Well worth a look on the coffee crawl and it has outside tables too which feel like your sat in an Italian village square. Don’t miss the child friendly upstairs and the poshest toilet in Hove. My only critism is that the stairs are steep for kids, although there is a stair gate.

Climping, East Sussex, originally uploaded by Cultural Coast.

I haven’t been to Climping Beach since some friends of ours got married there about 8 years ago! The weather was gorgeous, the tide out and we had a fantastic day.

There is a new barrier controlled car park at the end of the lane to the beach, which as usual at these kind of places (especially in Cornwall) wasn’t particularly cheap. Having said that there was a great kiosk selling food & drink and beach stuff – they even had a real cappuccino machine, the toilets were really clean and there was plenty of grassy room to picnic and play football.

I spotted a local moaning about the barriers, but hey we come to expect this these days and it was well run & kept.

The beach is pebbly, but there is lots of sand when the tide is out and the groynes are lovely. We even had a little paddle in the sea – it was reasonably warm for April!

Whilst I have been off season, two new business in Hove have emerged from the winter as ones to watch, or ones to visit fast. Firstly Small Batch Coffee’s shop by Hove station has been open for a little while. The staff are friendly, you can usefully check the train times whilst you are in there, and of foremost importance the coffee is great. SBC also supply 9 Bar (also at Hove station), and Sugardough on Kingsway, Hove.

Talking of which, Sugardough is a complete must. On an odd parade of shops by the Texaco garage on Hove seafront, this gem is  highly recommended for home made cakes, pastries, bread and coffee. Every time I go in, there seems to be a fight going on over the last sausage roll or croissant. The owner is always in there, all hours, baking trying to keep up with demand – this speaks for itself.

Happy grazing.

They remembered the pier when it was still open and had really fond memories of it, but were strongly suggesting that it was now time to put it ‘out of its misery’. I strongle disagree. Although I didnt live in Brighton at the time, I was in Brighton for the storm and the fire and to me it is a landmark of the city. You could pay a lot of money for Gormley to do something spectacular on the coast line; but no we have our very own installation that is far superior and is just as well documented as it is.

I like the idea of the i360 (the new tower on the west pier site by Marks Barfield), but please leave the wreck to decay naturally.

As I returned home I popped into the newsagents and there on the front of The Times was an image of Brigton saying ‘Summer is over’. The West Pier was prominent in the shot!

West Pier Trust

i360 – The Argus

Gormley sea figures

Hove park has been slowly refurbished over the last couple of years and is now a fantastic place to spend a Sunday (or sneaky day off in the week)!

With the kids in toe the most important feature is a new play park that has been installed with no cost spared. It’s good for kids of all ages including ‘Big Kids’ as there is an area that looks challenging even for adults – watch the dads climb the pole?

There is a great cafe pavilion, serving good coffee and home made goodies by the tennis courts, with toddler toys in abundance to keep the kids happy.

Still to explore is the big rocks; you will know when you see them, and the fingerprint maze in the grass? I know both sound a bit weird, but I am still to fully explore – the coffee and the pole keep me distracted.

Council Blurb – apparently there is a miniature railway there too!

Cultural Coast recommends Anna Sherburn’s mens scarves made with pure cashmere and pure silk – the surface material expert & colour forecaster launches her own special product range!

welcome to artwave

Cultural Coast recommends Anna Sherburn’s mens scarves made with pure cashmere and pure silk – the surface material expert & colour forecaster launches her own special product range!

59 Priory Street, Lewes
close to Lewes Railway Station
open 11am – 4pm
- 29, 30 & 31 Aug, 5 & 6, 12 & 13 Sept

Part of Artwave.
29th August – 13th September 2009

Artwave is the annual visual arts festival for the Lewes District in East Sussex, showcasing the inspirational works of local artists and makers in venues across the District. From farmhouses to metal workshops, gardens to industrial sites, visual art is displayed for all to enjoy and the event is a must for any creative diary.

Brighton Beach CCTV, originally uploaded by Cultural Coast.

Enjoying the seaside? Don’t forget you are always being watched!

The LMS selected Oliver Hill as architect, work commenced in 1932 and the building opened in 1934. To me it’s a morph of Deco into Modernist, or visa versa – although these are just words and we can get caught up in semantics – it really is a fantastic piece of 30′s seaside architecture and well worth a visit. Also note that Hill commissioned Eric Gill for both external and internal pieces.

Although Urban Splash still own the building it is now managed by English Lakes Hotels. I am still planning my visit, it’s at the top of my list!

Just an aside, although we must sing the praises of US, I guess the scheme is financed by a big development of contemporary flats on the site. It’s easy to be critical (it’s a big development) but the funding has to come from somewhere. Having said this I don’t know what the status of the development is with the current financial situation.

Friends of the Midland Hotel
The Hotel

The Midland Hotel