Brighton Rock (1947)

Nick Booth provides this screen capture of the films "Nelson Place", the slum area where Pinkie's headquarters are located. He tells us that the dark building to the left is the Regency Tavern, that is still there. (RL)

Nick also provides an up to date shot of the same location advising that it is far from a slum area! Regency Square. (RL)

Brighton, do you know this pub? Is it still there? According to Steve Chibnall in Brighton Rock (TCM), the Four Feathers interior and exterior scenes were filmed on sets built at Welwyn Studios in Hertfordshire. Many thanks to Michael for this.

Although a set in the film, Matthew Davis tells us that the "Four Feathers" did exist, known as "Varsity" in the 1990's and stood on the corner of East Street and Grand Junction Road. (RL) After briefly becoming "The Mariner" the pub closed and is now used as an office. (SD)

Brighton, close up of the door. As above.

Brighton. As above.

Market Street, Brighton.

Now. Market Street. This is now a popular area for restaurants. Location & photo by Matthew Ledbury.

Market Street, Brighton.

Now. Market Street again. Immediately adjacent to picture no.4. What gives it away is the guttering on the wall. Matthew Ledbury again.

Brighton. As above.

Now. Brighton Place. Again, it's immediately to the left of the previous picture as Fred continues his run into the Lanes. Matthew.

Brighton, W R Compton, 43 The Lanes. A clue?

Now. Meeting House Lane (part of the wider Lanes area). The entrance to Meeting House Lane is just to the left of the yellow building in the previous picture. Thanks Matthew.

Oh, that elastic, fair gives me the gyp! Andy Norton proposes that this is Church Street, before it joins Queens Road and will take a photo next time he is in the area. (RL) This is in fact Fore Street, Hatfield in Hertfordshire. (SD)

I have saved Andy from a wasted journey. This is number 42, Crown House, Fore Street, and has been here since 1495. (SD)

Brighton. Meeting House Lane, according to Michael.

Now. Exit from the Lanes into North Street. Matthew Ledbury.

Main Street? Brighton.

Now. North Street. This is the view immediately 90 degrees to the left of no.9. Matthew Ledbury.

Brighton. As above.

Now. West Street, looking down towards the sea. The arched doorway in the middle of the original is still there. Thanks again Matthew.

High Street? Brighton.

Now. West Street again - the building with the lines down it is quite clearly visible today still. Matthew Ledbury.

High Street? Brighton.

Now. Adjacent to the Clock tower, looking at building on the junction of West Street and Dyke Road. Another one from Matthew Ledbury.

Base of Victoria Clock Tower at centre of junction. Thanks to Sam Flowers.

Now, seventy years later, and without the toilets and phone boxes. SD

More. Queens Road according to Sam.

and more. Queens Road again.

83 and 84 Queens Road. 83 still exists but 84 to 87 were demolished in 1989. Although Fred Hale is running towards the station, this is the east side of Queens Road, so in reality he is running away from the station. SD

Approaching the station.

Now. Queen's Road, immediately outside Brighton railway station. The large building in the middle of the picture is still the Queen's Head pub. Matthew Ledbury once more.

Bus terminal, station square.

Now. Railway station forecourt. The gate is exactly the same today as the one in the original picture! Matthew Ledbury.

Upper Gloucester Road, Brighton taken from Queens Road advised by Matthew Ledbury and confirmed by Alexandra Hamer (RL)

Now. Gloucester Road (uphill). Matthew Ledbury.

Maybe a pub in the background? Something Deposit? Sam Flowers thinks this might be North Road or upper end of Ship Street (an impressive classical-style building houses a sorting office mid-way).

Guy Legge, replaced the Google image with his own picture, much better. North Road, Brighton, the doorway to the then Blue Posts Pub is in it.

A street. Our failure to update the text with the location idenification back in 2022 has provided us with confirmation from Chris Smith that this is indeed the corner of Fore street from the Broadway Hatfield Hertfordshire, the 'Steabben' shop now being part of the eight bells inn. (RL)

The Broadway, facing Fore Street, Hatfield. The building in the foreground was originally a shop with a door at the corner. It has now been converted to offices. In the background, on the left, was Steabben, a butcher shop which has now been taken over by the Eight Bells pub. The house on the right was Hankin and Son, a draper shop which closed in 1962. (SD)

Another street.

