The crew, 02 of 07.
Elaine has lived above a shop in The Lanes for years. If there's a shortcut, a back door or a little shop you've never heard of, she found it first. Follow her round and you'll see a side of Brighton most visitors miss.
Who is Elaine?
Elaine lives above a shop in The Lanes and knows every twitten, shortcut and back door between North Street and the sea.
She's the one who finds the second-hand bookshop before it closes, the bakery that sells out by ten and the jeweller who'll fix anything. Her cat follows her halfway down Meeting House Lane most mornings, then gets bored and goes home.
She carries everything in one big tote and still manages to find room for one more thing.
- Lives in: The Lanes
- Find them: Browsing the little shops of The Lanes, cat in tow
- Never without: Her tote bag (and her cat, mostly)
The Lanes, her way
The Lanes are the oldest part of Brighton: a tangle of narrow alleys between North Street and the seafront, lined with small shops, cafés and pubs. Locals call the narrowest ones twittens, an old Sussex word for an alley.
The twittens
Some are barely wide enough for two people to pass. Elaine's rule: if it looks like it goes nowhere, take it.
The jewellers
The Lanes have long been known for jewellery shops, old and new. Good for window shopping, better for a ring repaired.
Meeting House Lane
One of the main paths through The Lanes, and as far as Elaine's cat usually makes it before turning back.
North Laine
Not the same place. North Laine is across North Street, up towards the station: wider streets, independent shops, vintage, records and street art. Elaine does both in one morning.
What Elaine wears
An oatmeal beanie, a black heavyweight tee and the tote in rose pink. Big enough for books, bread and whatever she's found today.
- Essential Tote in Rose Pink: big enough for books, bread and whatever she's found
- Essential Beanie in Oatmeal: the fisherman fit, rolled once
- Essential Tee in Deep Black: 240 gsm, goes with everything
See Elaine's crew page: the full drawing, front and back, and a map of where to find them.
More from the crew: Preston, Marina, Reggie, Kemp, Pierre, Gulliver. Or read our local's guide to Brighton.
Questions
What is a twitten?
An old Sussex word for a narrow alley or path between buildings. Brighton's Lanes are full of them.
What's the difference between The Lanes and North Laine?
The Lanes are the narrow old alleys between North Street and the sea. North Laine is north of North Street, towards the station, with wider streets and independent shops.
Are The Lanes near the beach?
Yes. The bottom of The Lanes is a couple of minutes' walk from the seafront.