Recently a Buzzfeed article called 51 Things You Simply Must Do in Brighton was circulating on Facebook and Twitter. The trouble is, it doesn’t mention Hove: well, twice, in passing it mentions Brighton and Hove as if it’s the same place. Believe me, before I moved down here I knew as much about Hove as almost anyone else who’s lived in London for twenty years. That is, I knew nothing about it. For me, the whole tenor of the ’51 Things’ article is that Brighton is a fun place to visit, as if no-one ever lives here, but – also because I live down this way now – the even weirder thing about the ’51 Things’ article is that it doesn’t mention the countryside. I knew I’d be close, but I had no idea I would be 10 minutes away from the South Downs. I guess popular culture is so keen to pigeonhole Brighton (and Hove in with it) as London-on-Sea that the South Downs don’t get mentioned. Thing is, if I wanted to live in London, I’d live in London. I love London. It was my home for half my life. I bought my first flat there. My son was born there. I miss it. I didn’t move down here to live in London-lite and I don’t think this is London-lite. Not only that, but anywhere North West of Waitrose on Western Road almost doesn’t exist, as far as the popular idea of B&H is concerned. Who knew how close West Hove is to Shoreham, for instance?! I’m happy for you to call me naive. I think naivety is a good thing, as long as you know about it. It means you’re open to discovering new things.
We’ve been here a year now, and I thought I would try to redress the balance by writing 51 Things You Could Do If You Wanted to in Hove. In the end I came up with 56, but I cheated, because some of them aren’t in Hove, but who cares, B&H is small. Maybe I’ve been looking in the wrong places, but the guides to life in Brighton and Hove definitely don’t tell the whole picture, and we’ve found out most things by making friends with other parents, especially parents in Rainbow Families, the group for LGBTQ parents and kids in this area. Having a copy of Tim Locke’s Slow Sussex helped too, as did finding an extremely knowledgable childminder.
Most of these places are kid-friendly, because I’m writing it, and I have a three year old. Is this list a bit tame for you? Maybe you know about lots of places I haven’t included because I’m an ex-Londoner and I haven’t been here long? What can I say? Write your own. (I mean that, and not in an aggressive way.) Please share your list when you’ve written it. This list isn’t inclusive – it’s my way of describing something of what it’s meant to be in Hove this last year. This isn’t all of our experience by any means, but several of these places have been part of the journey. By the way, if you want a more inclusive list of kid friendly things to do down here, have a look at the Child Friendly Brighton website.
Beach with cafes / restaurants.
I grew up in Bournemouth. That means I know that one stretch of beach is not like another, and that you do not have to head for the pier to be sure of an ice cream. Here are five in Hove, divided by the closest cafe / restaurant:
1. Hove Lagoon: A lovely stretch of beach near Wish Park, on the way to Portslade. Beach, plus playground, paddling pool, Fat Boy Slim’s cafe, pedalos, home to a watersports training centre. The Kingsway is a busy road, but there is parking on meters, and the adjacent roads are free for most of the day. Watch out for bikes on the cycle path, and for drivers who don’t stop at crossings. Want a picnic? Drive a bit further down Kingsway and for a handy M & S.
2. The View: Further east along the beach, you’ll find The View bar and restaurant, with tables outside. This is a popular spot and it’s all pretty informal. The food is an odd mix of Italian, Middle Eastern and Sunday Roast type pub-grub – we went there to try to find hot dogs and it was practically the only thing they didn’t do – but it’s all about the view of the sea after all.
3. Hove Street and Mrs Bumbles: Further east along the beach, and close to the start of the shops, head for the bottom of Hove Street. You can park next to the King Alfred Leisure Centre if there are no spaces on the seafront, or walk from Tesco’s car park. Go west for Mrs Bumbles refreshment kiosk. If you want a meal, you’re also close to the Connaught and Sunshine Arts Cafe, and fairly close to Treacle. (see below)
4. Marroccos and the Trampolines: You can sometimes find a parking spot outside Marroccos and pay on the meter, but if you’ve left the car at the King Alfred, go east, keep walking, and eventually you’ll get to a bunch of amusements, trampolines, a bouncy castle and crazy golf – open in the summer. Our son loves the trampolines. There’s a cashpoint in the garage if you need change for tokens. Keep going and you’ll get to Marroccos, great Italian restaurant with long queues for the ice cream. My favourite restaurant in Hove so far.
5. The Meeting Place Cafe: Further East along the beach, this place is an open air greasy spoon, essentially, and it straddles the border between Brighton and Hove. From here you can walk east towards Brighton’s West Pier, and find the Bandstand and the playground and paddling pool on Kings Road.
