BRIGHTON

http://jackbrighton.weebly.com/

 

It looks a bit like the Taj Mahal! And with that nice blue sky there in the background and the sunshine making a mirror of the pond, you might think this was India if you didn't know better. But it's not. That is the Brighton Pavilion, built as a pleasure palace by the Prince Regent at the end of the 18th Century. He was a bit of a naughty boy, so it's no surprise he took to Brighton and made it a playground for his friends and his mistresses. The pavilion sits there right in the heart of Brighton, loud and proud like so much else around. It's so out of place and so perfectly right for what I consider as my home town, and where I will be going back to in just over a fortnight. Brighton! With its pier and its beach and miles of prom. The place is totally unique. It's 'London by the Sea' but not London thank God - although the capital is only an hour's train ride away. But why bother when there's so much on offer in Brighton? It has a vibrant Arts scene, countless bars and restaurants from all over the world. That's The North Laines pictured there, which is a very trendy spot now. The city is proudly cosmopolitan, embracing a diversity of cultures. And of course it has a big gay population - probably the highest percentage of any city in Britain. See look! Even the coppers march proudly in Brighton when we have our annual parade! It's a wonderful city, and you might ask the question... Why have I been away for so long? Well there is an answer to that one, but you'll have to catch me in a very revealing mood to go anywhere near it. Lets just say I had my reasons. I wasn't Jack Brighton when I lived there before. I was a different person - a high flier in the Finance sector commuting every day to London. Now I'm going back as... Jack