Brighton Pride drops two day festival seafront 2013 plan
Organisers of Brighton Pride say next year’s event is likely to continue in its current form at Preston Park, having ruled out a move to the city’s seafront for the time being.
Earlier in September, Pride Brighton & Hove Chief Executive Trevor Edwards said he was looking at moving the festival to the seafront, which could have meant extending it by two days instead of the current one.
However, Mr Edwards has told the Argus newspaper that administrative and health and safety issues means the plans have been put on hold.
“We were looking into moving the event to Madeira Drive and asked the council to look at it,” said Mr Edwards “However, after discussions we decided that it was in the best interests of Pride to keep the event in Preston Park for 2013.”
Mr Edwards added: “If we went ahead with the plans to move to the seafront we wouldn’t have had a decision until January.
“As a result we would have been running on the same schedule as last year.”
In a letter to Pride partners, Mr Edwards said: “This note is to let you know that after speaking to a number of people and partners, gathering costs and assessing health and safety information for a potential move to the seafront, the decision has been taken to remain in Preston Park for Pride 2013.
“Whilst there was much favourable response to the idea of utilising the seafront there were also many practical problems that would not have been remedied in time.”
Brighton Pride 2013 is due to take place on Saturday 3 August.
It had been a personal ambition of the Brighton-based resident to perform at the festival for more than a decade.
