Humpit Hummus at Hanningtons.

Humpit Hummus is opening its first store in the South of England at 15 North Street, next to the new entrance to Hanningtons Lane.  The store occupying just 168 sq ft of floor space will open later this month.

Humpit Hummus, hummus and falafel retailer, started life as a street food vendor in Leeds, opened its first store in the Leeds Corn Exchange in 2014 and was crowned Virgin Start Up Street Food Winner by Richard Branson just one year later. Brighton will be the brand’s 9th store and its first outside the North of England and Scotland.

Hannington Lane opens

A shout-out is deserved for local architects Morgan & Carn Partnership who have produced a triumph of sensitive design of the highest quality and finish. 

 

The view of the cupola of the Leeds Permanent building (Clayton & Black) has been preserved and enhanced.

From North St. entrance.

Original brick paving matched throughout

Puget's Cottage restored

Anti-graffiti green wall

Along the lane.

Hanningtons Lane progress

From Meeting House Lane

From Brighton Place.

Hanningtons Lane viewed from each end is only now beginning to emerge from the scaffolding although completion was originally expected mid-2018.

Projects progress

Two prestigious building projects are scheduled for completion in 2018

After a seemingly quiet period work is in full swing on the Seafront Shelter hall.

The Hannington Lane development seen from Brighton Place

 Hannington Lane seen from Meeting House Lane

The new North Street entrance to Hannington Lane with the exposed Puget's Cottage behind.

Welcome back HMV

The new HMV store on the lower mall of Churchill Square is like a welcoming cave of treasures. Evidently the pleasure of browsing for physical objects hasn't yet been displaced by cyberspace.

North Street closure

North Street is going to be closed to through traffic from tomorrow, Monday 18th September until the middle of November.

All buses will be re-routed via King's Road and West Street.

It was last dug up in 2007 for renewal of Victorian water mains and apparently not reinstated properly.

The work is being done in 3 phases starting at the Clock Tower.

Phase 1

Queen's Rd. to King St.

Phase 2

King St. to Bond St.

Phase 3

Bond St. to East St.

It will interesting to hear of any effects the lack of buses has on footfall.

East Street to lose Cath Kidston.

'Cath Kidston' East Street frontage

East Street Arcade.

Cath Kidston, the ‘Modern Vintage’ international retailer, has signed a lease with Redevco, for 1,700 sq ft of ground floor sales plus ancillary storage, at 6-7 North Street.  Cath Kitson, which began in 1993, has been trading at East Street Arcade since 2011. The move is being made in search of more display space. 

6-7 North Street is part of the Hanningtons estate currently being redeveloped and refurbished by Redevco.

It is unfortunate that North Street's gain has to be East Street Arcade's loss.

Huntingdon House refurb.

Huntingdon House before the scaffolding

Google Earth

Following the demolition of Timpsons and work to reveal and restore the historic 17th century Pugets Cottage, Redevco’s contractor Westridge has started to refurbish Huntingdon House on North Street. Huntingdon House is named after the Countess of Huntingdon's church which was demolished in 1972.

Pre-1972

Photo:RPM

Pre-1972

Photo:RPM

Redevco started redeveloping the 1.3 acre site, which includes the former Hanningtons department store or ‘Harrods of Brighton’, in February.

A building at the rear of the site has been demolished and existing space reconfigured and significant investment and improvements should appear over the next few months including larger, bolder and more permanent signs to Meeting House Lane.

It is expected that by the end of Summer 2018, Brighton will have a new Lane and new spaces for shops, restaurants and cafes.

Architect's visualisation of the refurbished building

The new seafront landscaping

Hannington Lane on track for completion mid 2018

View of proposed lane from Brighton Place

Work is progressing well on the creation of a new Lane in Brighton. Contractor Westridge Construction, hired by European retail real estate investment manager Redevco, has been removing the former Timpsons store on North Street brick by brick. This week passers-by were treated to a glimpse of the historic 17th century Pugets Cottage – revealed for the first time in 140 years – and a view through to what will be the new Hanningtons Lane.