Bookshops
6. The Book Nook: Independent children’s bookshop with a cafe, storytelling for little ones, book clubs, baby meet ups. Great for buying presents for kids. Had to rise above terrible gender stereotyping from one member of staff when choosing books and deliberately bought one about cars for a little girl. Ironically (given that last sentence) our son likes the pirate ship in the cafe!
7. City Books: A very cool independent bookshop on Western Road, that hosts literary events. Only been in once, but it lived up to its too-cool-for-school reputation. Left feeling very guilty for all amazon purchases ever.
Cafes
8. The Crumpetty Tree. A cafe dedicated to the crumpet in Palmeira Square. I mean proper, big crumpets. Nice place to stop for lunch, though they tend to run out of ingredients later in the day. Sofa at the back with a basket of kids’ toys.
9. Ground Coffee House on Church Road Hove, near the Town Hall. Nice coffee and free wifi.
10. Revival Coffee Company on George Street. A nice comfy place for coffee when you’re shopping. The manager runs the marathon regularly. The cafe is reviewed on this website.
11. Sunshine Arts Cafe. A lovely cafe close to the beach. Plenty of space to relax, with second hand books and art to buy. There are theatre and literary events advertised on the website – though it was out of date when I last looked – and they do a nice breakfast. In fact, this is one of the only cafes I’ve come across in Hove where you can get a cooked breakfast without going to a greasy spoon. Seemed quiet and informal when I went in. Couldn’t tell if it was kid friendly as I didn’t stay for long. Perhaps a toddler would test the quiet atmosphere a little too much. It did seem as though everyone in there was a regular and I can’t understand why it isn’t overrun, given how close it is to the beach.
12. Treacle. I love it in here. It’s a great place for a coffee (with free wifi though they don’t advertise it). Nice breakfasts, though they are on the North London side of expensive. The cakes in here are astonishing and possibly a little too much – the Guinness cake looks amazing though I haven’t dared try it yet. There are also healthier choices like their juices and toasted breakfast loaf. Family and dog friendly.
Entertainment
We have a pre-schooler. We don’t go out much. Anyway, if you want to party, read 51 Things You Simply Must Do in Brighton instead 🙂 Here are the two I came up with:
13. The Brunswick, pub and arts venue. I’ve been here once, the staff were friendly, the menu looked good and the theatre was cosy, with a good atmosphere.
14. The Duke of York Picture House. OK, I’ve snuck in a Brighton one. This is a lovely cinema in Preston Circus. So much nicer than the Odeon. Eat first because although they have sweets and cake, it looks like the range of food is going to be more extensive, then it isn’t.
Pubs and restaurants
15. Bankers Fish Restaurant on Western Road. Fish and chips with style. Spacious, friendly, fried. Extensive menu, if you like fish and chips. For me this place is a rival to Toffs in Muswell Hill, which I used to love, but here there is room to stretch your legs out under the table! (If you’ve been to Toffs you’ll know what I mean.) They allowed me to order off menu for my boy, and we ate our tea quite happily there together, though I wouldn’t describe it as overtly kid friendly.
16. The Connaught. This is a gastro pub and I have a bit of a soft spot for it. Can be quite quiet in the week for lunchtime snacks but gets super busy on Sundays. This is one of the first pubs we went to in Hove. I googled and tried to find a pub near to the sea. I had no idea where we were when we first turned up here, but now Hove Street is a bit of a hub for us: go to the bottom for parking for the beach, or east for the shops. It’s kid friendly but the garden is quite small with a gate onto a busy road, though we’ve managed to keep our son entertained at the table on a couple of occasions. He’s also slept next to us in the buggy while we ate a Sunday Roast, and then had his own mini-version. Very nice desserts.
17. The George Payne. Kid-friendly and dog friendly pub in Poet’s Corner with a garden, does Sunday roasts, curry nights and music events. We haven’t been here yet but has an excellent reputation locally.
18. Giggling Squid Thai Restaurant on Church St. We haven’t been here yet either, but I keep hearing really good things about it.
19. The Hangleton Manor. The best word for this place is unexpected. Hangleton isn’t known locally for buildings dating from the 1500s – more for suburban semis, a council estate, the Grenadier Pub and the number 5 bus – and you won’t believe it until you get right on top of it either, because it’s tucked away on the very edge of the tip of Hove. It’s a really relaxing place, with lovely pub grub, delicious Sunday lunches and huge garden. We’ve also seen kids events advertised, for Halloween and Easter. According to the website it’s B&H’s second most listed building. The sort of place you might have a wedding reception.
