Brighton

After Vegas I was glad to get back home, well not exactly home, but back to my parents for the weekend. So arriving at Gatwick I jumped on a train down to Brighton, which is only 30 minutes so not far at all. This gives my parents enough time to jump in the car and meet me at the station. It's always strange arriving at Brighton and I'm always amazed by the changes, which are great. The whole station area is under new construction and a load of new apartments and a big super store are being built. This has really rejuvenated this run down derelict area. This is not the only change planned for Brighton and Hove. There are plans to redevelop the old Brighton Centre on the sea front (about time too I say) and by the old West Pier (poor old thing its now an eye sore but could have been restored if the council had got a move on 20 years ago) are plans for a gigantic tower. This will be called the Brighton i360, not sure why Brighton and not Hove, as it is actually in Hove??? Other plans are the old Volks railway that runs between the nudity beach and the Palace Pier will be extended to the Marina and a new track laid, although I think a monorail would have been better. Also Brunswick Developments has submitted a new planning application in April 2006 for a mixed-use development within the Outer Harbour entrance of Brighton Marina. The new plan proposes 853 apartments, of which 40% will be affordable to help key workers to buy and rent homes. I think the name of this is the Future! And when I thought that was all I also read that Brighton & Hove Albion football club may actually get their newly awaited football stadium if Prescott gets his act together. So things do change when you have been away for so many years, 8 to be exact, although I pop back once in a while. Maybe I’ll buy myself a new apartment in Brighton Marina! Back at my parents I sorted out some boxes of stuff I have been meaning to for years, so finally made a good start and cleared out a load of rubbish, including old clothes that I would never be seen dead in, so all gone! Then it was catch up time with friends and family, as it was a short weekend I did not have too much time but managed to see more people than planned so was very good. I even had time to put a bet on the horses, as it was the Grand National, but did not win. So Viva Las Peacehaven did not bring me any luck, well not on the horses but I did win a whole 10 quid on the lottery…whoow! Here are some pictures of Brighton and my family. The first one is driving into Brighton from Peacehaven, followed by the Palace Pier and the poor old West Pier (all taken from the car as we did not stop, so not bad) and my sister and family. The last picture was me messing around with the camera in the car on the way back to Peacehaven and I managed to get a resonable shot don't you think?