Green spaces used for events last month have not been made good, despite councillors saying that extra efforts would be made to restore them.
Damage is still clear at The Level and down the Valley Gardens after tents and equipment were removed after the Brighton Festival and Fringe.
Events included the Revel Puck Circus, the Spiegel Gardens and the Lady Boys of Bangkok, all wearing away the grass and leaving parts of the area “like a dustbowl” according to the Friends of Valley Gardens.
The group said: “It’s atrocious. We have asked how much the Spiegel Gardens, Winter Fayre and Ladyboys have paid to reinstate the gardens. The damage is not just because of the dry weather.”
After complaints about how long it was taking to repair damage to parks and open spaces following events, a report was prepared for Brighton and Hove City Council’s cabinet last November.
It said that the council was bringing in a contractor to use the bond that businesses paid to cover the cost of making the areas good again.
At a council meeting in January, Green councillor Sue Shanks said in a written question that The Level was in “no fit state” to be used by residents or sports groups after No Fit State Circus used the site in last September.
Labour councillor Birgit Miller, the council’s cabinet member for culture, heritage and tourism, said that water logging and lack of resources meant that the £3,000 bond had not been “fully deployed”.
Councillor Miller said: “From January 2025, a new external contractor has been procured who will have responsibility for all event reinstatements which should ensure that similar delays do not occur in the future.”
In March, the council’s Place Overview and Scrutiny Committee was told that City Parks would not be “making good” but a third-party contractor would assess the site and make repairs.
But when asked why the Valley Gardens grassed areas were not now being repaired, the council said that the parks teams was currently unavailable because of the time of year.
Labour councillor Alan Robins, the council’s cabinet member for sports, recreation and libraries, said: “All large-scale events, and those that take place over a long period of time, are required to have an event licence agreement which includes the organiser being liable for any damages to the green spaces and outdoor areas they use as a result of their event.
“Earlier this year, we also adopted a new approach, asking organisers to sign up to a new Sustainable Event Commitment which ensures any remedial work required after events is taken swiftly, with the costs covered by event organisers.
“Due to the time of year, our parks team cannot complete all the necessary reinstatement works, including reseeding, until the autumn period which is fully paid by the organiser.”
Thinking logically it’s obvious that the council is allowing far to many events and if it’s not being repaired till the autumn, when the funfair comes back where does that leave us? The level is a park for the use of all, not a multi purpose event space. That could be said for other parks, which are rendered unusable for the greater part of the year. I’ve said this before and as long as B&H news report on it, I’ll say it again.
But each park / area (including Madeira Drive) can only be closed off for a maximum of 28 days a year. This is set down in law.
So for a particular space it’s not closed for “the greater part of the year”.
This is to prevent putting too much stress on one particular area.
They are already breaching this for the Kemptown Beach…as we already know from the PVP, the council events team aren’t too bothered by law or regulation. The council needs to start being a bit more professional!
The PVP is on Marine Parade not the beach.
I know…I was pointing out that one reason the PVP was moved was because of legal issues (residents had advice from the government that the council was breaking the law). Sorry if I was not clear. The beach is let out on the cheap and trashed every year by On the Beach…a separate event.
They have breached 28 day per year rule on Valley Gardens multiple times.
They break virtually every condition laid down and every public promise made.
Trust has been destroyed
Well said come along to The next Events Team Community Engagement meeting for Valley Gardens area and The Level takes place at The Ironworks Studio on Tuesday 15th July 5-7pm everyone is welcome. Ironworks Studios 30 Cheapside, Brighton BN1 4GD
Totally contradictory ….
It all needs re-turfing.
A condition of use in a signed agreement was that any damage would be swiftly repaired.
So do it !!! Re-turf immediately
There has been a Contractor, New Timber, in place since January 2025 …… they need to returf the significantly damaged land (as promised) immediately and invoice the Laine Pub Company for all costs. Likewise, the Lady Boys and No Fit Circus, The Fan Zone, Fools Paradise and Xmas Fayre
An F.O.I enquiry appears to suggest that few organisers have paid any bond ! Why ?
The Level damaged by No Fit State last Aug-Sept, not repaired, St Peter’s North after Caravanersai 2 years on, never repaired, St Peter’s South after Fan Zone 12 months ago, Xmas Fayre and Fools Paradise 8 months ago, never repaired, Valley Gardens North (Spielel Gardens) utterly destroyed – and no attempt to repair, Victoria Gardens, badly damaged and full of holes, no repairs except seeds sprinkled and doh ! promptly eaten by birds and not charged anything for repairs.
