One of Brighton’s most popular shopping areas is a set of old winding streets lined with everything from antique shops to quirky boutiques.
The Lanes is a cluster of intersecting alleys that’s home to a bustling hub of shopping and dining. Look for jewellery, antiques, rare books and designer fashions while admiring the neighbourhood’s attractive Regency architecture.
The Lanes area was once the heart of a small fishing village. Its streets are lined with colourful 17th-century cottages. Notice how the homes are built quite close together, with matching overhanging roofs. This design was intended to help protect the buildings against storm damage. During the mid-19th century these properties were converted into shops.
Wander through the jumble of alleyways and narrow passages, which give a sense of Brighton’s original layout.
The Lanes is a wonderful place for antique collectors, with shops ranging from small independent outlets to larger antique malls that rent out stalls to vendors. The area is known for offering high-end collectibles and specialty pieces, so expect prices that attract serious buyers. Jewellery shops are also particularly prevalent in The Lanes, with antique jewellery vendors interspersed amid more modern boutiques.
Treat yourself to lunch in a trendy al fresco restaurant where you may be entertained by a musical performance. Buskers bolster the beguiling atmosphere created by the graceful arcades, brick-paved streets and flint stone walls.
Go over to the lively Brighton Square, which forms the heart of The Lanes. Check out the lovely bronze fountain depicting dolphins and children swimming together. Find a seat on a bench and enjoy the atmosphere, or relax on one of the many café terraces lining the square.
In the evening, go for a drink in The Cricketers, which claims to be Brighton’s oldest pub. It was established in 1547 and is known to have been a favourite watering hole of author Graham Greene. Jack the Ripper suspect Robert Stephenson is said to have stayed in the building before moving to Whitechapel in London.
Find The Lanes off North Street in Brighton’s old town. The area is within walking distance of the Brighton Royal Pavilion and the seashore.