Now. Gloucester Road (downhill). Incorrect, claims S M Carey, the gap further down the street is the rear of Brighton's main sorting office, since 1926. Real location is in Church Street at the junction with King Street, the shop R.J Marsh was listed in the 1940 and 1954 Brighton street directory, 20 Church Street. The buildings in the still were all demolished in the 1960s and rebuilt offices and a multi-story car park. The buildings on the left hand side were also demolished around that time for road widening meaning the only actual piece of building still remaining from the original still is part of the canopy in the right foreground of 022.

Guy Legge did some sleuthing regarding this location, and we've left the original, incorrect, br022n on site because it shows that we too are fallible. To err, they say, is human, but we forgive the enthusiasm of our contributors, and To forgive, they say.........

Guy confirms: This is the junction of Church Street and King Street looking east, the portico, seen in the then shot 022, on the right, clinches it.

One more. 'Now Brighton Museum and the Dome Concert venue in Church Street' ~ Chris Tuft

Now. Church Street. Picture again by Matthew Ledbury.

And another. Park Street, Hatfield. (SD)

This passage to the right of the Horse And Groom pub was originally called Arm And Sword Yard and led from Park Street to the Great North Road. Now it is just a short passageway leading to Salisbury Square Car Park. The surviving terraced cottages have been converted to flats called Walby House. (SD)

The Pavilion. 'Now Brighton Museum and the Dome Concert venue in Church Street'. ~ Chris Tuft

Now. Museum and Dome, Church Street. Matthew again.

The Pavillion. 'Now Brighton Museum and the Dome Concert venue in Church Street ' ~ Chris Tuft

The Museum and Dome now. SD

The Pavilion. 'Now Brighton Museum and the Dome Concert venue in Church Street' ~ Chris Tuft

Now. Museum and Dome, Church Street. Matthew again.

The Pavillion.

Now. North Gate, Pavilion Gardens. Another pic by Matthew.

The Palace Pier.

Originally viewed from the Palace Pier Theatre which was dismantled in 1986. Now viewed from in front of the gents toilet. SD

The Palace Pier.

Now. Brighton Pier (the more recent name for Palace Pier, although the locals prefer to stick with the old name!) Thanks again, Matthew!

The Palace Pier.

The Palm Court Restaurant is currently being refurbished. SD

The Palace Pier.

I had my thruppence ready, but I couldn't find any deck chairs. SD

King's Court Hotel, in the film. Demolished and the site rebuilt as the Brighton Centre.

Brutal! The Brighton Centre was opened in 1977. SD

A still from the book "The British Cinema- The Lights That Failed", James Park, Batsford Books, showing the scene being made.

The façade of The Grand Hotel is currently undergoing restoration work. SD

....and one more time. Still of unknown origin.

This week, film maker Richard DeDomenici has been shooting a ten minute low budget version of the film called 'Brighton Rock: Redux'. SD

An hotel.

Grand Hotel, Brighton. Original steps can be seen inside later glazed extension, built after the 1984 bomb attack.

The Promenade.

Now. Marine Parade, looking towards the pier with the Terraces in the foreground. These were built on around 5 years ago; until then the view still looked much the same as the original photo. Matthew Ledbury once more.

The Palace Pier

Now. Esplanade, looking at the pier, pic by Matthew.

The Palace Pier

Now. Brighton Pier entrance. Yet again, thank you Matthew!

End of the Palace (Brighton) Pier showing former Theatre/Pavilion building and steps down to former landing stages. None of this exists today: the entire pier head has been completely remodelled. Information from Sam Flowers.

The landing stage was removed in 1975. Approximately 20 years later the pier head was extended to make room for extra rides. This is viewed from beside the Crazy Mouse roller coaster which now stands at the end of the pier. (SD)