Redevco started redeveloping the 1.3 acre site, which includes the former Hanningtons department store or ‘Harrods of Brighton’, in February. As well as a new Lane, the masterplan for Hanningtons Estate also includes the creation of a new entrance to the Lanes from North Street and the redevelopment of existing buildings to provide exciting new spaces for shops, restaurants and cafes.

Andrew Foulds, Portfolio Director at Redevco comments, “Our Masterplan approach should provide a catalyst for the whole area. The new Lane will provide contemporary spaces that retailers can’t find elsewhere, which will draw new names in and create a destination that helps support existing businesses. We have demolished a building at the rear of the site and reconfigured some existing space, but the demolition of Timpsons is an exciting milestone in the development programme.”

Redevco’s leasing agents KLM Retail and GCW are in discussions with target retailers and this exciting new retail and leisure destination is on track for completion mid 2018.

The area is an important landmark between the attractions of the Lanes, North Laine, East Street, the Cultural Quarter and Brighton Beach and Pier. The vision is to blend a visually unique and engaging scheme into the existing network of narrow alleyways, lanes, eclectic boutiques, restaurants and cafes/bars that already make Brighton so popular.

See also: Puget's Cottage begins to emerge.

How to park free in Brighton & Hove

Brighton's 19 parking zones

Assuming you don't want to park in the zone-free outskirts (at least 2 miles from the city centre) the simple answer is that, any day of the week, you should arrive after 8 o'clock in the evening and leave before 9 o'clock the next morning. However there are local variations in the restrictions that can be taken advantage of.

There are three types of parking bay:-

• Permit holders only.
• Pay & Display.
• Shared Permit holders & Pay & Display.

In all the following zones the same time restriction 9am to 8pm (the period when the casual parker risks a fine) applies to all 3 types of bay:-

 Zone A - Preston Park Station
 Zone C - Queen's Park
 Zone E - Preston Park Station(North)
 Zone F - Fiveways
 Zone G - Hollingbury Road/Ditchlinq Gardens
 Zone H - Kemp Town & Hospital
 Zone  J - Preston Circus
 Zone M - Brunswick & Adelaide
 Zone N - Central Hove
 Zone O - Goldsmid
 Zone Q - Prestonville
 Zone R - Westbourne (incl. Church Rd, Portland Rd and Poets Corner)
 Zone T - Hove Station
 Zone Y - Central Brighton (North)

This accounts for 14 of the City's zones. Of the remaining 5 zones the most significant is Zone W, Wish Road.

Zone W - Wish Road, Hove

Zone W

In Zone W the restrictions are less severe. Parking is free between 11o'clock in the morning and 7o'clock in the evening. Usefully this allows for daytime visits to the beach, Lagoon, or other leisure facilities along Hove seafront and the Portland Road shops.
Parking is also free overnight from 8pm to 10am.


The remaining zones:-

Zone B - Coldean and Zone D - Moulscoombe. Parking is only restricted on match/event days at the nearby Amex stadium. At all other times parking is free but it is a long way from the city centre albeit with a good bus service.

Zone U -  St Luke’s. The smallest zone. Free parking 11am to 2pm and 3pm to 10am next day. Or in other words the only period you have to avoid being parked is the one hour between 10am & 11am and the one hour between 2pm & 3pm.

Zone Z - Central Brighton (South) Possibly as a hangover from earlier schemes different restrictions apply to different types of bay:-

• Permit only and shared Permit only and Pay & Display bays: - Free parking from 8 o'clock in the evening to 9 o'clock the next morning.
• Pay & Display bays:- Free parking 6 o'clock in the evening  to 9 o'clock the next day. (There are only a few of these). 

The northern boundary to Zone Z runs along the south sides of Temple Gardens, Clifton Road and Clifton Terrace.

Happy Hunting.

