Colourful pavement art directs Brighton visitors to the North Laine shopping area.

Designer Adam Harris, from Millimetre Designer Fabricators, based in Portslade, which was joint winners of the commission for the scheme.

The new wayfinding scheme has been funded by local developers and includes a series of colourful symbols – ranging from combs, scissors and bunting, to cocktail glasses, coffee cups and ice cream cones – to represent the variety of North Laine businesses.

The symbols can be found scattered on the pedestrian area outside Brighton Railway Station before leading visitors down Queens Road to the quadrant and crossings at the junction of Gloucester Road and Frederick Place. Colourful crossing designs then draw visitors down to North Laine via Gloucester Road.

The crossings and quadrant floor designs include patterns derived from the ‘1792 Terrier Map of Brighton’ an historic map which shows the field arrangements that existed before North Laine was built upon and can still be seen in the street layout of today.

Some of the colourful art which leads people to the North Laine area.

Donna Chisholm, Brighton and Hove City Council's assistant director for culture, tourism and sport, said: “So many visitors arriving by train at Brighton Station make their way down Queens Road to the seafront and shopping area, completely missing out on the fantastic independent shops and businesses in North Laine.

“This scheme aims to address that problem, providing clear entrance points to these unique and diverse shopping streets, increasing footfall and ensuring that visitors and tourists don’t miss out on all the wonderful quirky and original shops and eateries that North Laine has to offer.”

The designs were chosen by a panel following an open submission call-out. Members of the panel, including representatives from North Laine Community Association, local creative industries and Brighton and Hove City Council, were looking for a high quality, original design which reflected the site’s cultural and natural heritage while remaining sympathetic to local businesses and residents.

Joint winners of the commission were the Millimetre Designer Fabricators, based in Portslade, project managed by designer Adam Harris, and Birmingham based artists Simon and Tom Bloor.

Have you read: New Brighton-based grocery delivery service is refillable and plastic-free |

Masterchef winner's Hove restaurant to close for refurbishment | Brighton & Hove Independent (brightonandhoveindependent.co.uk)