Why the residents of Hove still insist on saying they live in Hove, actually

Countries & Cities · Published 29 September 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Brighton and Hove is a single city, yet it remains a tale of two distinct identities. Despite a forced administrative merger in 1997, locals cling to their separate histories. The phrase Hove, actually remains a popular local retort, highlighting a deep-seated resistance to being overshadowed by its famous seaside neighbor.

The unification of Brighton and Hove into a single unitary authority in 1997 was a contentious bureaucratic process. While a 1992 government commission initially proposed separate authorities, public sentiment shifted toward a merger. However, the proposal faced significant opposition from the Hove Borough Council, which feared that Brighton would dominate local affairs. The commission acknowledged that Hove residents held negative feelings toward Brighton and identified more strongly with Sussex, yet ultimately decided that the benefits of a single tier of government outweighed these local concerns.

Despite the official administrative union, the two towns maintain separate characters. Brighton has long been a high-profile seaside resort with a significant digital economy and national festivals. In contrast, Hove is primarily residential, featuring its own distinct town center and seafront. This duality is not a modern invention; organizations like the Brighton and Hove Albion football club and the local bus company predated the 1997 merger by decades. The city’s official status was only granted on 31 January 2001, following the Millennium City Status Competition, long after the towns had developed their unique, often clashing, reputations.

The geography surrounding the city reflects a complex history of expansion and preservation. Areas like Patcham and Hangleton reveal layers of human settlement dating back to the Domesday book and beyond, including Bronze Age barrows and Iron Age field systems. Modern development, such as the construction of the A27 road, has reshaped the landscape, sometimes cutting off access to ancient downland. Today, the city manages a mix of urban sprawl and protected nature reserves, where rare orchids and butterflies survive alongside the remnants of medieval parishes and 17th-century farmhouses. This tension between historical preservation and modern expansion continues to define the character of the region.

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