Explore hilly Hanover with the return of the street advent calendar

Halloween is over, so we’re almost ready for that other C word here at BOTI Towers. God knows we need some festive fun to cheer up another year. (We won’t even mention the current insanity of the weather.) And it just wouldn’t be Christmas in Brighton without the wonderful Hanover Advent Street Calendar.

If you’re not familiar, participating streets in the hilly neighbourhood are each allocated a day in December, right up to Christmas Eve. Street by street, the houses decorate and light up their front windows each evening, creating a living calendar that culminates in a massive street display on 24th December when all the houses are illuminated.

With lots of artists living in the area, you can always be sure of some pretty special displays, like the brilliantly topical window display from a house on Grove Street in the feature image (we particularly love the nod to #TileGate).

It’s a great opportunity to get stuck into some Christmas and community spirit and explore the neighbourhood (and its many pubs), especially as many of the streets hold friendly get-togethers on their days.

Plus, it’s all for a good cause: there will be collections for Clock Tower Sanctuary (or you can donate at this link), a Brighton-based charity that works with young homeless people to give them space, support and stability.

Speaking of those pubs, it’s the perfect opportunity to check them out. Here’s a few to get you started: there’s Village at the Coleman Street/Islingword Road junction for great mulled wine and North African food, The Greys (great beers and tasty roasts) and The Geese (sausage and mash kings) at the other end of Coleman Street; the fabulous beer selection from Brighton Bier’s Haus on The Hill (top of Southover Street); The Howard (it replaced the other Brighton Bier boozer), the Constant Service further up Islingword Road, The Independent (featuring great beer and wine), The Dover Castle, The Sir Charles Napier and, over Albion Hill way, the Setting Sun (the place to go for epic sunset-spotting). Take your pick!

The run-down of the street order before the big finish on the 24th will follow as soon as it’s announced.

1st Islingword Road, Washington Street
2nd Hanover Street, Queens Park Rise, Queens Park Terrace, St Luke’s Road, St Luke’s Terrace
3rd Franklin Street, Howard Road, Picton Street
4th Albion Hill
5th Bentham Road, Newark Place
6th Southover Street
7th Ewart Street, Montreal Road, Queens Park Road
8th Baxter Street, Hampden Road, Islingword Place
9th Holland Street, Whichelo Place
10th Jersey Street, Sussex Terrace
11th Coleman Street
12th Islingword Street
13th Grove Street, Scotland Street, Luther Street
14th Arnold Street, Lynton Street, Shanklin Road
15th Hanover Terrace
16th Agnes Street, Bonchurch Road, Carisbrooke Road, De Montfort Road, Normanton Street, Ryde Road, Stanley Street, Whippingham Road
17th Southampton Street, Windmill Street, Windmill Terrace
18th Beaufort Terrace, Down Terrace
19th Belgrave Street, Harrington Terrace
20th Bernard Road, Elm Grove
21st Richmond Street
22nd Quebec Street
23rd Toronto Terrace
24th – everybody!

1st December – 24th December, windows are lit up from around dusk
Various streets in Hanover, Brighton BN2 

Photo credit: Robert Ashby