What's On in Brighton & Hove: 26 July – 1 August 2026

Good Morning, Brighton

What a week to be in our city! Summer's properly here now—the kind of July where the seafront buzzes, the North Laine gets rammed with visitors, and you remember exactly why you live by the sea. We've got some brilliant stories unfolding across town, plus plenty of reasons to get out and explore. Let's dive in.

This Week in Brighton & Hove

- A warm welcome to The Reading Room: Sussex Square, once a bit overlooked, is getting a proper facelift. The new Reading Room brings contemporary dining right to the seafront, with stylish design and varied cuisine. Perfect for watching the light change over the water at suppertime.

- The Pipeline's future is secure: Great news for live music fans—our beloved Pipeline on Little East Street has been purchased through a community ownership scheme backed by some seriously big names in music and politics. This independent venue is thriving, and that matters.

- Mystery of the floating object solved: Remember the strange thing spotted off Hove beach last weekend? Brighton and Hove City Council has revealed it's a flotation device for coastal protection work. Nothing to worry about—just the city doing its thing to look after our shoreline.

- Affordable homes progress: The council has delivered 684 affordable homes in just two years as part of the Homes for Everyone strategy. More major schemes are under construction across the city. It's slow work, but it's happening.

This Weekend

Make the most of those long, golden summer evenings. Head down to Brighton Beach—it's free, it's glorious, and no booking needed. Bring a book, a friend, or just yourself; the pebbles warm up beautifully by late afternoon.

If you fancy a proper wander, The Lanes are absolutely magical on a summer Saturday. The narrow medieval alleyways stay pleasantly cool even on hot days, and you'll find independent jewellery shops, vintage finds, and that particular kind of browsing that only makes sense when you've got nowhere else to be. Duck into English's of Brighton for proper seafood—they've been doing it since 1945, and it shows.

Or head west to Hove Lawns for something quieter. The western seafront has a different feel entirely—more family-friendly, calmer, with excellent restaurants along George Street when you fancy something proper.

Where to Eat and Drink This Week

In The Lanes: English's of Brighton is the obvious choice for seafood—fresh, classic, and genuinely excellent. But if you want something different, Terre à Terre is just a few minutes' walk and does vegetarian fine dining like nowhere else in the city. Both feel special without being stuffy.

For something more relaxed, Cin Cin does brilliant Italian in a cramped, lively space that feels authentically Brighton. Go early or late to avoid the queues.

Worth Knowing

Brighton Pride is coming in August—it's one of our biggest celebrations, so if you're planning to be around, start thinking about what you want to do now. Accommodation fills up fast, and some venues plan special programming months in advance.

The Volk's Electric Railway is brilliant on days like these. It's the world's oldest operating electric railway and runs along the seafront—proper nostalgic, genuinely fun, and a lovely way to see the city if your feet are tired.

Have a wonderful week. We'll see you around town.