This is insult to injury having been locked out of our gardens for 6 weeks by events and a commercial beer garden, we get handed back a pile of unusable shite ! So badly damaged no-one can use it.
That’s the end of it.
These gardens were gifted to residents after Queen Victorias visit a century ago, we collectively with some funding paid for the re-development designed primarily for residents and we lived through the heavily disruptive works.
We have witnessed the Events Team in two/three years systematically commercialise and destroy our gardens.
This abuse is the final straw and the final time we, the residents, will allow this land to be abused in this manner again.
The license is withdrawn, forthwith
The next Events Team Community Engagement meeting for Valley Gardens area and The Level takes place at The Ironworks Studio on Tuesday 15th July 5-7pm everyone is welcome. Ironworks Studios 30 Cheapside, Brighton BN1 4GD
I didn’t say closed I said unusable, because it’s grass and takes weeks/months to recover and that with appropriate weather. This is why the level and valley gardens are a dust bowl in the summer and a quagmire in the winter……unusable, or at best unnatractive.
The 28 limit days has not been reached after that permission needs to be sought
The valley gardens St Peter’s area and the level should be returned as soon as the fences come down not wait til autumn if they can’t do it sooner then don’t use the area ! That gives us rainy winter months to use the green spaces
Thinking about it I’m pretty sure valley gardens has got something going on for more than twenty eight days.
For several years now the beach has been left covered in oil after the On The Beach (month long) event. In a consultation in December 2024 residents asked the council why the beach was not fully restored and we were told that it would be unreasonable to expect the organisers to reduce their profits.
Since then we have done some research…
At the November 2024 cabinet meeting, yhe council events team claimed we were one of the most expensive places for promotors to rent public spaces in the country. In fact, according to their own (fact checked) data we are 2-3 times cheaper than any other city. We are literally giving our spaces away for less than 5% of the £1-1.5m estimated profits made by the promotors.
Many of the larger events in the city are run by a small circle of associates, who have connections through shared directorships/ownership (according to Companies House) and one company working on events is link to a council official.
Maybe we need to start running events in the interest of the city and not just private companies. Our outdoor spaces are not an ATM. They should be public spaces used for the benefit of the public. If we do have to rent them out, let’s charge a competitive rate and get the promotors to clean up properly afterwards. Other cities do. Why not Brighton?
Lev, you’ve made this disingenuous claim before, and it still doesn’t hold up to scrutiny. So I’m repeating myself. Again.
First, your assertion that Brighton is “2–3 times cheaper” than other cities and only collects “5% of profits” has no basis in any published data. In fact, Brighton & Hove is one of the few councils that openly publishes its event fees and land use policies. Most cities don’t. So your comparison isn’t just wrong; it is fundamentally disingenuous. The council raised around £650,000 last year from event fees and is aiming to exceed £1 million.
Second, cleanup isn’t optional. It’s contractually required. There’s a full environmental enforcement framework, including penalties for breaches. If you’re aware of a specific failure, raise it properly. But claiming there’s no system at all is a disingenuous lie; and I think you know it.
Third, your repeated insinuation about a “circle of associates” tied to council staff is a serious accusation, and you’ve presented zero evidence. You absolutely know what you’re doing here. It’s misleading, corrosive, and dishonest. Hallmarks of you and your partner’s style.
We all want public land used fairly and for public benefit. But that requires serious discussion, grounded in fact and reality; not conspiracies, not selective outrage, and not your constant, calculated misrepresentation.
You and your partner seem relentlessly negative about Brighton. If you genuinely believe the city is corrupt, failing, and beyond redemption, what exactly is your end goal? Because constant public cynicism without offering constructive alternatives doesn’t help anyone.
Sadly for you, I am using the data the council itself has provided at the November Cabinet meeting, so I suggest you wind your neck in and do some research. I know if is upsetting when people criticise your chums, but everything I have said can be checked (I got it from FOI requests). Even you can check it. I know there are a lot of words and numbers on council reports but get an adult to help perhaps?
Meanwhile the council is (according to its own data) 2-3x cheaper than other cities and can make double what it makes now. Those are the facts. Get over it.
Clean up is required but not enforced, and residents have been told this in these words at several consultation meetings by a council official. So I suggest you get out occasionally and attend these.
Anyone who wants to check my understanding of the small circle of people who run events just has to go to Companies House and look at directors and ownership. It isnt hard. Even someone like you could do it. It is fun when you realise how the three companies promoting On the Beach for example all share directors! Anyone who doesn’t believe me can check.
