David Lepper

Brighton Pavilion stretches from the Palace Pier on the seafront to just beyond the West Pier and inland to the South Downs on the edge of the University of Sussex campus. It is the central part of the city of Brighton and Hove - the UK's premier international conference city and tourist resort.

Brighton Pavilion includes Brighton city centre, the Royal Pavilion, the Lanes and North Laine, the suburbs of Coldean, Westdene, Hollingbury, Patcham, Hollingdean and Preston, Stanmer Park, two university campuses and four railway stations.

Badly hit by the recessions of the 1980s and 90s, the area lost long-established engineering companies, contributing to high unemployment and housing repossessions. Unemployment is now down 50 per cent since 1997. The problems of street homelessness are being addressed by the Rough Sleepers Iniative. We have Assisted Area Status.

As well as tourism, major employment is in financial services, health, education and the cultural industries. The city is developing as a regional capital for media, multi-media and related high-tech companies.