City guides : Brighton

A bustling, vibrant city by the sea, Brighton offers an experience like no other. A stroll along the pebbly beach, followed by a visit to the renowned Brighton Pier, ended off with a pint while looking out over the sea is all in a hard days work of a Brighton student.

Bars and clubs

For those who prefer the alternative scene, the Pav Tav is a great place to start the night with cheap drinks and good music. Along West Street, a number of bars such as Oxygen have drinks deals and promotions, and are only a short walk from the clubs. Depending on the night, entrance fees to the clubs range from £1-£5, with the fee usually deducted for NUS card holders. Popular clubs include Audio and Digital, and there is something to satisfy everyone’s tastes. Operating between the city centre and the universities, The Big Lemon bus runs through till the early hours of the morning.

Shopping

Situated in the heart of town is Churchill Square shopping centre, home to high street stores such as H&M and Levi Strauss. The surrounding streets also provide a good shopping experience, with Topshop and Waterstones popular amongst students. Just a short walk from the centre, the North Laines provide more quirky vintage shops, such as the recently opened clothes shop Beyond Retro. With a fascinating array of second hand goods, Snoopers Paradise is a favourite with the bargain hunters.

Courtesy of www.visitbrighton.com

Eating out

There are numerous restaurants to satisfy everyone’s taste buds. Popular restaurants in the city include Las Iguanas, Nandos, Japanese restaurant Pompoko and Wagamama noodle bar. Pizza Express is often a good place to visit due to online meal deals, and there are a number of takeaway and fast food chains dotted about. If you get hungry after a night out, visit Market Diner, which serves up a good breakfast until the early hours.

Entertainment

A popular stop on the tour of many bands and comedians, Brighton is never short of a good gig. Previous visitors include Kings of Leon, Bloc Party and Jimmy Carr. For comedy fans, make sure you check at Komedia comedy club, which hosts a number of great comedians. The highlight of the music calendar occurs in May with the Great Escape Festival, which runs over three days and sees over 100 bands play across Brighton in various venues. Taking place for three weeks throughout May each year is the Brighton Festival, bringing together art, street entertainment, music and theatre. Past guests include Bon Iver and Anthony and the Johnsons and with events taking place throughout the day and night, it is definitely worth checking out. Three months later in August is the popular gay pride festival. An event which brings the city together with parades and street parties taking place over the course of the day, it is an occasion which illustrates the diverse and cosmopolitan vibe of Brighton.

Accommodation

Rent for student properties vary from between £75-£90 per week excluding bills. Popular places for student accommodation are the Hollingbury and Moulsecoomb areas which are about a ten minute bus ride from the town centre. However, many students tend to prefer to live closer to town where they have everything they need on their doorstep and regular buses and trains bringing them into uni.

Top 3 places to see

• Brighton pier
• Royal Pavilion
• Brighton Marina

In such a compact, busy city like Brighton, which can be easily explored on foot, you are never a moment away from something taking place in the city. With its numerous bars, clubs, restaurants and excellent transport, it really is a student’s dream.