The i gig general store is your typical Hove shop, selling expensive but nice little (and some bigger) things for your house. Above the general store on Hove’s western road is the i gigi cafe, The Cafe is really tastfully decorated inside with lovely wooden floorboards and a beautiful window for people watching from above.

One side of the room is a very open kitchen, (its a little like being cooked for in a studio flat) but inst too noisy and with the friendly staff helps to make a great atmosphere. The food isn’t exactly cheap but theres a very good selection for breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea, the cakes looked fantastic. We had a welsh rarebit and poached egg which was very hearty and very tasty.

If you fancy a splurge or a relaxed tea and cake then i gigi cafe is highly recommended.

As well as lying on the beach and surfing (when the weather and tide is right) Wittering offers a fantastic coastal walk around East Head, the National Trust sand spit opposite the entrance to Chichester Harbour.

Our Fathers day walk was blessed by perfect weather which made the paddling through the clear warm water and walk through the sand dunes even better. It’s a great day out from Brighton and made a great Fathers day, a car seems necessary but I do intend to return by public transport, next time with my swimmers!

At the end of First Avenue hidden away in the bottom of a 1960s block of flats sits The Bali Brasserie, Restaurant and Tropical Pub. After one previous attempt to experience the kitchness of a cushioned bar we cautiously walked the corridor expecting the “Tropical Pub” to be completely empty… View Map

As we got nearer music and chatter could be heard and was a welcome relief as we walked in to find the Bali Brasserie full of people dressed up in their finery. It felt like we had entered into a time warp.

Whats a tropical pub? I here you say. Well it was quite warm in there, a bit like the tropics, full of punters dressed up like they were on holiday with deep suntans. The seating consisted of bamboo table and chairs and cushioned booth seats plus a pool table. Most of which were taken up by the entertainment, a guitarist singing over prerecorded backing tracks of classics such as sultans of swing. The bar man seemed very friendly, i’d very much like him to remember my name.

We didn’t try the food, we’re saving that for a special occasion (at £6.95 for 2 courses it looks like a pretty good deal) but tasted a couple of pints of Carling and thoroughly enjoyed the entertainment. A round of a pint of Carling and vodka and diet coke cost £5.75, not cheap but head and shoulders above Hove Place.

Price: 6/10

Atmosphere: 8/10

Overall Rating: 7/10

Bali Brasserie
Kingsway Court, First Avenue
Kingsway, Hove. BN3 2LR
Tel: 01273 324572
Open: 12-2, 6.30-10.30 (11.00 Fri, Sat)

The fantastic Brighton live music venue  The Freebutt is in danger of being closed down by the Environment Health Department. Save The Freebutt explains the situation but basically The Freebutt is in danger of closure for causing a public audio nuisance, due to complaints by just one local resident! Having ackowledged that there might be some sound leakage The Freebutt have tried to get access to the residence to establish where the noise is coming from but strangely have been refused access, absolutely crazy! Sounds like the resident needs to move!

I’m sure like me you’ve seen some amazing gigs whilst profusely sweating over the years in The Freebutt, highlights for me are Deerhoof many years ago now when there was the long thin layout and more recently when Brother Ali tore the roof of the Freebutt. Forget about the pillar, The Freebutt must be saved! sign the petition here and Join the Facebook group