Brighton Pride Organisers Want Two Weekends And Wristband Review

Brighton Pride has set out ambitious plans to expand by taking over Preston Park for two consecutive weekends.

The organisers hope to spread their costs by hosting standalone events over the first weekend which would not be part of the Pride festival.

They have also pledged to review the wristband scheme for the Pride Village Party, in Kemp Town, after a series of complaints and criticisms.

And a newly published report said that Brighton and Hove City Council aimed to recover all of its estimated £100,000 annual costs from 2026 onwards.

The report to councillors said that, across the weekend, Pride brought £20 million into the local economy from visitors and had contributed more than £1.2 million to charities and community groups.

Councillors are being asked to grant “landlord’s consent” for the next five years for the parade, activities in Preston Park and the Pride Village Party, in Kemp Town.

They are also being asked to allow Brighton Pride CIC to use Preston Park for an extra weekend each year – in principle and subject to community consultation.

The report said:

“From 2025, Brighton Pride is proposing a new vision working with Brighton and Hove City Council to develop events over two weekends starting at the end of July and concluding on the first full weekend in August.

“The traditional Pride Saturday will still fall on the first weekend of August, with the other dates being programmed to offer a full line-up of Friday, Saturday and Sunday performances and sharing the significant overall infrastructure costs with other event partners.

“The additional weekend, managed by Brighton Pride as a mechanism to reduce financial risk, will not be part of the city Pride celebrations and will be independently branded and promoted.

“It will create an income for Pride to support their longer-term sustainability.”

The proposal includes leaving the tents and infrastructure from the opening weekend in place for the second weekend including the day of the annual Pride parade.

Brighton Pride said that it planned to explore a programme of midweek community activities for children and young people, such as circus skills workshops and children’s shows.

The organisers have also pledged to review the wristband system used to grant admission to the Pride Village Party which takes over several streets in Kemp Town each year.

The report to councillors said that since the wristband scheme was introduced in 2014, demand had risen 300 per cent, adding:

“This continues to be an unpopular measure with some business owners and residents.”

Limits on wristbands for people living, working and staying in the area have prompted numerous complaints and criticisms including at a recent council meeting.

Brighton Pride also said that it would “review the current footprint” of the Pride Village Party, with Old Steine Gardens and Madeira Drive under consideration.

The report to councillors said that Pride would be expected to cover a greater share of the council’s £100,000 a year costs over the coming years, funding the entire amount by 2026.

This would be made more likely with landlord’s consent for five years, enabling Brighton Pride Community Interest Company to secure multi-year contracts and sponsorship.

The decision is due to be taken at a special meeting of the council’s Culture, Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Economic Development Committee at Hove Town Hall.

The meeting is scheduled to start at 2.30pm next Friday (December 8) and to be webcast on the council’s website.