The Lanes

The Lanes is the oldest part of Brighton — a compact network of narrow alleyways and twittens that follows the street pattern of the original fishing village of Brighthelmstone, which dates to at least the 11th century. The area sits between the seafront and the main shopping streets of North Street and East Street, forming a roughly triangular quarter with the Royal Pavilion grounds to the north.

The Lanes is best known for jewellery: independent jewellers, antique dealers, and bespoke goldsmiths occupy many of the small shopfronts, and it is the place to go for engagement rings, vintage watches, and one-off pieces. The area has always had a slightly upmarket, curated quality compared to the rawer energy of North Laine — the shops tend to be more expensive, the cafes more polished, and the footfall more tourist-focused.

Brighton Square and Meeting House Lane are the central pedestrian spaces, and both are lined with restaurants, bars, and café terraces. The area gets very busy on summer weekends and during festivals.

The Lanes is also where many of Brighton's best-known restaurants cluster, including English's of Brighton (established 1945), which claims to be the city's oldest restaurant. The architecture of the lanes themselves — low buildings, irregular rooflines, the occasional Georgian façade — gives the area a genuinely historic feel that is rare in a British seaside town.