Pride street party organisers have called on supermarkets to do their bit and support next year’s event.
Organisers of Pride’s Gay Village party have listed the local businesses which helped fund this year’s party in a bid to shame the supermarkets who failed to dip into their deep pockets.
The party organisers have called on residents to support these businesses rather than the supermarkets, such as Tesco, Coop and Morrisons.
Organisers are now hoping that the big retailers will join them in discussions for next year’s street party.
This year, independent businesses donated a combined £13,500 to cover the costs of the street party.
Despite the loss of the event’s main sponsor at the last minute causing entertainment to be scaled back, the street party was deemed a huge success with a record 25,000 people around the St James’s Street area.
Street party organiser and owner of Zone Bar Sharon Barr said organisers had written to the head offices of supermarkets but had heard nothing back.
They hope that supermarkets will agree to meet the costs of the St John Ambulance service or the clean-up operation or simply agree not to sell glass bottles.
Organisers hope more resources could pay for a family area in Dorset Gardens where community groups could have stalls.
Miss Barr said: “We would really like an extra £10,000 to do everything we want.
“We really want the supermarkets to sit down with us, the council and police for next year and get involved.
“All the bars during the street party were selling plastic containers but the supermarkets were selling glass bottles which were making the streets dangerous.
“They benefit from extra customers, some of them build special areas for their offlicence, but they don’t give anything back.”
A Morrisons spokesman said: “We want to get behind causes that matter to our customers and also to our colleagues.
“We take every request on its merits and, if we are asked to help the event next year, we’ll consider how we might best be involved.”
A spokesman for The Cooperative Group said: “We proudly supported Brighton and Hove Pride in the parade again this year.
“We sponsored National Student Pride that was held in Brighton earlier this year and sponsor Brighton Gay Men’s Chorus.
“Our colleagues on St James’s Street always enjoy the great atmosphere at this time of year and always make a special effort for this great event.”
Businesses which supported the event:
Bar 56, Betty LaLa's, Brighton Rocks, The Bulldog, Cafe Rococo, The Camelford Arms, City News, Cornel'sm Izzy Cafe, Latest Music Bar, The Marine Tavern, The Marlborough, The Mucky Duck, Poison Ivy, The Queens Arms, Subline, The Three & Ten, The Zone Bar 14, St James's Street Off Licence
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