BRIGHTON FAMILY COURT, MAGISTRATES COURT

GETTING THERE FROM LONDON to BRIGHTON STATION
The journey between London and Brighton can take from 50 minutes to 1 hour 22 mins
Direct trains depart from:
a. London Victoria
b. London Blackfriars
c. London Bridge.
Usual stops include Clapham Junction, East Croydon and Gatwick Airport. Trains are frequent, about 2 an hour from each station. A return ticket at peak time costs around £40 For frequent travellers, involved in a case lasting over 3 days, a weekly travel card is the cheaper option and can include tube and bus travel in London within the price. Two single tickets will generally work out more expensive.

COURT DETAILS
The Family centre, Civil Court, Magistrates court are all within yards of each other.

Family Centre

1 Edward St, Brighton and Hove, Brighton, East Sussex BN2 0JD, Phone:01273 811333, Hours: 9:00 am – 6:00 pm

Areas covered Family law.

The Court for general civil matters plus some family work sits around the corner at William St, Brighton, East Sussex BN2 0RF. Phone:01273 674421

The Magistrates court is a little further up Edward Street. The Family court section can be accessed through the main Magistrates court entrance.

GETTING THERE FROM BRIGHTON STATION
There is a taxi service at Brighton station, on the left when you arrive at the ticket barriers. There is often a long queue and sometimes a shortage of taxis for 5-10 minutes. The taxi ride to the court should take about 10 minutes but heavy traffic, roadworks and numerous red traffic lights, along the way, can extend it to 15-20.

By foot the journey takes between 15-20 minutes. 10 minutes if you’re superfast.

Directions: Walk straight out from the exit and veer left,  past a Budgens, Fitness First gym and Ibis hotel. Turn left down a small slope into Gloucester Road. Further down, you’ll pass the sort of interesting shops and inviting restaurants that are the hallmark of Brighton. You can turn right into any road but we suggest Kensington Gardens. It’s busting with fantastic restaurants, cafes and the kind of shops that make you weep when you see the identikit shopping malls in other towns.

At the end of Kensington gardens, turn left, keep walking until you get to a large dual carriage way. Veer to the right, cross over and turn left into Edward Street.

Alternatively, when you get to the end of Kensington Gardens, turn right, cross over and walk into Gardener Street. This is another fascinating street of shops and restaurants you can check out on your way back. At the end of Gardener Street, turn left into Church Street. Walk past the Brighton Dome and at the Pavilion on your right, cross over the dual carriageway. Veer to the right and turn left into Edward Street.

SUSTENANCE IN BRIGHTON
You’re spoilt for choice for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Brighton is awash with coffee places, cake shops, sandwich shops and restaurants.

So, we’ll stick to the small area between the train station and the court.
http://northlaine.co.uk/visit/listing/cafes

Eating places open and close frequently in Brighton, so if you find somewhere you like, make the most of it while you can.

Frankie Vaughans is a takeaway sandwich shop directly opposite the Family Centre. It’s the most convenient stop if you have a short lunch break or it’s raining but if you linger too long, judges have been known to open the court windows and call you back in!

Frankie’s makes up fresh sandwiches, has a selection of freshly prepared salads and the staff are friendly, as they are in most eateries in Brighton.

For excellent, healthy and imaginative vegetarian dishes, walk back towards the station and check out IYDEA in Kensington Gardens again. There is seating but they also do everything to go too. In the summer their home made lemonade is near perfect.

If you have time for a more leisurely lunch there’s the French chain bistro Cote
115-116 Church Street,
Brighton,
BN1 1UD (Opposite The Dome)

A current favourite on Gardner Street, is Kooks restaurant. They do takeaways, including freshly prepared sandwiches.
The halloumi special is very good. With a freshly squeezed orange juice, you can saunter to court happy.

THINGS TO SEE AND DO IN BRIGHTON
Well, obviously there’s the sea! If you finish early in court, just cross the road towards the sound of seagulls, walk up Pavilion Parade which becomes Old Steine and voila!
There’s the Brighton pier, just 5 minutes from the court. The beach is pebbly so take something to sit on. There are restaurants on the pier and around the beach, mostly fish restaurants, including the famous Harry Ramsdens.

You can breathe in the fresh air, have fish and chips, get your fortune told and be the recipient of seagull debris, all whilst officially being ‘at work.’

And if you leave court with aching muscles and tense, knotted shoulders, I can strongly recommend : http://northlaine.co.uk/visit/profile/little_jasmine_therapies