Good morning, Brighton. Well it’s the big semi-final tonight and so the majority of bars & pubs across town are showing the game - find a pub here. But don’t fret! If you’re asking ‘semi-final of what?’ then we’ve found a few spots tonight who have live music, comedy and anything but the footie to keep you sane for just a bit longer.

In today’s Brighton Scoop:

- Phil Reynolds

📋 Hold onto your planning permission forms, folks— BHCC wants your input on the next 15 years of urban development. Think of it as a group chat about housing, green spaces, and whether that new coffee shop should go on the corner.

The council's already collected over 700 responses (including 200 from young people, bless them) from the November 2024 consultation, and now they're launching a "Scoping Consultation" because apparently one round of asking wasn't enough. You can weigh in on challenges, priorities, and how you'd like to be involved—assuming you have strong opinions about biodiversity and employment zones. Consultation runs from 14 July to 7 September.

The new planning framework means they've got 30 months to sort it all out. Deputy Leader Jacob Taylor insists this City Plan is "one of the most important documents" the council produces. View the online consultation portal.

🟩 Stanmer Park's volunteers and staff just earned themselves a well-deserved pat on the back—and a prestigious Green Flag Award to boot. This sprawling urban oasis, the city's largest park, has also snagged Green Heritage Site Accreditation for preserving its historic charm.

The award recognises parks that are squeaky-clean, well-maintained, and genuinely welcoming. Think safety, cleanliness, arboricultural expertise, and community involvement—all the unglamorous bits that make parks actually pleasant. Stanmer Park is also part of The Living Coast, a designated urban biosphere. Watch the Living Coast Video.

Councillor Alan Robins praised the Cityparks staff and volunteers for their Herculean efforts keeping thousands of visitors happy year-round. Even Keep Britain Tidy's Paul Todd chimed in, calling parks "practical, preventative solutions" to quality-of-life issues.

So hats off to the green-thumbed warriors of Stanmer Park. 🚩🌳

🍻 Good news for the Lost and Found Taproom team (and us as Fiveways locals), they can now serve pints on its outdoor decking between 9am and 9pm daily. Owner Jon Rutter jumped through all the bureaucratic hoops—literally.

The council slapped on enough conditions to make a compliance officer smile: noise curfews, a complaints log, acoustic consultants calibrating music systems, and absolutely no amplified outdoor tunes. Basically, it's a beer garden with the enthusiasm gently turned down 🙂 They’ve always got a great beer selection on tap - Latest beer menu, so pop along and maybe I’ll see you there.

Eighteen neighbours backed the application enthusiastically, calling it a "much-valued independent business." So cheers to that—responsibly, quietly, and well before the 11:30pm weeknight noise cutoff.

☀️ | 📈 28° | 📉 17° | ☔️ <5% | 🌬️ NE 14mph | 🌊 <1ft

☀️ | 📈 28° | 📉 16° | ☔️ <5% | 🌬️ E 10mph | 🌊 <1ft

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

Cinema’s 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

🎈Minions & Monsters | The Invite | The Wolf of Wolf Street | Jurassic Park

Dukes at Komedia - Book

🎈Toy Story 5 | 🎈Minions & Monsters | The Invite | Evil Dead Burn | 🎈The Highway Rat | Our Hero: Balthazar | Nirvanna: The Band - The Show - The Movie

Single, Mingle & Play (50+) | The Libertine Social | Worthing | 7pm | Book

🎈 Family friendly events

Great to have you follow the Scoop today. If you liked it, share it with that person who always backs the opposition in an England game.