Kemp Town and Hanover

East of the city centre and stretching as far as Brighton Marina, Kemp Town, Brighton is a flamboyant mix of grand seafront crescents, elegant squares, and a bustling High Street shopping area with a lively village feel.

Thomas Read Kemp (1782-1840) took over 30 years to complete the magnificent Kemp Town estate. As a result, Kemp Town soon became one of the most desirable areas of the town and home to many famous residents from Lewis Carrol and Vita Sackville-West to the Sixth Duke of Devonshire.

Kemp Town, Brighton - bohemian bustle to thriving gay quarter

Once into Kemp Town village, elegant eateries and cosy pubs sit alongside delicious delis and lifestyle shops. Back towards town, check out St James's Street, with its quirky mix of second-hand book stores, interiors, delis and colourful characters. Kemp Town in Brighton is also home to some of the best bars and pubs in town, as well as the city's thriving 'gay quarter.'

Hanover, Brighton's cosiest neighbourhood

Home to some of narrowest streets, steepest hills and fittest residents, Hanover in Brighton is a cosy neighbourhood of pastel houses and welcoming pubs, clustered high above the city centre. Hanover's vibrant community buzz and annual Hanover Brighton street and beer festivals add to the sense of local joie de vivre.

Hanover in Brighton has also had its share of famous residents. Sir Rowland Hill, who introduced the Penny Black stamp, lived in Hanover Terrace and Horace Smith, a writer and poet, lived in Hanover Crescent, where he held parties for the literati.