The Summer Meeting 2015 - pre-congress information


Summer Meeting event information
News
Comments board
Accommodation
Car travel and parking
Public transport
Tourist information

Welcome to the page for all your pre-congress information. Here you will find details to help plan your trip to the Summer Meeting in Brighton, and links to helpful websites.


News

The Event Hub is now active, and is the homepage for all news, results, articles and pictures during the congress. Go to www.ebu.co.uk/summer-meeting.


Comments board

We have a comments board at the foot of this page. Please use it to provide tips on where to park or stay; ask others to recommend their favourite restaurant; or tell everyone about your favourite competition. Join us and help other everyone enjoy the Summer Meeting as much as possible. Please see this page if you need help using the comments board.

Finding a partner for the event

Please use the comments board at the foot of the page to find a partner for the event. We can also usually match people up during the congress. Please visit the EBU desk at the congress to add your name to the list of those looking for a partner or team mates.

Accommodation

Accommodation is available at the venue, the Hilton Metropole.

Hilton rates for 2015:
Weekend (Fri & Sat): single £136.80; double £222.50 (based on double occupancy)
Midweek: single £74; double £143.10 (based on double occupancy)
£5 per night reduction for stays of longer than 5 nights.

To book at the Hilton call 01273 775432 (option 1) and quote the reference AEBU. Rooms may not be available at this rate after 1st June 2015.

Alternative accommodation

Single, en suite rooms are usually available at Brighton University for around £50 per person. There is a minimum stay of three nights, though they have a 10% reduction for those booking for more than seven nights. This is in Phoenix Hall, just over a mile from the venue. Parking and wifi is included. The rooms are available to everyone, though under 18s must be accompanied by an adult.

Alternatively you may wish to consider staying on the edge of Brighton, or in a nearby town, and using its good public transport system.


Car travel and parking

The Brighton Hilton Metropole on Google Maps routeplanner. Parking is available at the hotel at £20 per day. Access to the hotel car park is via St Margarets Place, BN1 2FQ.

Brighton and Hove City Council Parking information

Council operated car park locations and charges.

The Regency Square car park to the west of the venue is roughly 30-50% cheaper than the Churchill Square shopping centre car park, and is only slightly further away.

As parking in central Brighton is usually quite expensive you may wish to seek alternative methods of transport. Alternatively, the following advice may be helpful.

Liz Hoskins, bridge player and Shoreham resident, shared the following information:
“Parking charges vary throughout the City of Brighton & Hove. They usually increase each April, but as a broad generalisation, the council has recently agreed not to increase them this year, and indeed to reduce a few of them.
"My experience is that parking in Hove tends to be cheaper than Brighton. For those who fancy a gentle stroll along the seafront (flat!) all day parking is available in the Avenues (First, Second, Grand, Third and Fourth) in Hove at £5 per day. I can comfortably do the walk in 20 minutes. Also in this vicinity is the Hove Town Hall Car Park in Norton Road, opposite Hove Town Hall. It is open all day, although charges apply between 8am and 8pm. 12 hours costs £5. Please note that, as of August 2014, the sign currently on display at the entrance states charges apply until 6pm - this is incorrect and signs elsewhere in the carpark, giving details of charges through until 8pm, are correct.
"For those resistant to paying any parking charges, parking is still free at the western end of Hove in New Church Road, and the roads running up from Hove Lagoon to New Church Road. It’s quite a hike from there – and I would need at least 40 minutes."

Parking is free at the Park & Ride at the Withdean Stadium, but no overnight parking is permitted. Bus travel from the Park & Ride to central Brighton is £4.70 for a day ticket. The final bus in the evening leaves Old Steine (close to the end of the pier) at 11:41pm (full timetable)

Free parking
Although parking in central Brighton is expensive, there is plentiful free parking in the outer suburbs if you are prepared to walk back to the centre, or catch a bus. The Parkopedia website helps you to calculate the price of on-street parking, and can be used to identify areas where there are no charges. Many are on, or just off, bus routes.


Public transport

Buses

Brighton & Hove Buses

The Brighton bus network

Liz Hoskins, bridge player and Shoreham resident, shared the following information:
“There is a good bus service. The main operator is Brighton & Hove Buses, although others are available.
"From the western end of Hove (aka Portslade) there are regular bus services along New Church Road to Clarence Square and Churchill Square. By way of example, during the day, the 1or 1A runs 9 times an hour, and the 6, 5 times an hour. This would entail a walk down to the Metropole, as there is no regular bus service along the coast road in Brighton.
"The standard single journey fare on Brighton & Hove Buses is £2.40. An alternative is the Saver Ticket which gives the holder the freedom to travel as much as necessary on all Brighton & Hove buses and some night buses. These are the daily and weekly costs, although I anticipate they will soon be going up”

A 'saver' ticket for seven consecutive days starts at £18 (£9.50 for under-18s) - more information can be seen here. Trips within the centre of Brighton are £2, and a journey from the station to Churchill Square (two minutes walk from the venue) is £1.80)

National Express buses serve Brighton approximately every hour from London. They stop near the pier, about a third of a mile from the venue. Buses to London run throughout the night, but there is a departure at 23:30 which would fit in well with the end of the evening session.

Trains

Southern Railway
Thameslink Railway

Brighton's main railway station is the most convenient for the venue, and is three-quarters of a mile away.

During the week of the congress the final train to London from Brighton is likely to depart around 00:10 (23:42 on Sunday) (though please check with the service provider for any changes nearer the time). As each evening session should be concluded around 23:00 you should have plenty of time to complete the session and get a train back to London. For some sessions there are 'early start' options available if you prefer to catch the final direct train, which is at 23:05. Check the event programme for details.

Taxis

Brighton Taxis

Information on taxi services from Brighton's main station can be see here


Tourist information

Visit Brighton (Tourist Information)

VisitBrighton runs a 'Greeter' scheme. You can arrange to meet a Brighton resident who can show you the best parts of their city. You suggest what you would like to see, and they will try to match you with a 'greeter' who can show you those sights. Visits are about two hours and are completely free. Advance booking is required. Brighton Greeters website

Tripadvisor's 'Things to do in Brighton'

Highlights:

Dining

Dining options at the Hilton Metropole
Tripadvisor - restaurants in Brighton

If you have any questions which are not answered here please email us. We will do our best to answer them.

2013 Congress archive
2014 Congress archive

Please see this page if you need help using the comments board.