up sails, and with his whole navy (which consisted of 200 ships and 26 gallies,) came forth into the seas, and arrived on the coast of Sussex, before Bright Hampstead, and set certain of his soldiers on land to burn and spoil the country: but the beacons were fired and the inhabitants thereabouts came down so thick, that the Frenchmen were driven to their ships with loss of diverse of their numbers, so that they did little hurt there.’

The attempted landing at Brighton was thus met with swift resistance from the local populace, rallied by beacon fires. Their response was so determined that the French could do ‘little hurt there’ and were quickly forced back to their ships, having suffered losses. Again, it is said that ‘the inhabitants thereabouts came down so thick’ that the French attack was foiled before much damage could be done.

The text also refers to a remarkable ‘Picture Map’ from the time, providing further detail about the attack: ‘The number of ships attacking the town is twenty-two; and the largest, probably the Admiral’s, lying nearest the shore, has four masts. . . Eight of the latter [galleys] are on shore, and the armed men from them have disembarked on the beach, the place where they landed being inscribed, - “here landed the galleys”.’

This map apparently depicts the full force of the attempted raid. Details include: ‘On shore the houses under the cliffe are on fire; from the upper town also flames are issuing from almost every house.’ The town at that time had ‘five rows of houses running from north to south’ with a town field in the centre and a prominent road east, ‘about the spot now occupied by the Old Steine,’ labeled as ‘the valcy comyng from Lewes town to Brighthampston.’

Defensive preparations and geography are highlighted: ‘On this road and on the hill adjacent bodies of armed men are marching towards the town.’ Key townspeople landmarks are noted, such as the ‘town fyre cag’ (likely for signalling), the church encircled by praying or armed townsfolk, and two ‘wynde mylles’ to the north, near ‘the bekon of the towne’.

The response of the local gentry and yeomen is emphasised both in the narrative and in map notes suggesting rapid mustering in defense: ‘As this road approaches the beach, it is inscribed, - “Upon this west pt may lond cm psones (100,000 persons) unletted by any pvision there.” ’

The attempted raid on Brighton thus achieved very little for the French: they were repulsed with ‘diverse of their numbers’ lost, while the locals ‘quickly distressed them’. Their attack was notable for the rapid civilian and militia resistance that foiled their intent to burn or pillage the town. The French then moved on to other nearby targets, but Brighton’s quick and effective defence seems to stand out in this record as a testament to the vigilance and bravery of its 16th-century residents.

This vivid account is matched by the surviving picture map, produced at the same time - July 1545 - and now held in the British Library under the reference Cotton Augustus I. i. 18. This large-scale, hand-coloured map depicts the French fleet offshore, the disembarkation of troops, burning houses, beacon fires, and armed townspeople rallying in defence. It is thought the map was likely commissioned as part of Henry VIII’s broader programme of coastal surveillance and fortification.

Floods in Pool Valley

One hundred and seventy years ago today, on 17 July 1850, Brighton suffered a violent storm - with thunder and lightening - that soon flooded parts of the town, notably Pool Valley, just across the road from the beach and pier. This fabulous image - courtesy of the Royal Pavilion & Museums, Brighton & Hove - was first published by F. B. Mason (Repository of Arts, 120 King’s Road, Brighton) in August 1850. A detailed report of the weather and damage appeared the following day in the Brighton Gazette (available online with subscription) as follows:

‘Storm of Last Evening

A storm of lightning, thunder, and rain of almost unexampled violence broke over Brighton last evening. During the whole of Monday, Tuesday, and yesterday, the temperature had been very high; on Monday the thermometer in the shade reached nearly to 80. Indications of a coming tempest were discernible throughout the whole of yesterday afternoon, and about a quarter to seven it burst, after a few preparatory grumbles, apparently over the centre of the town. The lightning and thunder were terrific; the flashes of blinding brilliancy were followed the next instant by the crash, and the buildings were shaken to their foundations. The rain came down, not in poetic but in literal torrents, and the widest streets were turned into streams over their whole width. Even the most apparently secure roofs were not proof against the attacks of the water; the rain came through in numerous houses, flooding the apartments. In our own office, operations were suspended, and during the height of the storm the probability of the publication of the present sheet assumed a very dubious aspect. The violence of the storm lasted about an hour.

