Martha Bolt

Bardsley's celebrated its 100th anniversary on Baker Street in Brighton by offering the first 100 customers fish and chips for £1. Martha Bolt joined the queue, spoke with customers and staff, and reviewed the meal. She found the fish flavorful and crisp, but said the chunky chips were soggy and fell short of the fish's quality. While the £1 deal offered good value and a suitably modest portion, she questioned whether Bardsley's deserved the title of Brighton's best fish-and-chip shop.

Phoebe Bridgers has postponed two sold-out shows at Chalk in Brighton, scheduled for August 20, after developing appendicitis. The shows, including a matinee and an evening performance, were tied to her album “Lost Weekend.” Resident Music is working with Bridgers’s team on a new plan and will provide further details. Fans had been told that phones, Apple Watches and other electronics would be secured in Yondr pouches during the performances.

East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service is warning Sussex residents that barbecues, bonfires, cigarettes, litter and discarded glass can trigger wildfires, whose risk has increased because of dry vegetation, reduced water availability and warm weather. Group commander Simon Neil urged people to follow warning signs, remove rubbish, avoid bonfires and balcony barbecues, and never attempt to tackle fires themselves. The service is investing in new wildfire vehicles with 1,200-litre water tanks, while the UK Government has banned disposable barbecues.

A permanent exhibition titled Stand or Fall has opened at Brighton and Hove Museum and Art Gallery to mark 125 years of Brighton & Hove Albion history. Developed in collaboration with and funded by the football club, it features memorabilia, archive material, films, personal stories and a large stadium model. Former manager Mark McGhee attended the opening and highlighted its nostalgic appeal, while museum CEO Hedley Swain emphasized the club’s role in Brighton’s cultural identity and community. A giant inflatable football installation accompanied the launch, and access to the exhibition is included with museum admission.

George Scott, a 39-year-old golf instructor from Crowborough, was sentenced at Lewes Crown Court to 19 years in prison, followed by two years on licence, after being convicted of 11 sexual offences involving a teenage girl. The offences included rape, sexual assault and abuse of a girl under 16. Scott was placed on the sex offenders register indefinitely and made subject to a restraining order. The victim described the abuse as having a devastating and lifelong impact, while Sussex Police praised her courage and emphasized the seriousness of the offending.

The 109-year-old Brighton hardware business Dockerills has reopened in a smaller basement shop inside Store Next Door on Ditchling Road, following the closure of its long-established Church Street premises in September 2024. Ryan Gayler and Karen Gayler are continuing the family business, selling DIY essentials and offering services including key cutting and garden-tool sharpening. The move reflects declining trade caused by competition from larger hardware chains, while aiming to preserve Dockerills’ community role and nostalgic shopping experience.

Brighton & Hove City Council has submitted plans that could allow Black Rock on Madeira Drive to host large-scale music, film, dance and theatre events for up to 100 days annually, with alcohol sales from 9am to 11pm. Nearby residents and the Pedal People charity say previous events caused excessive noise, litter, public fouling, antisocial behaviour, parking problems and disruption to their operations. Central Park, which ran earlier events, disputes reports of significant complaints and says security, lighting, litter collection and beach patrols were used to limit impacts. The council says the events form part of temporary use linked to wider seafront regeneration and that safeguards will be updated when a new lease is signed.

Stagecoach South is launching a Customer Service Bus that will tour towns and community locations across West Sussex, Hampshire and Surrey. Staff will provide face-to-face assistance with journey planning, routes, service updates, ticketing, digital tools and contactless payments, particularly supporting customers who prefer or need in-person help. The initiative is intended to improve access to bus travel and the overall customer experience.

Bardsley's fish and chip shop in Brighton is celebrating its centenary on August 16 with £1 fish and chips for the first 100 customers, a 1920s- and 1930s-themed fancy-dress competition, free drinks, photographs and limited-edition merchandise. Manager Bing Lee described the event and the shop's history, from its 1926 opening by Ben Bardsley on Upper Russell Street through later locations to its current Baker Street premises. The business has grown from a takeaway into a restaurant and bar and retains customers who have visited for generations.

More than 3,000 people have signed a petition opposing plans to fell two mature plane trees outside The Martlets Shopping Centre in Burgess Hill. The trees were originally due to be removed for a redevelopment by New River involving homes, a cinema, hotel, gym and bowling alley; although a design change would create a park where they stand, the trees remain scheduled for removal. Green and independent councillors argue that the trees provide shade, biodiversity, cooling and climate resilience, while Mid Sussex District Council says the approved plans include planting more than 70 replacement trees. Campaigners have submitted the petition and urged the council to assess alternatives, saying that retaining the trees would cost nothing and could improve public confidence in the development.

Sabrina Knight, a 40-year-old single mother from Crawley, has launched Muscle & Mischief, which she describes as the UK’s first premium female bodybuilding entertainment business. The venture offers fitness-themed games, bodybuilding quizzes, posing competitions and drinks, while aiming to challenge stereotypes about female bodybuilders. Knight says weight training gave her discipline and purpose after a difficult period in her life, and she hopes the business will create opportunities for female bodybuilders after competition and provide a better future for her children.

Waitrose’s Hove store reopened on August 7 after being closed for five weeks following a June 16 fire that damaged the rear of the building but not the shop floor. Customers received free samples and £5 vouchers, while all 204 staff members retained their jobs through redeployment to other regional stores. The branch manager and shoppers expressed relief and enthusiasm about returning, and praised the fire service’s swift response.

Sussex filmmaker Jonathan Sothcott has created The Harbinger, a horror film produced by Shogun Films and shot in a reportedly haunted house near Polegate. The story follows a survivor of a satanist serial killer’s rampage who returns to the killer’s home for a ghost-hunting programme, where a possessed fortune-telling machine traps the crew. The film uses a human-operated puppet rather than CGI and stars Sothcott’s wife, Jeanine Nerissa Sothcott, alongside Peter Woodward and Nick Nevern. It will receive an advance screening at Hailsham Pavilion on August 8, two days before its public release.