James Gray: This photograph of South Street, taken in 1938, shows four of the original cottages of Middle Street Lane, as this little street was originally called. Before the completion of the seafront between West Street and Middle Street all east and west traffic had to traverse this lane and the Portsmouth and Southampton coach passed by these cottages which then looked directly to the sea. Demolished 1947. jgc_07_050
2019: South Street is now a very scruffy alleyway that runs between West Street and Middle Street. The tall white building at the end of the street (on West Street) is the Walkabout pub and, although some of the buildings from the original 1938 image remain, they are in a derelict state and covered with graffiti. It has recently been deemed to be one of Brighton’s most dangerous thoroughfares. (Photographer: Clare Hughes)