So stop whining! I know I am criticising your chums, but everything I have said can be easily checked. There is no point in you coming here to spread misinformation and lies about things can the council themselves have produced.
…and by ‘partner’, I have no idea who you mean. What are you talking about? Have you been drinking? Even by your standards you are looking a bit deranged. Lay off the booze. Have a nice cup of tea. Calm down.
Thanks for bumping the comment though. The more people who know the better.
And if anyone wants to see the council information provided by FOI, drop by the Kemptown Residents Association FB page and let me know. Happy to message it or publish it, FOI data is not secret after all. 🙂
You could always post them here.
Better yet email Jo Wadsworth and offer to write an opinion piece where you can set out your arguments for all to read.
Lev, you’ve now repeated these claims across multiple threads, but repetition still doesn’t make them true. So let’s deal in facts, using the same November 2024 Cabinet papers you’ve cited.
First, your claim that Brighton is “2–3 times cheaper” than other cities is simply false. The council’s own benchmarking in that report shows Brighton is at the higher end of national fee levels, comparable to or more expensive than cities like Manchester and Edinburgh. The report even warns that raising rates further could push events elsewhere. So if you’ve read it, you’re misrepresenting it, something I note you tend to do often both on and offline.
Second, that report also states the council brings in around £650,000 annually from events, with a formal income target of £550,000 for 2025–26 and an ambition to exceed £1 million in the future. That’s a strategic, phased approach, not undercharging.
Third, cleanup obligations are enforced. They are contractually written into event terms and backed by the Environmental Enforcement Framework. If you’re aware of a specific breach, raise it with dates and evidence. Otherwise, pretending no enforcement exists is disingenuous, a particular skill of yours, because I don’t believe you are doing this without intent.
Fourth, your repeated claim about a “small circle” of connected event companies is just innuendo. Yes, some directors appear across different event organisations. That’s not unusual in a localised industry and doesn’t prove misconduct or bias unless you’re prepared to show improper decision-making. So far, you haven’t, so it’s defamation.
You also continue to present your Facebook group, the so-called Kemptown Residents Association, as if it’s an official representative body. It isn’t. It’s a private page, heavily moderated to control the narrative, where disagreement is quickly removed. That’s your right, but let’s not pretend it reflects a broad or balanced resident voice.
You and Diane parrot each other often with the same performative outrage, so the assumption was you are related. If that’s not the case, I stand corrected.
If you genuinely care about scrutiny and public benefit, then lead by example: cite sources, stop blocking dissent, and debate honestly. Otherwise, this just looks like theatre. And Brighton deserves better than that.
He’s blocked people from that group who have simply posted the truth about various issues just because he doesn’t like the answers because he has a narrative and can’t countenance any contrary views.
I could set up a “Residents of Kemptown” group and it would be just as valid.
Maybe even “The Independent Residents of Kemptown”
I’d avoid the “Kemptown Independent Residents group” as they are just splitters.
That’s been my experience as well, and quite a few others, from what I’ve been told. We wear our moderation as a badge of honour. I genuinely think it is into triple digits. I believe Derek looks after the splitters page, and he tends to be far more reasonable and community-focused. Does a lot of signposting.
Classic left hand, right hand syndrome regarding reinstatement. Neither know what they’re doing. One said 3rd party Co, the other says city parks. All that is known is that it ain’t no park anymore!!. But then Valley Gardens wasn’t really a park in the 1st place. It’s the councils outdoor events arena. That’s way they aren’t fused about who, how and when it’s get reinstated cause as soon as it’s done….BOOM….its needed for the next event.
Old Steine Gardens – year on year ruined by events and is left to rot. The council doesn’t care about public spaces, certain green spaces are left to ruin annually. Valley Gardens is a wasteland, desolate and embarrassing. The council take the money and ignore the damage, they do not care.
They also don’t take very much money. According to the councils own data, we let out our public spaces by 2-3x less than cities like Bristol.
Untrue.
All of the areas from north of St Peters through to the Old Steine lack permanent public seating (it’s something like ten seats in half a mile??) because these would be in the way if anyone wanted to hold an event. At least I assume so, because that’s the only excuse I can think of for spending so much pubic money on green spaces and then not bothering to put any seats in so that most grown-ups cannot actually use or enjoy the space. I don’t pay £2,000 council tax to sit in someone’s dust bowl.
When launched in 2021 there were 15 benches on VG but overnight they were unscrewed and nicked . Contractors had failed to securely fix them- 🙄 and as always, no-one is held accountable