Brighton Lanes – An Amazing Adventure For All the Family!
I recently joined that strangely popular Facebook Group “The Dull Men’s Club” because, let’s face it, I am a joyously dull man. I keep my socks neatly rolled and arranged by colour and function. As you will see, this brilliant level of organisation is the exact opposite of the Brighton Lanes.
I have a scheduled laundry hour (Saturdays, between 15.00 and 16.00 hrs, not including Bank Holiday weekends). I like cleaning my car, and the thought of buying clothes from somewhere other than Marks and Spencer’s fills me with something approaching abject horror.
Judging from the popular group membership (some 1.5 million people at the time of writing), being dull is wildly popular for reasons I cannot explain. Maybe we all take comfort in the predictable and mundane.
The joy of being dull, however, is that you can really appreciate chaos when you see it, for it is so different from your normal dull day; the contrast is sharper and all the more brilliant when you do see it. Coming from a dull background into something like the Brighton Lanes shops leaves you reeling, like a man being mugged in a meadow.
As an example, let’s take the aforementioned shops. When you shop in your local supermarket, everything is relatively well-ordered.
Things are in neat aisles and arranged by category. If it weren’t for the presence of the general public, it would indeed be a dull person’s dream.
However, when you visit, say, The Shambles in York, it’s the exact opposite – a riotous jumble of streets, shops, and people. This is enough to make the truly dull man hyperventilate into a pre-prepared and neatly folded paper bag.
As a Brightonian, the global attention The Shambles has got in recent years has always irked me slightly – sure, they were the inspiration for Diagon Alley in the Harry Potter universe, but let’s be honest, the Brighton Lanes are a much better day out, for my money.
The Brighton Lanes
If you’re ever passing through, a trip to the Brighton Lanes is definitely worth a couple of hours of your time, and even if you’re not passing through, the shops and restaurants are only an hour from London by train, for example.
If you’re a dull man, you’ll appreciate the Brighton Lanes’ contrast to your otherwise prosaic life, and if you’re not dull, you’ll like the Brighton Lanes because – well – they’re not dull.
The history of the Brighton Lanes is absolutely fascinating. For those of you who don’t know, Brighton wasn’t always called Brighton.
Originally named Bristelmestune in Old English, and then Brighthelmstone, once the town received Royal patronage from the Prince Regent (later King George IV), it finally settled on the name Brighton.
The area that is now known as the Brighton Lanes are the (mostly) original buildings that stood in the days of Brighthelmstone – a disorganised and joyously chaotic patchwork of streets and shops, just a ten-minute stroll from Brighton Railway Station and about five minutes from the iconic Brighton Palace Pier.
The area of the Brighton Lanes is generally accepted to run from North Street (to the north, obviously), Ship Street to the west, with Prince Albert Street at the southern end and Market Street at the Eastern fringe, although you’d have a hard time telling where one bit starts and another stops.
You’re best off just throwing yourself in there and meandering with the crowds and seeing where you end up. Go with the flow – you might end up at a shop, a jeweller’s, or a fabulous restaurant.
Don’t worry, you can’t get lost – like all navigation in Brighton, if you’ve hit the sea, you’ve gone too far.
Getting to the Brighton Lanes
As previously mentioned, the Brighton Lanes are a ten-minute stroll from Brighton Railway Station (come out of the station, head south, turn left at the amazing Grade 2 listed Clock Tower, head down the road, and it’s on your right).
For very dull men, it should be noted that Southern Rail manages Brighton Railway Station and it’s served by Thameslink (running Class 700 stock), Southern (running Class 377 stock) and Gatwick Express (running Class 387/2s, a sad downgrade on the glory days of the Class 460s!).
If you’re driving, there are car parks aplenty in Brighton, then follow the signposts for the Brighton Lanes.
However, be warned – thanks to successive generations of Council policies, parking is expensive in Brighton, so if you’re watching the pennies, then let the train take the strain – if you can.
