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Letter to editor: Pride floats and gay businesses?

April 15, 2014

I am Brighton born and bred. I don’t think I have missed any of the recent Brighton Prides, from the good times through the not so good and returning to the good times again in the last two years.

Pride 2013

With Pride approaching on the gay calendar again I would like to ask all the local venues (pubs/clubs/ shops/ venues & saunas) a question. Where were you last year on the parade?

Let me explain more. We had friends down from Southampton to enjoy the weekend. Whist at the clock tower soaking up the sun and atmosphere we watched the parade go past in all it’s glory. There must of been over 50 floats.

But then we twigged. There was not one float from a local gay venue, not one local pub, club, shop or sauna. The only pub in the float was from Southampton. We were gob smacked and disappointed. You could have taken the majority of the floats, put them in another city and never have known any difference.

What is the reason behind this?  Local businesses make a killing during Pride weekend yet on the surface it seems they don’t want to participate in the Parade. Yes we all know the venues support pride all year but remember that most collections that are raised on pride nights actually come from the paying customers not the businesses.

I just pray that Pride gets better each and every year, but this should include the parade also.

Could Gscene ask local businesses why they do not participate and help put a few minds at rest please.

Many thanks, Mark Bean

Pride 2013

Mark Flood manager of The Camelford Arms responded saying: “In addition to our considerable contribution towards the Street Party the main reason we do not put a float in the parade is simply down to lack of manpower. All our staff work flat out all that weekend with little or no time off other than to rest. We do not have the staff resources to man a float also. As a small local business we can only employ so many staff and it is not possible for us to man a float as well. The parade actually takes part during working hours and we remain extremely busy during that time. Although undeniably we as a small business benefit from the Pride Weekend we work very long hours and do not get a chance to join in the celebrations ourselves, but do our best to ensure that those attending have as an enjoyable a weekend as possible. Pride and Pride weekend would not be a success if were not for the hundreds of people that work tirelessly behind the scenes throughout the period.”

Pride 2013

Steve Chillingworth owner of the Marine Tavern, added: I have a small gay bar just off St.James’s street. The reason I do not put a float in the parade anymore is that I do not have anywhere to put a vehicle whilst decorating it and nowhere to store it afterwards whilst trying to get the bar ready for the afternoon and evening rush of customers. Brighton Pride is now a fenced event which only holds 40,000 people. Before being fenced around 120,000 plus people would go to Pride at the park during the day which gave us time to do things. Now St.James’s street gets busy a lot earlier as the people without tickets head for it, so we just do not have the time or organise a float.”

James Ledward, editor of Gscene Magazine, concluded: Last year for the first time ever I asked all local gay businesses to help repoliticise Brighton Pride and contribute towards the cost of producing 100 banners on the Pride Parade parade to show support for the plight of LGBT people in Russia. The banners were designed by Brighton University students Kate Wildblood and Karol Michalec and their campaign was inspired by a film made by James Brooks. Thirty of the 65 floats on the Pride Parade in 2013 carried a banner produced and paid for by the gay venues. Just three organisations refused to support the initiative.

“The Brighton Sauna on Grand Parade sponsored the BANNED happening organised by controversial poet and campaigner Vince Laws  just before the start of the parade. Vince painted the faces of people with the names of countries around the world where it is illegal to be homosexual.”

Pride 2013

The following gay and gay friendly businesses contributed financially to the costs of the 100 Banners:

The Zone:

Hudsons Guest House:

A-Bar:

Charles Street:

Camelford Arms:

Banning Guest House:

Church Street:

Club Revenge:

Ambassador Hotel:

Bulldog Tavern:

Marine Tavern:

Cavalaire Guest House:

Avalon Guest House:

Subline:

Cowards Guest House:

Bedford Tavern:

New Steine Hotel:

Dr Brighton’s:

Prowler:

Camelford Arms:

Legends:

Poison Ivy:

Munkee Cafe:

Amsterdam Hotel:

Billie Lewis Productions:

 

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