A new petition is urging Brighton and Hove City Council to drop Hove and change the city’s name to just Brighton.
The petition was started by Gavin Manthorpe, from Saltdean, who has lived in Brighton all his life and said that the change would give the city a clearer, unified identity.
Mr Manthorpe said: “It’s something I’ve always thought about – and I want the unity. There’s too much confusion over our name.
“We’re one place and two separate places at the same time. Changing the name to Brighton just makes sense.”
Mr Manthorpe said that he hoped people in Hove would support the idea. He said that the aim wasn’t to erase Hove’s identity but to give the city a stronger, clearer identity in line with what many people already call it.
His campaign is starting as two significant anniversaries approach. On Thursday 1 April 2027, it will be 30 years since the merger of Brighton and Hove councils.
And on Saturday 31 January 2026, it will be 25 years since Brighton and Hove was formally granted the city status.
Mr Manthorpe said that it would be great to mark the 25th anniversary with the name change, adding: “It could provide a timely opportunity to raise awareness and push for this change.”
The petition says: “We the undersigned petition Brighton and Hove City Council to adopt ‘Brighton’ as the official name of our city, with Hove honoured as a unique and celebrated area within it.
“This change would reflect our unified identity under one city name, strengthening our appeal and sense of community while respecting each area’s distinct character and heritage.
“This petition proposes changing our city’s official name from ‘Brighton and Hove’ to simply ‘Brighton’ while ensuring that Hove remains a distinct and vibrant district within the larger city.
“This isn’t about erasing Hove’s unique identity. It’s about recognising that Hove will still be known as Hove but as an integral part of Brighton.
“The rich character and history of Hove will continue to be celebrated, preserving its name and sense of place within a connected city.
“By adopting ‘Brighton’ as our official city name, we aim to bring a stronger, more unified identity to our community, while respecting what makes each area special.
“This change reflects the way our community already feels – one connected city. Adopting this single name could boost the city’s appeal on a global scale, benefiting tourism and attracting investment.
“Locally, it could foster a deeper sense of unity, giving the city a bigger, more cohesive feel as it thrives under one name.
“The council has indicated that, with enough community support, they would consider this change.
“If you believe this vision of a more connected, thriving city could benefit our community, please show your support.
“Together, we can work toward a shared future that respects our history and embraces new opportunities.”
The petition went live on Tuesday (3 December) and runs for six months until Tuesday 3 June.
To read the petition or sign it, click here.
No thank you. Our football club is called Brighton AND Hove Albion. Our city is called Brighton AND Hove
There is a second petition to rename the football team to either “Brighton City” or “Falmer United”.
Neither petition will ever succeed. The end.
well said.
Brighton Council engineered the merger to take over Hove Council and its assets.
I am all for separating the two back again, assets and all, not for the asset and identity stripping to be completed, just because some people are too lazy to say ‘Brighton and Hove’.
I think Hove should be independant from Brighton. It worked in the past.Hove was a nicer and cleaner place than Brighton.
Very Trus
It’s Brighton and Hove thank you,
Yes Davey like fish & chips chalk & cheese we are Brighton and hove
Living in Brighton, it’s got to be Brighton and Hove
Hove used to called West Brighton at some time and had it’s own railway station…possibly
I like the ability to separate Hove from Brighton, thank you. Oh, and while were here it’s Shoreham Airport.
Ha yeah when did Shoreham airport suddenly become Brighton city airport?
Nope.
Fake news.
I agree also the address, I will always prefer Hove to split with Brighton but with addresses some places in Worthing have Brighton in the address, like we are 12 miles from Brighton …
As a proud hovian no way
The idea of dropping “Hove” and rebranding the city as just “Brighton” is baffling. Why stop there? Let’s go all in and revert to “Brighthelmston” while we’re at it. Forget the villages, towns, and communities that merged to create the vibrant, historic city we now proudly call Brighton and Hove. Who needs heritage, right? Let’s just slice out Hove, Portslade, Patcham, and every other area added along the way. It’s only fair if we’re cutting ties with history—may as well lose the Royal Pavilion too while we’re at it and replace it with a giant seagull statue.
Oh, and while we’re rewriting history, let’s rename Brighton & Hove Albion to “Brighthelmston FC” and pretend the Goldstone Ground in Hove never existed. Two piers? Nah, just call them Brighton Pier 1 and Brighton Pier 2—why celebrate diversity when simplicity is clearly better?
In all seriousness, Brighton and Hove’s shared identity isn’t just a name—it’s a celebration of our history, culture, and the unique contributions of each area. This union has made us stronger, more inclusive, and one of the most iconic cities in the UK. Let’s not throw that away for the sake of a trendy rebrand.
April 1st ……….. ?
