Places in Brighton that are a mystery to you

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Oct 25, 2003
23,964
There is a large door located between King Alfred car park and the promenade that appears to lead underground, but it has been sealed with concrete blocks which adds to the mystery.

Talking of King Alfred - there has always been since I can remember a weird device that is boxed off by a large barb wired fence on the green by the side entrance of King Alfred- What's that do then? I'm guessing it's something to do with meteorology but I could be wrong...

yep it's for the weather readings


also, i'd LOVE to take a look inside what used to be the megazone/bowling place

i bet it's WELL scary.......imagine walking round an empty MEGAZONE
 


crasher

New member
Jul 8, 2003
2,764
Sussex
This may be the most boring answer yet but...when I'm driving out of Brighton from the Old Steine - I ALWAYS get in the wrong lane for London Road/Lewes Road. Been doing it for years but it seems I will never know the mystery.
 




Notters

Well-known member
Oct 20, 2003
24,871
Guiseley
I don't know whats in the clock tower, but then I also don't know what's in the Pavilion. Funny how one can walk past our town's foremost tourist attraction and never have a look

It is very funny indeed. I've been in there several times; it's half price for residents FFS.
 




Notters

Well-known member
Oct 20, 2003
24,871
Guiseley
I've always wondered what "the Tardis" is - that little box/building near the fountain on the Old Steine. Presumably it's the controls for the fountain?
 


Apr 12, 2011
211
also, i'd LOVE to take a look inside what used to be the megazone/bowling place

i bet it's WELL scary.......imagine walking round an empty MEGAZONE

I reckon that's the door he was referring to, and I've also thought about that in the past, always wonder what it must be like down there these days. I heard somewhere it may be possible to access via the boxing club just off the promenade under the amusements...
 








fork me

I have changed this
Oct 22, 2003
2,128
Gate 3, Limassol, Cyprus
There is a large door located between King Alfred car park and the promenade that appears to lead underground, but it has been sealed with concrete blocks which adds to the mystery.

I worked at the King Alfred part time while I was doing my A'levels, 1985-7. It's an AMAZING building, only a tiny amount of it is used. There's at least 5 floors BELOW the changing room level. When I was working there the lights still worked in some corridors and rooms but not others. We used to go "exploring" with torches sometimes during breaks (and sometimes when we were supposed to be working if we's pulled "sports hall" duty where there wasn't a lot to do!). We found a full industrial kitchen two levels below. We also found a lone corridor that goes under the outside car park and links the main building to the old ten pin bowling/megazone building. Once we think we found the lowest level, in that it has dirt floors rather than concrete, but we'd lost count of how many flights of steps we'd gone down. It is like a maze down there. We never knew what half of it was used for, much of it looked like it had never been used for anything.

If the door you are talking about is the one I'm thinking of, it leads to what's left of the old underground car park, not much of it is left, it was demolished to build the current pool. The old major and minor pools (for those who are old enough to remember them) still exist, they're under the sports halls, the big sports hall (where they held roller discos in the late 80s) is built on top of the major pool and the little one over the minor pool.
 






hitony

Administrator
Jul 13, 2005
16,284
South Wales (im not welsh !!)
This may be the most boring answer yet but...when I'm driving out of Brighton from the Old Steine - I ALWAYS get in the wrong lane for London Road/Lewes Road. Been doing it for years but it seems I will never know the mystery.


I think your username may have something to do with it................:lol:
 


les dynam

New member
Oct 10, 2008
1,640
Hove
I worked at the King Alfred part time while I was doing my A'levels, 1985-7. It's an AMAZING building, only a tiny amount of it is used. There's at least 5 floors BELOW the changing room level. When I was working there the lights still worked in some corridors and rooms but not others. We used to go "exploring" with torches sometimes during breaks (and sometimes when we were supposed to be working if we's pulled "sports hall" duty where there wasn't a lot to do!). We found a full industrial kitchen two levels below. We also found a lone corridor that goes under the outside car park and links the main building to the old ten pin bowling/megazone building. Once we think we found the lowest level, in that it has dirt floors rather than concrete, but we'd lost count of how many flights of steps we'd gone down. It is like a maze down there. We never knew what half of it was used for, much of it looked like it had never been used for anything.

If the door you are talking about is the one I'm thinking of, it leads to what's left of the old underground car park, not much of it is left, it was demolished to build the current pool. The old major and minor pools (for those who are old enough to remember them) still exist, they're under the sports halls, the big sports hall (where they held roller discos in the late 80s) is built on top of the major pool and the little one over the minor pool.

that sounds stupendously exciting. wowzers
 










Castle Square. Why is it called Castle Square? The History Man's Encyclopaedia of Brighton says that it's named after The Castle Inn. But why did Brighton have a Castle Inn?
 






Worthing exile

New member
May 12, 2009
1,219
I worked at the King Alfred part time while I was doing my A'levels, 1985-7. It's an AMAZING building, only a tiny amount of it is used. There's at least 5 floors BELOW the changing room level. When I was working there the lights still worked in some corridors and rooms but not others. We used to go "exploring" with torches sometimes during breaks (and sometimes when we were supposed to be working if we's pulled "sports hall" duty where there wasn't a lot to do!). We found a full industrial kitchen two levels below. We also found a lone corridor that goes under the outside car park and links the main building to the old ten pin bowling/megazone building. Once we think we found the lowest level, in that it has dirt floors rather than concrete, but we'd lost count of how many flights of steps we'd gone down. It is like a maze down there. We never knew what half of it was used for, much of it looked like it had never been used for anything.

If the door you are talking about is the one I'm thinking of, it leads to what's left of the old underground car park, not much of it is left, it was demolished to build the current pool. The old major and minor pools (for those who are old enough to remember them) still exist, they're under the sports halls, the big sports hall (where they held roller discos in the late 80s) is built on top of the major pool and the little one over the minor pool.

There is a ramp at both the east and west ends for the old car park. The bowling alley was built in what was the west end. As for the kitchen etc, it probably originates from when it was a naval base. The ship's bell still hangs in reception.
 




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