After the above general observations had been written, we learned the following details. Pool Valley, as is known to all the residents of Brighton and to most of its visitors far and near, is situated in the lowest part of Brighton. It is at the back of the Royal York Hotel; and years ago, previous to the construction of the Grand Junction Road, which now forms a barrier between it and the sea, it was constantly overflowed at high tides. Within a few minutes of the commencement of the storm, the water poured from three different sources - namely, from East Street, the Steyne, and the Marine Parade - the streams bringing with them the overflowings of North Street, the Marine Parade, St. James’s Street, and Edward Street, into the Valley; and the result was that Creak’s baths, Strong’s painter’s shop, an adjoining carpenter’s shop, two small houses, and the Wellington Inn were flooded.

The contents of the cellars and shops were immediately floated into the street; and as the storm continued and the accumulated water poured down, two of the three shops at the back of the York Hotel and forming a portion of the building were also inundated. The shops are occupied by Mr Pegg, wine merchant, and his brother, a fishmonger. The third shop, occupied by Mr Donald, farrier, escaped a similar visitation from the fact of its being approached by a flight of steps. In rushing from the Steyne, one of the streams entered and deluged in succession the area of Mr Cordy Burrows, surgeon, the shops of Mrs Streeter, baker, Mr Smith, stationer, and Madame Dorney, milliner, and approached within an inch of the shop doors of Mr Bruce, engraver, and Mr Martin, ornamental hairworker.

When the water first rushed into the Valley an attempt was made to give it exit by keeping clear the sink gratings by means of brooms; but this attempt was immediately and necessarily abandoned. Boats were then brought to the spot, first one, then a second, and then a third, for the purpose of securing the floating property; and as the depth of the water increased and the inmates of the houses were driven to the upper stories to aid their escape, the women and children uttered piercing cries from the windows for assistance. Fortunately, however, the water did not rise to such a height as to render the latter course expedient.’

The text on the image above reads: ‘On Wednesday morning, July 17th 1850, Brighton and immediate neighbourhood was visited with a remarkable deluge of rain, which, descending in continuous torrents, for several hours, speedily converted the low lying ground of Pool Valley, and other parts of the Town, into what appeared, as represented in the above view, an extensive lake.’ Also along the bottom margin are: ‘Published by F.B. Mason, Repository of Arts, 120 King’s Road, Brighton, Augt 19th 1850.’

A poorer reproduction of the image and a brief summary of the weather events, can be found on page 67 of Eileen Hollingdale’s Old Brighton (George Nobbs Publishing, 1979).

A long RNLI weekend

RNLI volunteers have been busy along Brighton Beach during the last few days. Over the weekend, the crews launched five times in 48 hours, a press release details, dealing with everything from people blown offshore on inflatables to paddleboarders venturing far out to sea.

The first task came at 7.30pm last Friday when the crew launched to reports of a person in the water clinging to an orange float near the West Pier. The lifeboat quickly located a man who was fishing from his stand-up paddleboard. On the return journey, at around dusk, the crew spotted two paddleboarders approximately 1.25 nautical miles offshore. The pair were attempting to reach the wind farm in failing light. They had no communication devices, no lifejackets, no food or water, and were dressed only in T-shirts and shorts. With conditions deteriorating and darkness falling, the crew persuaded them to come aboard and towed their boards back to the beach.

A third task that evening involved a dinghy with paddlers waving for attention. While this turned out to be a case of poor paddling technique rather than distress, it demonstrated the importance of raising the alarm early. Saturday lunchtime, the crew launched to search for a 27-year-old man who had been missing for over 90 minutes after swimming east of Brighton Palace Pier. His belongings were found unattended on the beach by his friend, prompting a swift and coordinated response. Brighton RNLI carried out shoreline and offshore searches, while RNLI Lifeguards and Coastguard teams scoured the beach, and a rescue helicopter conducted an aerial search. The swimmer was eventually located and assisted onshore by the lifeguards and Coastguard.