Just leave it alone it’s brighton and hove get used to it
Or go back a bit further and use the name Whalesbone
No thanks. There’s enough fragmentation, let’s not add to it.
How about Brighton and Portslade instead.
Shouldn’t the city be officially renamed “Portslade Brighton and Hove Actually”?
Vite to rename the City to Shi+hole by Sea.
I don’t live in Brighton & Hove. I live in Brighton. If I lived in Brighton & Hove I would need longer trousers.
Brighton and Hove should never have been joined together to get city status. Since that happened, Hove has been the poor relation when it comes to the council spending money. Hove now a dirtier, more dangerous version of Brighton.
B&H becoming a unitary authority wasn’t related to city status which as the article mentions came later.
The only reason B&H were joined together was to give it more chance of being given city status.
I believe that Brighton was refused city status in 1977 jubilee because it was too small and Derby took that title. Then in the millennium with the merger of both hove and Brighton they received city status because it was a larger place. Separate they ar not. So the very thing that made you a city, is what you wish to take away from the city.
Hove is dangerous? Hahaha
Probably too soon for most but I think this is inevitable. Can’t say I’ve ever heard someone say “Brighton and Hove.”
I just say ‘Hove’.
I just say ‘Hove’. Its where I live.
Actually
I don’t live in Brighton I live in Hove leave it as it is
That’s the point, it’s currently Brighton and Hove.
The petition has got things the wrong way round.
A survey this week has shown that Hove is the eighteenth best place to live in the whole country. No mention of Brighton. And so, if anything, the place should be known as Hove and Brighton to bring a bit of tone to the unitary authority
We always say ‘Hove Actually’ Hovarians would never agree to being subsumed in our neighbours’ name. Have you ever heard anyone say ‘Brighton actually’ ?
Cheers – Shula
If this petitioner has lived in the City all his life he must have a short memory. Despite trying to become a City before without success (and without having a cathedral), Brighton was eventually granted City status by the Queen in 2000 because it had joined up with Hove and thus enabled a Town of nearly 300,000 people to apply for City status as we had become more important!
Whilst this is probably not a set in stone requirement, it certainly pushed forward the Town towards City status. So then will the City status be taken away, if the Towns are broken up again?
Leave things as they are and stop meddling, or better still, change the petition to take away Duke and Duchess of Sussex titles, whereupon those two have made a huge profit from using the name of our County without giving the County a thought or a dollar of the many they have made to benefit anything in Sussex!
“…and without having a cathedral”
Having a cathedral is not a pre requisite for a town to become a city
There are cities without cathedrals and towns with cathedrals that aren’t cities
I said this in the comment already. Not a prerequisite, although many towns who became cities do have cathedrals.
Have we learned nothing from brexit? Keep the unity, no point having 2 separate useless councils at twice the cost when you can have just one but call them by their individual names. You live in Brighton or you live in Hove. Plus it’ll also cost loads to do the separation and make new signs etc and the council are already going bankrupt – stoopid idea..
In the grand scheme of things at the moment- does it ACTUALLY matter ??
I have a feeling there are bigger things we need to worry about at the moment my guy ……..
Who is this person, who thinks that it’s ok to take away the identity of Hove? I have no wish to live in ‘Brighton’. If I did, I’d move there.
You mean it isn’t all just part of London? I’ll get my coat…
I live in Hove, and wouldn’t live anywhere else. Every time I go into Brighton, (believe me – I try hard not to) full of drunks and druggies – I think – ‘uuuurrrgghh – what a dump Brighton is, I’m so glad I live in Hove’
Brighton and Hove – two seaside towns next to each other. Brighton is no more a city than Portslade.
I would gladly sign a petition for the city to be called “Hove” with no reference to Brighton.
The petition only has 43 signatures, is that really significant enough to write a article about? Hundreds of useless petitions get started every day, guessing the author is one of the 43 who for some reason cares about this
> The petition only has 43 signatures, is that really significant enough to write a article about?
Clearly worth writing the article. It is called “Clickbait”. This article has 42 replies. As I write this note we have as many replies as signatures. This is therefore a success for the online paper as there is more interest in this news item than there is in signing the petition.
Nobody outside of this city even knows that Hove exists. Absolutely nobody ever says “I’m going down to Brighton & Hove this weekend!”. I was born and raised in Hove – these days it’s no more a separate entity than Hanover, Patcham or Peacehaven. People saying it’s safer, nicer etc quite frankly sound delusional. It’s an area of Brighton. Times change, cities change. Hove residents just sound bitter about it. Petty children on what they think are high horses. It’s already the city of Brighton – colloquially. It’s only a matter of time before we akowledge this properly.
Peacehaven is part of Lewes
I said this in the comment already. Not a prerequisite, although many towns who became cities do have cathedrals.