The expression “Hove, actually” is now so well-known as to be a local cliché, reproduced on mugs and tea-towels. The phrase is commonly attributed to former resident Laurence Olivier in response to being asked whether he lived in Brighton. It works because Hove, which combined with Brighton to form a unitary authority in 1997, is often perceived to be the stuffy maiden aunt to lairy, fun-loving Brighton. And it’s true that Hove has sedate, sweeping crescents, verdant spaces and traditional social clubs. It also has exciting new restaurants, buzzy bars and an array of well-curated boutiques, all of which can be taken at a much more leisurely pace than the crowds of Brighton’s Lanes allow.
The honey-coloured Regency frontages of the houses in Brunswick Square are perhaps the best-known architectural treasures of Hove, but its buildings are thrillingly diverse – from Wells Coates’ modernist Embassy Court to the brutalist Hove Town Hall.
IN THE MORNING
Start the day with a leisurely stroll along the seafront, perhaps starting at the British Airways i360 and ending at Hove Lagoon. The grass at Hove Lawns is the perfect place for a picnic or to meet with friends and family away from the bustle and occasional debauchery of Brighton seafront.
The Peace Statue, a memorial to Edward VII, marks the boundary between Brighton and Hove. It depicts an angel holding an orb and olive branch and has become a symbol of the area, with local jeweller Jeremy Hoye paying tribute to it in his Brighton-inspired collection.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
TAKE YOUR TIME
Dean Edwards’ new cookbook features delectable recipes that you can slow cook or stick in the oven. Here’s a selection of the best
Decorative art
Not simply functional, treat your walls like an extension of your personality
ON THE FRONT FOOT
The rugby legend took the reins at Sussex County Cricket Club in 2017, rekindling his love for a sport that first won his heart on the village cricket fields of North Yorkshire
NAKED AMBITION
In the 1980s, Christine and Jennifer Binnie partied with Boy George and Marilyn and bared all as performance art collective The Neo-Naturists. Now they are working together to gain the recognition they feel they deserve
ROCKET MAN
Astronaut Tim Peake has come a long way since growing up in Westbourne and attending Chichester High School for Boys: 248 miles above Earth, to be precise. But, he says, life on the International Space Station has a lot in common with family caravanning holidays
Revolution man
Lewes’ most famous resident Thomas Paine may be the greatest propagandist who ever lived. But how did a humble customs and excise officer ignite the touchpaper for revolution in not one but two countries?
THE DIARY
17 exciting things to do this month in East and West Sussex
All in a day's work
Meet Tim Dummer, who has helped keep Midhurst’s Cowdray Estate shipshape for an impressive five decades
My favourite Sussex
Bruce Fogle is an author and a vet with a practice in London who has lived in West Sussex with his wife, the actress Julia Foster, since 1989. He recently became president of RSPCA Mount Noddy near Chichester
10 OF THE BEST Meat-free restaurants in Brighton and Hove
Brighton is often rated one of the most vegan-friendly cities in the UK. What these restaurants prove is that plant-based food doesn’t have to be puritanical – at all of these places you’ll find big flavours and a desire to push the envelope