What’s at the Brighton Lanes?
It’s probably easier to list what isn’t in The Lanes. From the quirky to the vintage, the Brighton Lanes shops are everywhere, selling everything.
When it comes to food, from the straightforward, old-fashioned pub to modern eating experiences in the Brighton Lanes restaurants, there is pretty much everything you’ll need. And quite a lot you don’t.
The jewellery shops in the Lanes Brighton, are world famous (Mrs B and I bought our wedding rings in a Lanes jewellery shop!). If you’re coming from afar, there are plenty of hotels near the Brighton Lanes for you to rest your weary head.
In short, pretty much everything you can think of can be found in The Lanes, and probably quite a lot you can’t think of.
It’s also worth mentioning at this point that, to the north of the Brighton Lanes, is the equally brilliant North Laines (no, I don’t know why it’s spelt differently to the Brighton Lanes either). It’s a less historic area but equally worth some of your time if you’re here!
Don’t Miss…
In no particular order, some of my personal highlights are…
The Lanes Armoury, 26 Meeting House Lane, BN1 1HB (The Lanes)
Sure, everyone thinks the Brighton Lanes shops are where it’s at, but if, like me, you’re not into the typical shops, the Lanes Armoury is one of the largest sellers of antique swords, arms, armour, and military books in the UK.
Because I am a man, I cannot walk past without at least looking in the window at the suits of armour and swords while Mrs B rolls her eyes. Come on, every man has at least once wondered if they can fit in a genuine suit of armour and wield an enormous sword around!
Sadly, the proprietors do not let you try the armour on, but if you fancy checking out some history while you’re in Brighton, this place is well worth ten minutes of your time.
The Font Pub, Union Street, South Lanes, Brighton, BN1 1HA (The Lanes)
As the name suggests, this pub has a connection with all things church, on account of how it used to be … a church. Formerly a Nonconformist chapel, it was built in 1825 and later became an independent chapel and an Elim Congregational church.
However, after being used for so long for virtuous purposes, it is now a pub with some spectacular historic architecture remaining. In past years, it was a bit empty and cavernous, but since the COVID pandemic, it has reinvented itself to be a bit funkier in the evenings and serves good pub food during the day in the restaurant part.
Don’t believe me? Check out some of the complimentary reviews on TripAdvisor.
The Duck House, 4 Union Street, Brighton, BN1 1HA (The Lanes)
Just around the corner is one of my daughter’s favourite shopping spots, The Duck House. As the name suggests, all it sells is rubber ducks. Literally. That’s it. From ducks that resemble movie and TV stars, to the classic childhood rubber duck, it’s all there for you.
For those of you who are worried about the impact of rubber ducks on the environment (as many Brighton residents are), there’s even a range of eco-friendly ducks for you to purchase. Don’t forget to purchase a souvenir Brighton duck while you’re there!
KerrieBerrie Beads Shop, 10 Sydney Street, BN1 4EN (North Laines)
Another favourite for younger girls is the KerrieBerrie Bead Shop, which, again, as the name suggests, sells nothing but beads and necklaces of all shapes and sizes for your next jewellery project.
It’s a colourful extravaganza of all things crafting and well worth a peek if you’re looking for something different for the ladies in your life. I genuinely love their collection of charms, which, like everything in Brighton, are funky and fun.
Snoopers Paradise, 7/8 Kensington Gardens, BN1 (North Laines)
Like hunting out a bargain at a boot sale? Well, the Brighton Lanes has you covered because while you’re in the North Laines, why not check out Snoopers Paradise? From vintage clothing, bric-a-brac, second-hand records, and antique oddities, Snoopers Paradise has it all in a huge indoor space.
There are over 90 different stalls selling everything you could possibly imagine, and it’s a genuine maze of stuff, so be prepared to lose at least an hour of your life as you rifle through boxes and rails of genuinely charming stuff.
It’s basically all of the Brighton Lanes shops under one roof!
