Brighton Centre
50°49′16″N 0°08′46″W / 50.82111°N 0.14611°W / 50.82111; -0.14611
Brighton Centre is a conference and exhibition centre located in Brighton, England. It is the largest of its kind in southern England,[3] and is regularly used for conferences of the British political parties and other bodies of national importance. The venue has the capacity to accommodate up to 5,000 delegates,[3] although rooms in the building can be used for weddings and banquets.[4]
It has also been used as a live music venue since it was opened by James Callaghan on 19 September 1977.[5] It was designed in a Brutalist style by architects Russell Diplock & Associates, who made extensive use of textured concrete.[6] The venue is situated in the centre of Brighton on the sea front and is within 200 metres of major hotels. In 2004, it was estimated that the centre generates £50 million in revenue for Brighton.[7]
Renovation
In March 2003, there were proposals to demolish the centre at the end of 2005, and replace it with a new exhibition and conference centre by 2008.[8] The centre was given a £1 million renovation in 2012.[9] In November 2014, demolition proposals were made again, but these were to demolish the centre to extend the Churchill Square shopping centre, and then build a new 10,000 capacity exhibition and conference centre on derelict land near the Brighton Marina.[10] In November 2019, these plans were revisited.[11]
Notable events
Bing Crosby's final performance was at the Brighton Centre on 10 October 1977. He died of a heart attack four days later, while at a golf tournament in Spain.
The Jacksons performed on 10 February 1979 as part of their Destiny World Tour.
Bob Marley and The Wailers performed on 8 and 9 July 1980 as part of their Uprising Tour.
Between 1978 and 1995 it was the venue for the Brighton International tennis tournament, an annual event on the WTA Tour. Champions of the event included Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova and Steffi Graf.
On 11 December 1982, The Jam played their last gig in the Conference Room at the Brighton Centre.
From 29 to 30 November 1983, pop duo Wham! performed their final dates on their debut UK tour, titled Club Fantastic Tour.
From 9–15 September 1989, the Liberal Democrats held their first Liberal Democrat Conference, after the party's formation in the previous year.[12]
In 2003 and 2004, it hosted the 2003 and 2004 British Open snooker, from 8–16 November.
On December 17, 2006, comedy rock duo Tenacious D performed as part of their Pick of Destiny Tour, Neil Hamburger was the opening act.
References
- ^ a b "Our Commitment". Brighton Centre. Archived from the original on 15 August 2012.
- ^ "Access Statement Sept 2017". Brighton Centre. 30 November 2022.[dead link]
- ^ a b "Facelift for Brighton Centre". The Argus. 6 January 2012. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
- ^ "The Brighton Centre". TheatresOnline. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
- ^ "Seafront venue marks anniversary". BBC News. 30 July 2007. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
- ^ Antram, Nicholas; Pevsner, Nikolaus (2013). Sussex: East with Brighton and Hove. The Buildings of England. London: Yale University Press. p. 215. ISBN 978-0-300-18473-0.
- ^ "A new future for the Brighton Centre" (Press release). Brighton & Hove City Council. Archived from the original on 10 October 2007.
- ^ "Brighton Centre to be bulldozed". The Argus. 25 March 2003. Retrieved 15 May 2024.
- ^ "Brighton Centre claims £1m refurb pays off with new events". EN. 25 May 2012. Retrieved 15 May 2024.
- ^ "£450m seafront plan will extend Churchill Square, demolish the Brighton Centre and build at Black Rock". Brighton and Hove News. 27 November 2014. Retrieved 15 May 2024.
- ^ "New 10,000 seat venue could replace existing Brighton Centre". The Argus. 27 November 2019. Retrieved 15 May 2024.
- ^ Mortimore, Roger; Blick, Andrew, eds. (31 August 2018). Butler's British Political Facts (1 ed.). Palgrave Macmillan. pp. 274–275. ISBN 978-1137567086.
