Photo from: westbrightonbeach.net
So the police have finally done it – they stopped one of the last remaining free parties on Brighton beach, Black Rock. That is except Fatboy Slims’, which I don’t think is happening either.
Black Rock was the alternative party to all the Pride after hour clubs and bars, running every year for a number of years. It utilised Brighton’s beach when the city is at its warmest, running on voluntary soundsystems, usually providing up to 5 or 6 soundsystems throughout the night.
Everyone came down, and usually without much problem. In the past few years, the party has attracted a lot of younger, rowdy kids than usual and I heard that last year someone got stabbed. However, the Sussex Police commented that there was no real problems at 2009 Black Rock party, as reported in The Argus. So why was Black Rock 2010 stopped?
It wasn’t for security reasons. Stabbings happen with more regularity at clubs where there’s ramped up security, such as Concorde2 and other seafront clubs. Security in the city is a serious concern. Black Rock, just down the road from C2 and far from residential areas, has always been a place where the party can happen and there’s a general sense of safety for the whole night.
In fact, every year there is always police presence. They usually arrive to turn the soundsystems off, but through diplomatic and reasonable negotiations, the parties are allowed to continue. If there was ever any safety threat or environmental complaint, they were on hand the whole night to sort it out. This never was the case.
I honestly don’t know why this year’s Black Rock Party was cancelled. Last night my friends heard that the police had fenced off the road so we went down there at 1am to check it out with our own eyes.
Indeed Maderia Drive looked like a war zone – they police had fenced off the entire road and were manning a doorway, stopping people and cars, and we heard that they were arresting people who tried to go past.
Have the police taken extreme measures because the Conservatives are in power? Or is it just because they want to have a final go at maintaining the licensing issue? For a night where no one really profits in a commercial sense, it could appear that they’re simply killjoys.
Photo from: westbrightonbeach.net/
Have a look for a nice selection of Brighton related images.
on Aug 10th, 2010 at 10:45 am
Can’t believe you would suggest its because of central government. What a joke.
on Aug 13th, 2010 at 1:47 am
Best part of Pride celebrations got cancelled. What a shame as watching the sun come up on Black Rock is unequalled by any other party. Come on Brighton – let’s have it back for 2011.
on Aug 13th, 2010 at 7:40 pm
I have been going to Black Rock every year and its always a great night, last year however, there were a lot of rowdy teens there pick-pocketing people and throwing empty cans at the police. What ashame; it kind of ruined the whole vibe; its not supposed to be a moody event. If you ask me its the moody teeny boppers that have caused its closing!
on Aug 24th, 2010 at 5:27 pm
Agreed, the amount of arsey rude scallie wags and chavs ruin the whole thing. Im not surprised the police stopped it and if they had problems with it in 2009 they are hardly going to tell the Argus. The best way to party is secret location, that takes brains to get to. It just got too popular and well known at Black Rock.