‘In the fifties, one of the big things about Brighton was the Arts Ball and it was held at the Aquarium. And it was really quite something. It was known all over England. In fact we used to say that a certain number of queans used to spend the whole of the summer sitting on the Men’s Beach, sewing sequins on the gowns. And they sewed them on by the hundredweight, not by the dozen.

The Aquarium was quite a big place and it held about a hundred, I suppose. At first they turned a blind eye to anybody in drag but then it got a little bit hilarious and they wouldn’t permit drag for the last two or three years and finally it was shut. But it was really quite hilarious, it was from about nine or ten at night to about two or three in the morning. It was extremely well-run. There was no trouble. They didn’t have any bash-ups or people throwing chairs around.
Some of the costumes must have cost hundreds. It was fantastic. I mean, ostrich feathers in those days when the salaries were five pounds a week, some of those ostrich feathers were seven pounds, just one feather, and they probably had twenty on a headgear. Quite a big thing, the Arts Ball.’

 

 

From here walk around the Sea Life Centre to the pelican crossing. Cross Marine Parade into the undisputed gay quarter of Brighton. Once there, turn right until you reach Madeira Place. Walk north along Madeira Place until you reach the corner of St. James’s Street.