Brighton and Hove unites to show that Pride still matters

The annual event kicked off in spectacular style with a parade through the city centre.

More than 60 community groups were represented as a cavalcade of floats went from the Brighton Wheel through the city to Preston Park.

Thousands of people blowing whistles, singing and dancing in the street cheered the parade through the city.

Lady Gaga, David Beckham, Whitney Houston Freddie Mercury and Tina Turner were just some of the Gay Icons represented on the floats in keeping with this year's theme.

Pride ambassador George Montague, 90, was at the head of the parade with his now famous “Oldest gay in the village” sign.

He said: “I am so excited to be in the parade, the atmosphere here is electric.

“This is my tenth pride and they get bigger and better each year.

“The event is about pushing gay acceptance.

"I was born gay in 1923 and remained in the closet for years. I married, had three children and have three grandchildren.

“I finally was able to come out and have been happily married to Somchai for ten years now and we are campaigning for national and international acceptance."

This afternoon 20,000 spectators in Preston Park were enjoying music and entertainment in a variety of tents and on a range of stages.

Alison Moyet, the original line-up of the Sugababes and Paloma Faith were just some of the big name acts taking to the stage.

Most revellers praised the atmosphere and organisation although there were complaints about the length of queues getting into the event and queues for toilets.

Organisers had hoped that a new e-ticketing system and extra toilet facilities would have eased the lengthy queues from last year.

Legal executive David Holmes, 29 from Worthing, said:  “The e-tickets haven’t really worked, there were big queues to get in and people were pushing in and nobody was stopping them and there seem to be fewer urinals.

“But the main event is brilliant, they just need to sort out the queuing for next year.”

Emma Laulik-Walters, 30 from Brighton, said: “I haven’t been to the park since they started charging and it’s so different from when it was free, it’s been really good and so much more professional.

“The stewards have been so helpful, they directed us to another gate and we had no problems getting in.”

The focus now shifts to the St James's Street party.

Organisers have already raised more than £16,000 in tickets sales and £5,000 from pre-Pride events as they bid to beat the £71,000 raised last year.

This year's event has been given the blessing of opposition leader Ed Miliband following in the footsteps of Prime Minister David Cameron and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg who offered a joint message of support last month.

Retailers in the Rainbow flag festooned St James's Street are hopeful a bumper Pride weekend can help compensate for a tough year so far.

Trish Murray, owner of Nice n Naughty, said: “We are definitely praying for a good weekend, it's been a difficult retail year so this weekend can really be make or break.

“We have extended our hours of trade to 11pm to maximise our availability to the customers.”

The street will once again will be at the heart of the Pride weekend with the post-Pride street party beginning at 6pm on Saturday and continuing throughout Sunday.

Despite the event's main sponsors including Bacardi pulling out at the last minute, organisers are confident the event will be the perfect way to close Pride.

Philip Price, manager of Nice n Naughty, said he hoped the street party would be a success.

He said: “Unfortunately it means that we won't have the outside speakers but it will still be great.

“The significance from the first Pride has changed, it's not the political side now, it's a celebration.

“It's like Christmas for gays.”

Dean Holmes, owner of The Bulldog, said he had ordered up to three times his usual amounts of stock to meet demand for one of his busiest weekends of the year.

He said: “Our capacity is 160 but come the street party we have 5,000 people standing outside here.

“Our cellar is completely full of beer, we have ordered three times our usual amount.

“Pride has changed a lot from the old days, it's just a different atmosphere.

“The old Pride was for gay people and was very closed, now it's open to everybody.

“Whether that's a good or bad thing, I don't know.”

Kelly Yeardley, the 37-year-old proprietor of O'Fishly Healthy, said she was making a special effort to mark her first Pride as a St James's Street retailer.

She said: “We are going to do something a bit different with ready to eat shellfish, plenty of oysters and Bloody Marys with oysters in them.

“We will have a DJ, I'll be dressing up as Madonna and we will have a Marilyn as well.

“I am really looking forward to it, it will be party while we work.”

Paula White, 47-year-old manager of Pet Pals at Doggy Fashion, said business usually doubled over Pride weekend.

She said: “We have been here for 16 years so we have lots of people who come down and see us.

“The atmosphere starts building about a week before when the decorations start going up.

“The rainbow bandana is our best seller.”

Shahrukh Sultan, 19-year-old owner of Allure Wigs and Extensions, said: “A lot of people are coming in for bright colours just for the weekend.

“From school kids to old people, everybody of all ages are preparing for Pride over the last few days.”

Pride Director Paul Kemp, said: “With sales so far well up on last year, we are tackling some of the issues flagged up from last year.

“We have new e-ticket systems to avoid collection of tickets on the day and to help speed up entry to the park.

“We're also increasing the amount of toilets on the park and spreading the main entertainment across the site to help avoid queues.