February 2018 update

Since the original post six new zones have been added which are detailed below:

Most noteworthy is the addition of zone L which extends the area of light restrictions from zone W up to Boundary Road.

Jason Kitcat reviews the Budget,

Oxford Street car park is closed

Oxford Street car park is closed to the general public until mid-April due to construction work nearby. 10 spaces are being kept open for doctors who work at Oxford Street Medical Centre only. These spaces are not open to the public and will be enforced.

This car park is close to the London Road shopping area and The Level. There are disabled bays here and Blue Badge holders can park free of charge provided that their badge is displayed correctly.

The Hanningtons Estate - work begins

The main Hanningtons site

Redevco, the European retail real estate investment manager, starts work on the redevelopment of the former Hanningtons department store in Brighton today (Monday 6th February). The 1.3 acre site is being redeveloped into an exciting new retail and leisure destination and will be completed by mid 2018.

Redevco acquired the majority of the site in 2015 and an adjacent mixed-use property at the end of last year, taking the total amount invested in Brighton to £72 million.

Andrew Foulds, Portfolio Director at Redevco comments, “We are creating a new Lane, a new entrance to the historic Lanes from North Street and are redeveloping existing buildings on North Street, to provide exciting new spaces for shops, restaurants and cafes. The vision is to blend a visually unique and engaging scheme into the existing network of narrow alleyways, lanes, eclectic boutiques, restaurants and cafes/bars that already make Brighton so popular."

“We also have an opportunity to invest substantially in the quality of the buildings on North Street and our Masterplan approach should provide a catalyst for the whole area.”

The design incorporates local materials and will reveal the historic Puget’s Cottage, currently hidden behind the Timpsons shop front on North Street, for the first time in 140 years.

Westridge Construction has been appointed as main contractor and architect Morgan Carn Partnership has created a pioneering and unique scheme, which blends the history and character of the Lanes, with the needs of modern retailers.

Construction work will initially focus on the rear of the scheme, enabling existing retailers to continue trading with minimum disruption.

The site of Hanningtons Lane where work has begun

Access from Meeting House Lane now prohibited

Christmas Lights 2016

Clocktower 2015

Brighton’s  Christmas lights, sponsored by the 517 businesses that make up 'Brilliant Brighton' promises to be bigger, better and more Brighton than ever. 

This year the lights are themed to reflect the city’s eclectic, fun and social atmosphere with words and emojis lighting up Western Road – including ‘Fairy’ and ‘Ding Dong’ (who could resist a selfie under either?!), along with playful twinkling tidings in North Laine and a gorgeous golden canopy of lights in The Lanes.

Switch-on takes place on Wednesday 16th November. From 5pm the city will start its festive celebrations with a FREE party in East Street as Phats and Small (Turn Around) and Brighton DJ George Kwali (Crank It) take to the live stage with their chart topping hits. Home grown talent Theatre Workshop and the Dionne Slater Singing Group will also wow the crowds with their performances. Brighton legend, actor and comedian Steve Coogan will have the all-important task of counting down and flicking the switch. 

Easier East Street.

Following a trial, which has been running since May 2015, a permanent car free East Street on Saturdays and Sundays was confirmed by the city council’s environment committee. This decision had the backing of local businesses.

A report to the committee this week said pedestrian numbers in the street have increased by 32 per cent since 2009 – up from around 14,000 on Saturday June 13, 2009 to nearly 19,000 on Sunday June 12, 2016.

There had been no accidents reported as a result of diverting traffic down Little East Street, behind Brighton Town Hall, during the closures.

Leading a delegation to the committee, local businesswoman Olivia Reid of Terre a Terre restaurant said: “Temporary closure of East Street on Saturdays and Sundays has been a huge success. The area has become more open, cleaner and we have experienced reduced criminal or dysfunctional activity due to increased visibility and overall change in the atmosphere. Business owners have taken more pride in their premises and the overall experience of East Street has vastly improved.”

