Brighton Pride plans to use Preston Park for a second weekend

Organisers of the annual Pride event are hoping to reduce the costs of setting up the event by holding another event separate from Pride at Preston Park on the final weekend of July, the weekend before Pride.

A council report sets out early plans for how Brighton Pride has ambitious proposals to expand by taking over Preston Park for two consecutive weekends.

The extra weekend would not start until 2025 but next year the Pride weekend could be extended with a Friday night launch event.

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

A report for Brighton councillors states: From 2025 BPCIC are proposing a new vision working with BHCC to develop events over two weekends starting at the end of July and concluding 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, while managed by BPCIC 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 build period for this new approach would begin in July 2025 with the dates being agreed with the events team prior to each year. It is envisioned that the build would take place in two phases allowing an area of the park to remain as public open space during the days between the two weekends. Following on from the first weekend the infrastructure and tents would remain in place and Pride plan to explore a local programme of midweek community activities and events for children, young people and the local residents of Brighton and Hove. EG. Possible activities could include circus skills workshops, children’s shows and performances, horticultural talks and comedy nights. This would allow for much better public access to and use of the park/event site between each weekend."

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

The 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 the extra weekend each year – in principle and subject to community consultation.

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.

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 (8 December) and to be webcast on the council’s website.