In line with the latest phase of lockdown easing, many of our hotels, restaurants, pubs and attractions will reopen this weekend.
Seeing more of our city come back to life and knowing that more of our valued businesses can finally begin trading is a very welcome step.
Already, many of the seafront hotels are fully booked and restaurants are expected to be busy with extra visitors in town, so planning and booking ahead from now on is strongly advised.
In a typical year, we can expect to see up to 11 million visitors come to Brighton & Hove. We’re used to sharing our city and are renowned for our warm welcome.
Visitors are a valued part of the city’s vibrant make-up and contribute hugely to its diverse personality and year-round buzz.
They also support thousands of jobs and contribute an estimated £850m to the local economy annually.
We’re doing all we can to make the city safe in readiness for an influx of extra people now more businesses are opening. Measures include widening pavements, closing roads and installing signage – but we all need to play our part in shaping our new normal.
Our licensing, environmental health and trading standards teams have been working together to give businesses the guidance they need to reopen and make any temporary changes necessary for trading successfully and safely.
This includes advice on hygiene, managing physical distancing and what actions they need to take if they wish to expand trading outside their premises.
The food and health & safety team have produced a ‘how to’ guide for pubs and other hospitality venues which includes guidance on how to manage toilets, bad weather, entertainment and ‘off’ sales of alcohol.
Chair of the licensing committee Councillor O’Quinn and I are going on regular walkabouts to see how businesses are faring so we can report back on any issues.
Our teams will take enforcement action if necessary but we’re pleased that most businesses are already operating within the guidelines and we thank them for their proactive and responsible approach.
We want everyone who comes into the city centre to enjoy themselves but not at the cost of others. We all need to stay safe and consider our local communities.
Covid-19 has not gone away and the NHS is still working hard to save lives. We should all stay two metres apart if possible, use hand sanitiser and wear a mask on public transport, in shops and public spaces if you can.
Physical distancing is key to keeping coronavirus at bay. Please allow extra space between yourself and others.
Whether you walk, cycle, drive, roll or ride, please be considerate when moving around the city.
Cyclists and scooter users should slow down in shared spaces. If you’re driving, please watch your speed and take note of new road layouts.
If you’re using public transport, take guidance from our local bus and train companies about the safest ways of travelling.
And please be mindful of people with mobility issues, learning disabilities or visual or hearing impairments. Some people will find it harder to manage physical distancing and many disabilities are hidden.
Our central beach area has become overcrowded at times during hot weather. If you see the beach is busy, please move along to a less crowded spot.
Recently our cleaning team collected a staggering 11 tonnes of rubbish from the beach in one day. The largest amount ever recorded.
Considering the climate crisis and the damage that plastic and rubbish can do to our environment and wildlife this is truly saddening and this irresponsible action should not be tolerated.
There is no excuse. We cannot leave litter on the beach. There are plenty of bins provided and if they’re full, we must take our litter home.
The NHS turns 72 this weekend and we join them in celebrating this significant milestone.
We thank all NHS staff who continue to put their lives on the line to protect us and all key workers who have kept our frontline services running throughout the lockdown period. These people are true heroes and should be the celebrities of our city.
We want all our visitors to enjoy Brighton & Hove, it’s a special place. Please help keep our city safe.
For a guide to what’s on, where to stay, eat and shop, please visit www.visitbrighton.com
Councillor Carmen Appich
Chair of the Tourism, Economy, Culture & Communities committee