The John Lewis proposals

The proposal includes significant gains for the public realm in one of the most congested part of the city.

The existing Boots builds right to the edge of the site, which provides minimum space for the public realm on North Street and Queens Road and no pavement on Windsor Street.

The proposal sets the new building back from the ownership line to create more pavement space to all roads.

A new main entrance will be provided at the corner of North Street and Queens Road. This is further set back and splayed to create an easily accessible entrance with 10m of space between it and the pedestrian crossing.

In setting the façade back on North Street, views of the Clock Tower that were blocked by the existing building will now be visible, enhancing its relevance to the spatial orientation of the city.

On the top floor of the building an external terrace will be provided that will give views to the sea and pier.

For full proposals see:- John Lewis in Brighton & Hove.

A John Lewis for Brighton

John Lewis have long expressed an ambition to have a presence in Brighton and, in December 2014, they acquired the conspicuous corner property, 129-133 North Street, occupied by Boots.

Now, prior to submitting a planning application later this year, John Lewis are holding an exhibition of its plans and inviting the public to share its views on their proposals.

The exhibition will take place at 133 Queen’s Road (next to Boots)
on Friday 16th September from 11am – 8pm.
and Saturday 17th September from 11am – 4pm.
The exhibition boards will also be online at: www.johnlewis.com/our-shops/brighton
and comments can be left online from 16th – 26th September 2016.

If plans are approved, the new shop would provide in the region of 250 new jobs.

John Lewis Brighton would likely offer an edited selection of its fashion, beauty, home, electrical and consumer electronics goods and services to Brighton, while computer terminals would enable shoppers to browse the wider John Lewis assortment online.

John Lewis operates 45 John Lewis shops across the UK (32 department stores, 11 John Lewis at home and shops at St Pancras International and Heathrow Terminal 2) as well as johnlewis.com. It is part of the John Lewis Partnership, the UK’s largest example of worker co-ownership and all 30,000 John Lewis staff are Partners in the business. John Lewis, ‘Best Clothing Retailer 2015’ , ‘Best Electricals Retailer 2015’ and Best Homewares Retailer 2015’’¹, typically stocks more than 350,000 separate lines in its department stores across fashion, home and technology. Johnlewis.com stocks over 280,000 products, and is consistently ranked one of the top online shopping destinations in the UK.

The Restoration of the Seafront.

Progress on the Waterfront Project

The Black Rock site

BHCC have appointed architects WilkinsonEyre to lead a team of world-renowned experts to develop a masterplan for the city's Waterfront project, an important element of which is the provision of a new conference and entertainment venue at Black Rock.  The site under consideration, next to the Marina, is owned by the BHCC.

WilkinsonEyre who  designed the famous Gateshead Millennium bridge and the Olympic Basketball Arena for London 2012, will carry out initial work to draw up a masterplan study of Black Rock and how it relates to the surrounding seafront sites.

Providing a new events venue will enable the Churchill Square shopping centre to be enlarged and extended to the Kings Road, so strengthening its position on the south coast and ensuring competing shopping centres do not take away market share. The architectural practices appointed to transform Kings Road & Churchill Square are ACME, who are currently completing Leeds Victoria Gate and a masterplan for Chester city centre; and Leonard Design Architects, who have played a key part in major regeneration schemes in London.

The masterplan will make sure the sites are developed to a high standard that enhances the city's heritage. Conservation groups will be involved to ensure consideration of the seafront's historic landscape is included in the plan.

The Council is also considering both day-to-day and event-specific transport options for the development. The proposals will seek to link Brighton station, existing hotels and tourism infrastructure with the development sites.

Recent negotiations between the Council and Standard Life Investments (the owners of Churchill Square) on the Waterfront development should enable an agreement to be put to the Policy & Resources Committee for approval in Spring 2016. This will allow contracts to be exchanged and work to begin in earnest.

Location of the Black Rock site in relation to the Kemptown CA.