“Ah, well, there’s one good thing,” continued Sukie, rubbing the tea-caddy with her apron, “stranger he is, but he’s not one of them nasty French critturs.”
Sukie was a maid-of-all work depicted in a fictionalised account of the Hine family. The account represents the attitudes toward France during much of the early to mid-nineteenth century.
Sukie watched over by her master, Mr Hine. Illustration by Lucy Kemp-Welch from “Round About a Brighton Coach Office” by Maude Egerton King. Published 1896
Only eighteen months ago, the Palmeira Square area of Hove was home to several French restaurants (see blog of 5 August 2018: La Place Palmeira). Since then, both La Cave à Fromage and Pâtisserie Valérie have closed their doors. Now we have to say adieu to Café Rouge in Bartholomews which closed on 19 January 2020.
Another ‘French’ loss is the Paris Wine Bar at 119 Church Road, Hove. However, according the Argus, the restaurant was “not as French as its names suggests” – but for all the best reasons. The wines served in the bar came from all corners of world and not just France. Is this adieu to the Paris Wine Bar or merely au revoir? Hard to tell. Let’s look forward to its renaissance.
It’s not only food outlets that like to associate themselves with la France. Cycling and bikes are also often associated with our French neighbours. The bike shop, Velo Ami, at 73 Portland Road closed its doors in early 2019. A result of the harsh economic climate for retailers? But where oh! where was that accent on vélo?
French Brighton 