Brighton to screen Eurovision on giant screen in city

Working in collaboration with The Great Escape, the city's annual new music festival, fans of the annual singing competition will be able to watch the event together as Britain hosts the contest for the first time since 1998.

Brighton is among a number of towns and cities across the UK to have been awarded funding from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport for the big screen, which will also be used to broadcast the Coronation of King Charles III and the Queen Consort.

The screen, which will be set up in Jubilee Square, will be set up with a covered area to ensure the space can be used whatever the weather. There will also be some food and drink stalls onsite, as well as space for people to bring their own picnics.

The square will accommodate around 500 people, with additional capacity on Jubilee Street.

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After the Coronation, the site will also become an outdoor music venue with big screen capacity for the annual city-wide Children's Parade on May 7.

Donna Chisholm, the council's executive director for economy, environment and culture, said: "May is a busy month for the city with the Brighton Festival, Fringe and The Great Escape all taking place, as well as the Coronation.

"Brighton and Hove is renowned for its community spirit, and we're delighted to have won funding for a big screen.

"The event in Jubilee Square means there is a dedicated space in the heart of the city for people to come together and mark the historic occasion."

Brighton hosted the Eurovision Song Contest at the Brighton Dome in 1974, which saw Swedish pop group Abba rocket to stardom after winning the competition with their song Waterloo.

The city briefly threw its hat into the ring to host this year's competition but withdrew its proposal due to a lack of required infrastructure and a suitable venue.