Spaces #1: B is for Brighton

Spaces is a new series covering places (a workspace, a studio or even a city) that inspires or encourages creativity and entrepreneurship. Know of one that would be perfect for this series? Drop us a note at thelittlesparkofmadness@gmail.com

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I recently visited Brighton, a seaside city on the south coast of England. What struck me was that despite its small size (a city of 160,000), it has a vibrant independent culture that punches above its weight. 

How does a small city have such vibrancy and audacity to dream and create? 

For Brighton, the answer seems to span history, culture, and the population it attracts and cultivates.

Brighton's history of arts and culture (and sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll) started with the Prince Regent, a patron of the arts who came to Brighton in 1783 and accelerated its growth with parties and gambling. In 1815, he commissioned the Royal Pavilion, his "seaside pleasure palace", where he had liaisons with his older lover and secret wife, Maria Fitzherbert.

Scandalous.

Since then, Brighton has become an open-minded city whose mantra appears to be 'Live and let live'.

Its gay pride parade 'The Brighton Pride Festival' is one of the UK's biggest and most flamboyant. It is a colourful celebration of diversity and will be ringing in its 25th anniversary this August with, well...pride and aplomb, as they do every year.

Photos by David Myers Photography

The city's liberal outlook is not limited to just sexuality. It spills over to politics too - in 2010, it elected Britain's only Green Party MP.

Brighton's network of top universities (University of Brighton, a top arts university, and the Brighton Institute of Modern Music) also means a constant influx of youth.

In summary, free spirits, artists and the young flock to Brighton; their experimental and open disposition means exploration of alternative businesses. Society's ability to accept alternative views and lifestyles means that people are more willing to try new things. Together, that has allowed the independent business scene to bloom. 

Here's a spotlight on some of Brighton's Independents

Small Batch Coffee Company

Listed as one of the top 50 coffee shops in the UK by The Independent, this Brighton-based coffee company is committed to providing customers the finest quality green, sustainable and Fair Trade beans. You can buy their roasted beans either online or enjoy a cuppa at one of their eight Brighton locations (not bad for a company that began roasting in 2007).

Boy Parker and The Illustrated Mind

Boy Parker is a store that specialises in teeshirts from independent brands. I've visited them twice in my visits to the city and they consistently have great, quirky and fun designs. In 2010, they went on to launch The Illustrated Mind, a teeshirt design label/collective that aims to represent emerging illustration and design trends and talent.

Boy Parker provides the perfect testing ground for The Illustrated Mind's latest designs, allowing the team to curate their collection to its best-selling form and offer it to other stores. As corporate-speak goes, they've got S-y-n-e-r-g-y. 

The Brighton Open Market

The Brighton Open Market used to be home for the trading of not-so-legitimately-obtained goods. In 2014,  it underwent a major revamp and is now home to 50 of Brighton's producers and creators, focused on local produce and ethical products.  

Their tenants include Foodshed - a social enterprise focused on locally grown or made produce. They offer workshops to help customers learn about the processes and waste that comes with the food they buy. They also run a 'rent a shelf' scheme to allow local producers to sell their goods without incurring unaffordable demands on their limited resources.

The North Laine

You can't talk about independent businesses in Brighton without bringing up The North Laine. Filled with cafes and various independent boutiques, it's a definite must-visit to soak in the bohemian vibe of the city.