The Lanes

A stroll from East Street through the Lanes on a sunny day is a 'must' for all visitors to Brighton. The ambience and cultural diversity draws you in to Brighton vibe, allowing great people watching and photography. Only downside to bearing a camera in hand is that when people see you looking their way they instantly change persona and I prefer the natural, so had to spend time plotting up in corners and doorways. There are also so many jewellery shops that I was very conscious not to shoot directly as I felt I would get accosted by the owners for planning a heist. 

The area that is now classed as the 'Lanes' was originally part of the settlement of Brighthelmstone (Brighton). They were built up during the 18th Century and were fully laid out by 1792 after the public awareness of the  supposed benefits of sea water, and before the development of the Royal Pavilion by Prince Regent. 

It is commonly understood that the boundaries of the Lanes fall between North Street-(North), Ship Street-(West), and Prince Albert Street and the north side of Bartholomew Square (South). The Eastern boundary is less certain and is usually considered either East Street or Market Street. 

Unlike many of the other lanes, Dukes Lane, which leads off of Duke Street, was built in the 1980's and relatively new. 

Did you know:

Now a restaurant, this 18th-century house set back in East Street, occupies a significant place in Brighton's history as the former home of Martha Gunn, the most famous of the "dippers" a name given to the operators of the bathing machines used on the beach. 

info taken from Wikipedia