Brighton Shelter Hall

Client:

Brighton & Hove City Council

Value:

£6.5m

Brighton Shelter Hall

The project at Shelter Hall forms the third phase of Brighton and Hove City Council’s high-profile plans for the restoration and regeneration of Brighton seafront.

The new Shelter Hall is intended to be a larger version of the original building, providing a flagship restaurant and retail facility, close to the British Airways i360 observation tower and at the termination of West Street, the main public street connecting Brighton seafront to Brighton station. 

The existing listed wooden kiosk – which dates back to the 1880s – was restored and installed in a new location east of the hall, and used as a cafe.

Essential and complex infrastructure works have also been undertaken, as the existing hall (which was found to have serious structural weaknesses) extends under the main road, acting as an integral bridge support.

The building has been brought several metres closer to the sea, and is protected by a new sea wall and public walkway.

The project is a fascinating combination of civil engineering, new build, conservation, restoration and re-interpretation, where many required specialist skills deliver a project befitting of its location, enriching the seafront experience for all those who frequent it.