Living in Brighton
One of the most dynamic and exciting cities...
Brighton is one of the UK's most famous cities and has a unique cultural heritage. Each year the city plays host to numerous festivals, including Brighton Fringe, Brighton Festival, Brighton Digital Festival, The Great Escape and Artists Open Houses, as well as major events such as Brighton Pride, Burning the Clocks, Brighton Marathon, Brighton Half Marathon, Mod Weekender, The Classic Car Run, Paddle Round the Pier and many more.
For those of you who enjoy the great outdoors, Brighton is nestled between the sea and the stunning South Downs National Park and there are numerous parks around the city, including the grounds of the Royal Pavilion, with its beautiful landscaped gardens.
Brighton is also well known for its wealth of vibrant independent shops, quirky cafes and fantastic restaurants. We also have major theatres and live music venues at the Brighton Centre, The Brighton Dome and Corn Exchange, The Theatre Royal and The Old Market. There are four cinemas, including the country's oldest operating cinema, The Duke of York's Picture House, which opened in 1910.
If you're a fan of sport, Brighton is home to Brighton & Hove Albion, the city's Premier League football team, with its own newly developed stadium. If cricket is more your cup of tea, you can visit the East Sussex County Cricket Ground to see teams from across the county compete. Brighton also has numerous sports centres, including the Stanley Deason Leisure Centre which is located on the same site as our East Campus. The Prince Regent Leisure Centre is also only a five minute walk from our Brighton Central Campus and has a 25m pool, regular swimming and fitness classes as well as a fully equipped gym. There is also the historic Saltdean Lido to the east and The King Alfred Leisure Centre in Hove. If cycling is your sport of choice, Brighton has a thriving bike scene and there is even a velodrome in Preston Park.
We think it's fair to say, Brighton really does have something to suit everyone!
Perfect for eating out
Brighton is well known for being somewhere you can get a great meal, there are over 400 restaurants in the city to choose from - catering for every taste! Whether you want to grab a quick tasty bite or are looking for something more refined, Brighton has you covered.
If you're after cheap eats on a student budget, dive into one of the brilliant independent cafés and restaurants, where you're certain to find delicious that won't break the bank.
Brighton MET also has its own restaurant on site at our Central Campus. The Gallery is run by our talented catering and hospitality students and is open to the public, delivering restaurant-quality meals at a fraction of the price.
All year round festivals
Brighton is proud to host some excellent festivals including Brighton Festival, one of Europe’s leading arts festivals! Known for its ambitious and daring programme that makes the most of the city’s distinctive cultural atmosphere, it attracts some of the most innovative artists from the UK and around the world. Photo Credit: Victor Frankowski - Brighton Festival.
Brighton Fringe - England’s largest arts festival is one of the largest fringe festivals in the world. It's a vast celebration of all things creative and has grown out of, and is inspired by, home-grown talent.
Paddle Round the Pier is a weekend of water-based spectacles which sees 50,000+ people head to Brighton beach to watch competitors from all over the world take part in water-sport events. Some are fun, some are plain ridiculous - whilst others represent serious athletic challenges!
Famous for comedy
Komedia is host to the long-running and highly popular Crater Comedy Club, which is a great way to spend an evening in Brighton's famous North Laine.
Brighton also has some stunning theatres which often feature big names from the London comedy circuit. The Theatre Royal is a grade II listed building and regularly takes in the biggest shows touring the country.
And in true Brighton style, the city even has its own comedy festival, which is a well-established part of the Brighton entertainment calendar. The Brighton Comedy Festival is held at the Brighton Dome with events also taking place at the Komedia and the jewel in Hove’s crown, The Old Market.
24 hour vibrant music scene
Brighton has a rich musical history that has always played a major part in the city's cultural identity. Brightonians are very lucky to have a thriving music scene, with a large number of live venues big and small, all within walking distance of the city centre.
Bands in the city perform gigs every night of the week, and venues attract bands of every genre from swing to metal. There are also dozens of local choirs, orchestras and music societies that put on regular concerts. If you're a performing musician, the city also boasts plenty of recording studios and rehearsal facilities.
Did we mention The Great Escape? It's only the festival for new music, showcasing 450 emerging artists from all over the world. It’s the place to discover your new favourite artist and see them in an intimate setting before they go on to headline major festival stages.