External links
- Media related to The Brighton Centre at Wikimedia Commons
- v
- t
- e
- Conservation areas
- Listed buildings: Grade I
- Grade II*
- Grade II: A–B
- C–D
- E–H
- I–L
- M
- N–O
- P–R
- S
- T–V
- W–Z
- List of places of worship (see list for links to individual articles)
- List of demolished places of worship
and mansions
- Adelaide Mansions
- Chartwell Court
- Courtenay Gate
- Embassy Court
- Fife House
- French Convalescent Home
- Grand Ocean, Saltdean
- Gwydyr Mansions
- 75 Holland Road
- Marine Gate
- Marlborough House
- Moulsecoomb Place
- New England Quarter
- Ovingdean Grange
- Ovingdean Rectory
- Patcham Place
- Pelham Institute
- Percy and Wagner Almshouses
- Portslade Manor (ruined)
- Preston Manor
- Regency Town House
- Southdown House
- Stanmer House
- Sussex Heights
- Tower House
- Van Alen Building
- Western Pavilion
squares and
terraces
- Adelaide Crescent
- Arundel Terrace
- Bedford Square
- Belgrave Place
- Bloomsbury Place
- Brunswick Town
- Eastern Terrace
- Hanover Crescent
- Kemp Town
- Lansdowne Square
- Marine Square
- Montpelier Crescent
- New Steine
- Norfolk Square
- Norfolk Terrace
- Old Steine
- Oriental Place
- Palmeira Square
- Park Crescent
- Pelham Square
- Powis Square
- Regency Square
- Roundhill Crescent
- Royal Crescent
- Russell Square
- Vernon Terrace
- Wykeham Terrace
buildings
civic buildings
- BHASVIC
- Brighton General Hospital
- Brighton Law Courts
- Brighton Town Hall
- Hove Library
- Hove Town Hall
- Hove Trial Centre
- Jubilee Library
- Kings House
- Ovingdean Hall School
- Police Convalescent Seaside Home (former)
- Preston Barracks
- Royal Alexandra Children's Hospital
- Royal Sussex County Hospital
- The Keep
- The Montefiore Hospital
- University of Brighton
- University of Sussex
- Varndean College
- Schools: List of former board schools
- Blatchington Mill School
- Brighton Aldridge Community Academy
- Brighton and Hove High School
- Brighton College
- Brighton College Preparatory School
- Cardinal Newman RC School
- Deepdene School
- Dorothy Stringer School
- Hove Park School
- King's School
- Longhill High School
- Ovingdean Hall School
- Patcham High School
- Portslade Aldridge Community Academy
- Roedean School
- St Aubyns School
- Varndean School
- Hotels: Bedford
- Clarence
- Grand (1984 bombing)
- Metropole
- Norfolk
- Old Ship
- Royal Albion
- Royal York
- Inns and pubs: The Cricketers
- Freemasons Tavern
- Hangleton Manor Inn
- King and Queen
- Prince Albert
- Royal Pavilion Tavern
and leisure
- The Arch
- Astoria (demolished)
- Attenborough Centre for the Creative Arts
- Blind Tiger Club (former)
- Brighton Centre
- Brighton Dome and Studio (Pavilion) Theatre
- Brighton Hippodrome (former)
- Brighton Marina
- Brighton Wheel
- Duke of York's Picture House
- Falmer Stadium
- Komedia
- King Alfred Centre
- Marlborough Pub and Theatre
- Medina House (demolished)
- Old Market
- Open Air Theatre
- Pryzm
- Revenge
- Regent Cinema (demolished)
- Royal Pavilion
- Saltdean Lido
- Theatre Royal
- Withdean Stadium
- Museums: Booth Museum
- Brighton Fishing Museum
- Brighton Museum and Art Gallery
- Brighton Toy and Model Museum
- British Engineerium
- Hove Museum and Art Gallery
- Brighton Palace Pier
- Royal Suspension Chain Pier (demolished)
- West Pier
- Anthaeum (demolished)
- Barford Court
- Chattri
- Church Street Drill Hall (former)
- Clock Tower
- 11 Dyke Road
- Foredown Tower
- Hove War Memorial
- i360
- Madeira Terrace
- North Gate of the Royal Pavilion
- Patcham Pylons
- Peace Statue
- Pepper Pot
- Ralli Hall
- St Dunstan's
- Sassoon Mausoleum
- Statue of Queen Victoria, Hove
- Steine House (YMCA)
- Waste House
- Whitehawk Hill transmitting station
- Charles Busby
- Clayton & Black
- John Leopold Denman
- Thomas Lainson
- John Nash
- Gilbert Murray Simpson
- Thomas Simpson
- Basil Spence
- Amon Henry Wilds
- Amon Wilds