20. Harrisons of Hove on Montefiore Road. Right at the other end of Hove from Hangleton, in the Brighton-y bit of Hove. Easy going place near St Ann’s Wells Gardens (which also has a nice cafe I am told). Harrisons do breakfasts and a bistro-type menu.
21. Otello Italian Restaurant on Church Road, going West from the Town Hall towards George Street and Tesco. This is another one of the first places we went out to eat in Hove. The sort of place you can turn up without a reservation and they’ll squeeze you in. Definitely kid friendly but it’s noisy with lots of hustle and bustle, and the portion they brought for our son was huge. Tasty food, but Marroccos is more laid back.
22. The Noble. Describes itself as West Hove’s favourite pub, and it’s another one in Poet’s Corner. It does gorgeous Sunday lunches and has its own beer festival. Staff are friendly, though it’s less of a family hotspot than the Stoneham.
23. The Station Pub. Right by Hove Station. These guys do very nice pizza and desserts and show sports events. Good place to get a beer, a bite to eat or a cuppa if you’re on your way somewhere by train. Surprisingly nice because it looks like it might be a bit rough round the edges from the outside.
24. The Stoneham. A family friendly pub in Poet’s Corner. Specialises in pizza and ice cream, plus a pub food menu. We liked the sharing plates a lot and they do a good kid’s snack plate. Basket of toddler and baby toys. Big for a pub, so there was playing space on the floor by our table. Depending on your point of view, that could be good if you have a crawler or a walker. Gets really busy.
Shops
I am not a big lover of shopping but I managed to come up with some favourites, or at least some quirkies:
25. Audrey’s Chocolate, on Holland Road. They make amazing chocolate and it makes for wonderful gifts. This is not a kid friendly place though, unsurprisingly. Too many hand-level temptations and the staff are rather serious.
26. Berts Homestore. There’s one in Brighton and one in Hove. Fashionable and quirky homeware.
27. Canham. A butcher’s shop with a pre-supermarket feel, that does rather delicious sandwiches, pies and sausage rolls as well. An excellent place to get a sandwich for a beach picnic. It’s at the junction of Grand Avenue and Church Road.
28. La Cave a Fromage on Western Road. Cheese buying and tasting. Haven’t dared go in yet, because I love cheese so I think I would be in there for a long time and because I’m not sure what to ask for. I went wine tasting in their Kensington branch once, which felt extremely posh.
29. The Chocolate Workshop on Western Road. Chocolate to buy and to make. Had yummy hot chocolate in here when I went in last. Much friendlier than Audrey’s. Gave my son a free chocolate fish when we went in to buy Christmas presents, and knew how to speak to him.
30. Igigi. I haven’t been in here and probably never will – I’m too scared and nowhere near fashionable enough – but the cafe looks intriguing from the street because of the big windows. It’s a home boutique type shop downstairs and a cafe upstairs.
31. Poppets. Children’s toys and clothes on Blatchington Road in Hove. The go to toy shop in Hove. Great for finding presents. The staff aren’t the friendliest.
32. Portland Road Furniture shops. There are lots of reconditioned furniture shops in Poet’s Corner, such as Ribbons, for instance. Cheaper than the trendier retro shops on Church Road.
33. Richardson Road cafes and shops. Just because you might not know it was there if I didn’t mention it. I like the buns in Upper Crust and the Coffee Pots in the Drury Cafe, which is also a kid and dog friendly place for lunch, though the service is sloooow.
34. Supermarkets. To be honest, I spend most of my shopping time either online or in West Hove Sainsbury’s, the George St. Tesco or the new Waitrose by the Greyhound Racing Stadium. And the new Waitrose is dangerously lovely and not quite as frighteningly middle class as the one in Crouch End where we used to live. There’s also the M&S / Tesco / Next / Starbucks combination on the Shoreham Bypass. Hideous but also good, in a weird way.
Take away food.
35. Gourmet Pizza Kitchen. One night I was missing Pizza Lupa, who do very yummy pizza delivery in London, some of them with artichokes, so I had a look to see if I could find something similar. I think I found something better. These pizzas are gorgeous.
36. Thai Pad Thai. I also miss Yum Yums in Stoke Newington and the Bangkok in Cambridge, because they used to do amazing sweetcorn cakes. So I did similar googling and found Thai Pad Thai. I think they are actually in Brighton, because they’re on Dyke Road, but they deliver to my house so who cares.