“This year's Pride is one of the most anticipated ever and is set to be a groundbreaking year for LGBT Brighton and Hove.”Technology This year's Pride is embracing technology to improve visitors' enjoyment of the event.

For the first year the event has an electronic ticketing system designed to cut down on queues entering Preston Park.

Organisers have also launched a new app full of information and news.

The app, which was developed for free by Organic Apps, costs 69p with all profits going to Pride and local good causes.

ESSENTIAL INFORMATION

Road Closure information: The Pride Parade sets off at 11am from Madeira Drive and travels west along Kings Road, north up West Street, east along North Street and north to Preston Park.

The rear of the parade is expected to arrive at the park at approximately 2pm.During the parade the route and its side junctions will be closed to traffic.

Roads affected include: New England Road closed from Preston Circus to New England Street.

Preston Circus and London Road/Preston Road.

Northbound traffic from Old Steine diverted along A270 Lewes Road.

Southbound traffic from A23 diverted east to Preston Drove or west to South Road.

Kings Road (eastbound) and its junctions with Preston Street, Cannon Place and West Street will close at 10.50am until the Parade leaves Kings Road and moves into West Street.

Once the Parade leaves the city centre, roads will reopen, however some closures may remain until it is safe to reopen them.

For more information visit our dedicated Pride site.

Send in your pictures of your Pride day to picture.desk@theargus.co.uk or text SUPIC to 80360 and they will be featured in our online picture gallery and in Monday's paper.

WHY PRIDE MATTERS:

• PC Rich Bridger is the LGBT Liaison Officer for Sussex Police.

"Pride is an incredibly important event as it is an opportunity for the community to come together and celebrate the diversity that Brighton and Hove is so famous for.

"It's also important to acknowledge that the liberty we enjoy in this country is not shared across the world. The fact that Russia and indeed many other countries across the globe still practice overt homophobia and transphobia against its people means that we still have a long way to go in achieving true equality for all.

"I would urge everyone to have a great Pride, but be mindful of your personal safety, and look out for those around you. If you see something happen that is not right, please tell us. There are many Police Officers working all across the Pride festivities, and I myself will also be around Preston Park and the Street Party."

• Attila the Stockbroker is a renowned Brighton and Hove poet who wrote a special piece for this year's event:

A Pride of Seaulls

You flood our friendly city’s streets
In a flamboyant tide
We welcome you and celebrate
The glory that is Pride.

Yes, we can see you holding hands.
It’s not that hard to tell!
Your boyfriends know that you are here -
Because they’re here as well.

We’re in the twenty-first century.
It’s all quite normal. Yet
Some sing such chants at Brighton fans
And think we’ll be upset......

Oh, Oscar Wilde! Such cutting wit!
No need to have them muzzled.
It’s far more fun to fling ‘em back
And see the morons puzzled.

Thus: ‘You’re too ugly to be gay’
We sing. They are perplexed.
And ‘One nil to the nancy boys’
Just leaves them doubly vexed.

Yes, we are Brighton, from the South.
I’m sure that most will say
Proud of our city and our club -
And proud for you today

• The Prime Minister, David Cameron and the Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg have sent a joint letter of support to the organisers of this year's Brighton Pride:

“We are delighted to once again offer our support to Brighton Pride.

“A key event in the local calendar, Pride is a fantastic opportunity for people of all communities to come together to enjoy the carnival atmosphere of this colourful celebration of LGBT life.

“Indeed, in addition to the parade and musical performances which characterise Pride, this year also marks the first citywide showcase of LGB&T artists and photographers as party of The Brighton Pride Arts and Film Festival, allowing the promotion of both newcomers to the scene and some of the UK's leading figures in this area.

“It is fantastic that across the United Kingdom people come together to celebrate Pride, and for our part we are committed to ensuring equal rights for same sex couples.

“We both wish everyone attending Brighton and Hove Pride 2013 all the very best for a successful and enjoyable event.”

• Leader of the Labour Party Ed Miliband MP

"I want to send my best wishes to everyone taking part in this year's Brighton Pride.

"Pride celebrations show just how far we have come on equality, bringing together the rich diversity of modern Britain. But it is also a reminder of the ongoing campaign to ensure a future free from prejudice both at home and in many other parts of the world.

"Together we have made great progress towards equality: creating an equal age of consent; ending the ban on LGBT people serving in our forces; increasing sentences for hate crimes; outlawing discrimination in goods and services; and bringing about civil partnerships.

"Pride is our opportunity to speak with one voice against homophobia, hate crimes and discrimination.

"Best wishes for a great day."

• Peter Tatchell is an Australian-born political campaigner who has focused much of his efforts on the LGBT movement.

