North Laine, Brighton (must see)

"Laine" means land holding in the old Sussex dialect. In the middle ages five of these "laines" made up the space surrounding present-day Brighton. One of these farm plots was North Laine. By the 19th century the plots had been encircled by Brighton town roads. The tracks that divided the plots from each other became streets.

In the 19th century, despite all the fuss about the Royal Pavilion, the North Laine was a hellish place, reviled for its abysmal poverty and squalor. Slaughterhouses did nothing to improve the quality of life. In the 1860s things began to move, however. The city began knocking down the rotten tenements and modernizing the streets.

Today North Laine is a hip beat shopping district, pedestrianized, popular and tourist friendly. It has retained the charm of the neighborhood without the dreck. It has an area bound by Trafalgar Street, Kensington Gardens, Sydney Street, Gardner street and Bond Street. It is replete with cafes, bars, theaters and comedy clubs.

Retail shops routinely sell antiques, salvaged items, used books, music, and all kinds of "retro" merchandise. Graphic novels, comics, musical instruments and paraphernalia can also be had. There is a high turn-over of "boutique" outlets.

Recently the City Council has built a library and a public square, "Jubilee Square." The North Laine doesn't grow vegetables any more. No more slaughterhouses either.