English’s Of Brighton 29-31 East Street, BN1 1HL (The Lanes)
Hungry after all that snooping? Like seafood? If you’re looking for a treat meal and are hungry after a tough day of being by the sea, why not relax and head down to English’s of Brighton on the eastern end of the Lanes?
A stalwart Brighton Lanes restaurant since 1890, this place is massively popular with locals and tourists alike, and it is well worth booking a table if you fancy a little treat, as it smashes out the finest and freshest blends of modern and traditional seafood in Brighton, if not Sussex.
From simple ale battered fish and chips right through to oysters and lobsters, it’s definitely one not to miss if you’re in the area!
Retrocards Brighton 37 Kensington Gardens, BN1 (North Laines)
This is a wonderful little independent store that we stumbled upon when shopping with the kids in Brighton. If you love a bit of retro, this is for you!
It is a fun and unique shop with art prints, shopping bags, t-shirts and badges that are all totally original and you won’t find together anywhere else!
To Be Worn Again 12 Kensington Gardens, BN1 (North Laines)
The one thing Brighton is excellent at is vintage, sustainability, and secondhand stores, and To Be Worn Again leads by example. As colourful as it is vintage, no trip to Brighton North Laines is complete without a rummage through their vibrant selection of secondhand clothes.
Pick an outfit from here and you’ll fit right in with Brighton’s eclectic vibe.
Heart and Hand, 75 North Road BN1 (North Laines)
A traditional pub with its green tiling dating back to the 1930s. The green-tiled frontage is indicative of United Breweries, and the building is now listed due to the tile heritage.
Tiles aside, the pub is cosy, traditional and complete with its resident famous cat, Bailey.
Not Sure What to See?
Why not start your trip by booking the excellent “Secrets of The Lanes” walking tour, where a guide will help you navigate the twists and turns of the streets, all while informing you of the history of the area?
Bookable via the TripAdvisor website, this semi-private walking tour will take you and a small group around the area in a 90-minute tour that will let you in on some secrets known only to Brightonians!
Brighton is also famous for its Vegetarian and Vegan restaurants, so why not book a 2-hour walking food tour with tasters along the way!
FOOD TOUR
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Walking Food Tour
✔️ Vegan options
✔️ Local Guide
✔️ 5 Food Tasters
Staying Near the Brighton Lanes
If you’re coming from afar and are looking to stay over in a hotel near the Brighton Lanes to make the very most of your trip, Brighton is never short of a hotel to stay in, from the boutique to the boogie.
The largest of the Lanes hotels in Brighton is the Old Ship Hotel (32-38 Kings Road, BN1 1NR), parts of which are very historic and therefore Grade 2 listed.
However, I’ll be honest and say that this hotel does need a lot of renovation work done to improve it – it is an old, creaking building that is due for a renovation in the Spring of 2025, at which point I’ll review it. It does, however, have a decent breakfast.
However, if you’d like to try a smaller and more boutique hotel, the nearby Hotel du Vin Brighton (2 Ship Street, Brighton, BN1 1AD) is generally slightly more expensive, but very nice indeed.
If you’re more into your Airbnb-style properties, Brighton Lanes Apartments (14A Ship Street, BN1 1AD) provides apartment-style living, although availability is always tricky as they’re rather popular!
The Brighton Lanes – Something for Everyone
The joy of the Brighton Lanes is that there really is something for everyone to explore and enjoy, and in the rare case that’s not true, the rest of Brighton is just outside for you to explore and enjoy.
Sure, it may not be a whole day out in itself if you’re not a hardcore shopper, but it’s a genuinely great way to spend a few hours and potter around. Like all seaside towns, it’s best enjoyed in the height of Summer, but visiting out of season also has its perks, like quieter streets, easier browsing of the shops, and cheaper hotel prices.
You’ll hopefully have seen that even for a dull man, the Brighton Lanes can be really quite exciting!
Now, back to folding those socks…