“I am proud to support Brighton and Hove Pride 2013. The lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community makes a huge, positive contribution to the city; enriching its cultural diversity.

"As well as enjoying a fabulous celebration and party, it is important to keep campaigning for LGBT dignity, respect, acceptance and human rights - in Brighton and across the UK - to end queer-bashing violence and homophobic bullying in schools.

"It is outrageous that half of all LGBT pupils have experienced homophobia at school and that half the country's schools still don't have an anti-bullying programme that specifically addresses homophobic bullying.

"Equally alarming, one third of the LGBT people have been victims of hate crimes. This shows why Pride is still necessary.

"We've just won the battle for same-sex marriage in the UK but 83 countries still criminalise homosexuality, with penalties ranging up to life imprisonment and even the death penalty.

"The battle for LGBT equality is a worldwide struggle. Despite setbacks in Russia, Cameroon and Uganda, the overall trend is towards greater rights for LGBT people. Queer freedom is an unstoppable global trend.

"My motto is: Don't accept homophobia. Dream of a world without the persecution of LGBT people. Make homophobia history."

• Dr Martin Warner Bishop of Chichester Dr Warner became the Bishop of Chichester in November last year.

"We welcome visitors from across the world to Brighton and Hove for Pride 2013.

"I have already enjoyed excellent conversations with members of the LGBT community and I look forward very much to strengthening our local links.

"It is also very true that faithful members of various faith strands including Christianity will be present at Pride and I pray for each of them.

"Pride is about people gathering to share, have fun and meet new people and I really hope that everyone has a superb weekend. It is a great weekend for everyone in the city to join in the fun."

• Lorraine Bowen is a Brighton-based performer and long-time supporter of Pride.

“Pride is still important because many parts of the world don't have the same wonderful tolerance.

“Saying that, many parts of this country don't have the same tolerance as we have in Brighton and Hove.

“The city is not without its problems but residents are very tolerant. It's important to celebrate that.”

Lorraine is performing with the Lipsinkers at the Marlborough Theatre tonight from 9pm. Tickets all still available.

• Simon Fanshawe, the Brighton-based writer and broadcaster, is a founding trustee of Kaleidoscope Trust, the only British charity working exclusively on gay human rights worldwide

"For a couple of reasons, Pride is something to be really proud of these days.

"Firstly, it's great to see the Community Interest Company set up by Paul Kemp and his associates which will mean that they can bring their event professionalism and expertise to sustaining Pride through the years to come in a way that the many volunteers who gave so much of their time could never have hoped to do. Pride it seems is in safe hands.

"But beyond the fun in the park there's so much to celebrate this year.

"We've gone all the way from those greyish days when we started Stonewall through what must be the fastest social change in memory, first with Labour driving the bulk of the equality legislation and then the coalition finishing it off with equal marriage.

"When it comes to laws, we're pretty much there in the UK. And in America gay marriage is now legal in 13 States and the so-called Defence of Marriage Act has been struck down by the Supreme Court as unconstitutional because it was discriminatory. There are now sixteen countries worldwide where gay marriage is legal.

"Hurrah - Lots to celebrate then. But, just a moment.

"Cast your eyes anywhere outside the so-called liberal West and the news is unbearable. Putin in Russia has appointed himself the Czar of homophobia and prosecuted deeply hostile legislation in the Russian Parliament, outlawing the “propaganda of non-traditional relations”, stoking a violent anti-gay reaction across Russia both by the state and worrying numbers of fascist youth.

"In Uganda we read daily of attacks and murders. Mugabe continues to insult us for electoral purposes. In Jamaica, a teenage cross dresser was recently unmasked at a party in Montego Bay and stabbed to death by a mob. There are “corrective” rapes in South Africa against lesbians and religiously inspired harassment and victimisation of gays in countries throughout Africa and the Middle East.

"The bad news appears endless. However it can, strangely, also give us hope. This repression hasn't sprung out of nowhere. It is a reaction to our growing strength and visibility across the world. There are gay activists, in places previously unimaginable. They are taking their lives in their hands and fighting for their rights. This has never happened before. There is a global upswing of gay activism. The genie is out of the bottle. For every terrible story you read there is a group of brave people behind it who took the risk to go public and start to campaign.

"This is why a number of us, some previously involved in Stonewall, have started the Kaleidoscope Trust to support these activists in countries where coming out brings retribution and rejection and where their lives are lived in fear of violence or death.

"So at Pride this year, let's march, mince, sashay - whatever suits your style - down the street and add our voices to those abroad struggling for their human rights. Let's be proud so they can be Proud. And next year let's make the theme of Pride “Freedom to Live”, so that we can support our gay and lesbian fellows abroad to live quiet ordinary lives free from fear."

Visit our dedicated Pride site for the latest news and pictures from the event and don't miss our 16-page Pride supplement on Monday.

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