Just hours later, that evening, Brighton RNLI was called out again. Two people had earlier been brought ashore without lifejackets after using a jet ski, but later swam back out to retrieve the craft, which had been tied to a buoy. Concerned that they might attempt another unsafe recovery, the crew returned the two individuals and their jet ski to Brighton Marina. The incident served as a reminder of how even seemingly short trips on the water can escalate without proper equipment or planning.

Finally, on Monday, at 1.24am, Brighton RNLI launched following a police request after bloodied clothing was discovered near the shore close to the i360. The crew carried out a thorough search of the area but were stood down after nothing was found. Back at the station, returning crew were met by five of the newest volunteer crew. They turned out in the early hours to help recover and clean the boat and to start learning how to respond to calls in the middle of the night safely.

These weekend call-outs were not unusual for the Brighton RNLI team. In 2024, Brighton RNLI responded to 61 incidents and were credited with saving two lives. Across Sussex, RNLI lifeboats carried out 475 launches last year, reflecting how busy the coastline can be.

Lifeboat operations manager Charlie Dannreuther said: ‘These launches highlight just how varied, and how demanding, a weekend on the coast can be. They also reinforced some vital safety messages. Whether you’re paddleboarding, using a jet ski, or going for a swim, being prepared is essential. Always wear a lifejacket when on the water. Take a means of calling for help, like a mobile phone in a waterproof pouch or a VHF radio. Check the weather forecast and tide times. Don’t head out in fading light. And always tell someone your plan.’

The Royal Albion on fire

It’s two years ago today that fire did for the Royal Albion Hotel on Brighton’s seafront, gutting much of the historic building and leaving a charred shell where once royalty and Edwardian high society had gathered.

The Royal Albion was first opened in 1826 as one of Brighton’s earliest purpose-built seaside hotels (see Wikipedia). Its original architect was Amon Henry Wilds, with later additions expanding its elegant frontage along the seafront. In the early 20th century it was famously managed by Harry Preston - a larger-than-life figure who transformed it into a glittering social hub, hosting the likes of Edward VII, who enjoyed the discreet pleasures of Brighton society. (See also Brighton beach as runway!) Over the decades, the hotel weathered wartime bombing and changing fashions, remaining a familiar if faded landmark opposite the Palace Pier.

On the evening of 15 July 2023, flames were seen leaping from the fourth floor of the building (owned by Britannia Hotels). Emergency services quickly responded, with a hundred guests and staff evacuated and roads cordoned off around the Old Steine. Despite the swift arrival of more than a dozen fire appliances, the blaze raged through the roof and upper floors. Firefighters worked through the night to contain the flames, even as part of the building collapsed, sending up plumes of smoke visible across the city.

In October 2023, following an investigation by East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service, it was concluded the fire had most likely been caused by a discarded cigarette (see Brighton and Hove News). This came despite the hotel having passed a thorough fire safety audit just the previous September, which praised its ‘preventative and protective measures’, ‘effective emergency plan and policy’, and commended staff for their ‘professional and pro-active attitude towards their fire safety responsibilities.’ A later report into the blaze found its rapid spread was fuelled by hidden voids, traditional lath and plaster walls, dry and ageing timber window frames, and the driving wind off the Channel.

By February 2025, the situation had deteriorated so far that when an engineer warned the fragile remains of the building and its scaffolding were ‘at risk of catastrophic failure,’ the Council closed part of the A259. 

According to a BBC report from May 2025, Brighton & Hove City Council is actively pursuing further action to recover £1.2 million still owed by Britannia Hotels for emergency safety and demolition work at the Royal Albion Hotel following the July 2023 fire. The council initially spent £1.7 million to secure the site after the fire, but Britannia Hotels has so far only repaid £500,000. The council is now considering ‘alternative avenues for recovery’ to expedite repayment of the outstanding debt. Otherwise, discussions between the council and Britannia Hotels about the site's future are ongoing but remain at an early stage.