Good morning, Brighton. Anyone know why seagulls fly over the sea? Apparently because if they flew over the bay, they’d be bagels. Maybe I should have saved that for National Bagel Day on January 15th… well lucky for you it falls on a Friday next year so stick around for a repeat of that corker :)

In today’s Brighton Scoop:

- Phil Reynolds

Promising to be the UK's biggest & brightest LGBTQ+ literature festival - The Coast in Queer is back from October 15-18 at the Attenborough Centre for the Creative Arts, University of Sussex. It's presented by New Writing South with Marlborough Productions.

Now in its seventh year, it's bigger than ever. Around 120 writers will take part across about 45 events, and organisers expect more than a thousand visitors.

Producer Liam Offord says the festival has grown from one-off funding and a Covid-era online edition into a key fixture on the cultural calendar. Publishers and agents now pitch to the team from around the world.

He praises its inter-generational crowd and "safe and restorative" atmosphere. There are often three or four events happening at once, so expect plenty of "What did you see?" chatter. For a few days, he says, it's "the most fun place you can be in the world." Tickets on sale.

🎄 Schools and nurseries within 20 miles of Dobbies' Brighton store could be in for a festive treat. Through its annual Community Christmas Tree campaign, run with Needlefresh, the garden centre is donating five Nordmann Fir trees to successful applicants.

Plant buyer Nigel Lawton says a real tree can become "a focal point for celebrations," bringing children together for festive activities. He also praised the Nordmann Fir for its soft, dark green needles, which are easy to decorate. They also hold on well, so they stay fresh through the season if looked after properly.

Do you work at or run a school or nursery? To apply, head to dobbies.com/community-christmas-trees before 5pm on Thursday, November 5. Winners will hear by mid-November. Well done Dobbies!

⚡️ Electric car drivers in Brighton, rejoice! V2Power has opened a rapid-charging site at CG Brighton, a BYD showroom on Victoria Road, Portslade. Many modern EVs can fill most of their battery in about one coffee break.

Pay-as-you-go costs 69p per kWh. Members, who pay £6.99 a month, get 59p. Members charging between 8pm and 7am pay just 49p. Zapmap says the national average was 77p in August 2026.

For a typical 50kWh top-up, that works out as:

Regular users will soon see membership pay for itself. Occasional drivers may do better paying as they go. The site could help the many Brighton and Hove residents in flats or terraced streets who can't charge at home. You can even book a test drive while you wait. See the list of other rapid chargers in Brighton.

☀️ | 📈 20° | 📉 11° | ☔️ <5% | 🌬️ SW 7mph | 🌊 <1ft

🌤️ | 📈 20° | 📉 14° | ☔️ 10% | 🌬️ SE 4mph | 🌊 <1ft

Be sure to tag us @brightonscoop to get your photos featured

Cinemas aren’t going to fill themselves. Break a habit of a lifetime, turn off Netflix, get off the sofa and potter down to your local (cinema).

Duke of York’s Picturehouse - Book

Digger | Sense & Sensibility (2026) | 48hr Film Project Brighton Showcase |

Dukes at Komedia - Book

Verity | Sense & Sensibility (2026) | Bad Apples | Extra Geography | Resident Evil | Knife & Recorded Q&A | Hope | The Lost Children of Tuam

🎈 Family friendly events

Great to have you follow the Scoop today; the first Monday of October. 81 days until the big man pops down the chimney! Share The Scoop with the biggest Christmas fan you know.