37. Still haven’t found an Indian take away to rival Tiffin Tin. Can anyone help me?
Around Hove
Countryside: Not in Hove, but the furthest of these is 15 – 20 mins drive from our house. In London distances, that’s round the corner.
38. Devil’s Dyke. Amazing views, lovely walks, hang-gliding and paragliding, pub at the top, open top bus ride (on the No 77) to get there and back. For hang-gliding and paragliding, see this list if you must.
39. Ditchling Beacon. Good for a gentle walk or a more strenuous one. Lots of cyclists zooming past us when we went. Some lovely spots for a picnic.
40. Hiker’s Rest at Saddlescombe Farm. A pretty courtyard with tables and a kiosk serving cream teas, cakes and ice creams, plus a vegetable stand and a basket of toys for toddlers. Designed for people who have been hiking on Devil’s Dyke, but there’s parking opposite if you just want to stop for cream tea.
41. Jack and Jill Windmills nr Clayton, West Sussex. You get to climb inside a working windmill. The steps are a bit scary. Recover with a cup of tea afterwards. And if you like windmills, there is also one in West Hove. It’s very surprising if you’re not expecting it. Worth the climb to the top on a Sunday afternoon. Not as scary as Jill.
42. Shepherd and Dog Pub in Fulking. If you’ve just moved from London like we had this place really feels like countryside. It is a country pub and the food is fine, if only they would bring it to you a bit more quickly. There are walks you can join from the path at the back of the garden – look under ‘local attractions’ on the website for more.
43. Walking the South Downs Way. If you’re a serious walker, you won’t need me to tell you to check out the South Downs Way. Here are some online walks.
44. Woods Mill, Henfield. A nature reserve cared for by the Sussex Wildlife Trust. Easy walks and picnic area, although only basic facilities (toilets and car park) for ad hoc visitors. One of many nature reserves in West Sussex.
Farms
OK, these aren’t in Hove either, but they’re all within driving distance.
45. Blackberry Farm, nr Lewes. Quite a long drive from Hove, when there are other farms a bit closer! This one has a playground, tractor ride and cafe as well as the animals. Great for kids under 7.
46. Middle Farm, nr Lewes. Good for kids because you can interact with the animals and there’s a playground and a hay barn to play in, but there’s stuff for grown ups too, like the home made cider, the cafe, the farm shop, and workshops on how to look after chickens. We went to the Vintage Christmas Show and turned up by mistake during the apple festival, which was fun.
47. Spring Barn Farm nr Lewes is a full on adventure, because you can also go camping here. There are activities for kids, animals to interact with, a farm shop and restaurant. Have yet to visit as we tend to hang out at Washbrooks.
48. Washbrooks Farm, Hurstpierpoint, nr Hassocks. Kids’ playground, softplay, toy tractors to ride on, cafe that does kids’ lunchboxes, farm animals, tractor ride and picnic area. This place is fantastic for an outing with small children, and although the food for grown ups isn’t brilliant, you could take a picnic. We now have an annual pass.
An extra one:
49. Buddhist Meditation Centre. On Wednesdays and Fridays they do meditation plus lunch for £5, which includes free parking. They’re on Landsdowne Road, just before Hove turns into Brighton.
OK, so there are some places I like in Brighton:
50. Brighton Toy Museum, under Brighton Station. Fun for a wander around and good for a train-obsessed toddler on a rainy day.
51. The Jubilee Library and surrounds. You’ve got the main Brighton library, the swimming pool behind it, a very nice looking Indian restaurant, Pizza Express, a place to get a take away Burrito opposite and hundreds of places to eat within walking distance, oh and quite a few hungry seagulls. Clean baby change in the library is a bonus. This place is a day out all by itself.
52. The Level. The kids’ playground is great, and so is the Velo cafe – they even do free food for kids during the week at the moment. (Talking of parks – one cafe I forgot to mention is Hove Park Cafe. Lovely for a salad for lunch, and definitely not in Brighton.)
53. Mange Tout. A bistro on Trafalgar St, where the staff speak to you in French.
54. North Laine. Yes, I agree, wandering around here is a lot of fun.
55. New Writing South. A centre for writers in Jew St in central Brighton. I took a TV Writing class here with a great tutor – Jenny Lecoat – and fab class mates. Tough when you’re a working mum to take time out, but it was worth it.
56. Red Roaster, cafe on St James. Very nice hot chocolate, comfy sofas, laid back atmosphere, and good for the odd poetry reading.