One of Brighton’s best-known alternative pubs is celebrating 20 years with a weekend of live performance, DJs and fundraising for two local charities.
The Caroline of Brunswick, opposite The Level on Ditchling Road, will hold its 20th birthday party on Friday 2 October as it marks two decades under the identity that has made it a home for Brighton’s rock, comedy, cabaret and LGBTQ+ communities.
The independently operated pub has survived the financial crisis, the Covid closures and a difficult period for the wider pub trade while building a reputation for live entertainment in its small upstairs venue.
Its anniversary comes as pubs nationally continue to face considerable pressure. Figures from the British Beer and Pub Association showed that 161 pubs closed permanently across Britain in the first three months of 2026, equivalent to almost two every day.
| What | Caroline of Brunswick 20th birthday celebration |
| When | Friday 2 October 2026, from 8pm |
| Where | 39 Ditchling Road, Brighton, BN1 4SB |
| What to expect | Live performances, DJs and a birthday party featuring acts associated with the venue |
| Birthday weekend | The pub says happy hour will run from opening on Friday until closing on Sunday |
| Fundraising | Collections for Martlets and the Sussex Rainbow Fund |
| Venue | Rock and alternative pub with an upstairs comedy, cabaret and live-performance space |
| Age | The Caroline is an 18+ venue |
| Website | Caroline of Brunswick |
Twenty years of the Caroline of Brunswick
The Caroline’s story did not begin in 2006. A pub has occupied the Ditchling Road site for much longer.
Local historical accounts trace a pub there to the 1820s, originally under the name Star of Brunswick. In more recent decades it traded as the Leek & Winkle and later The Leek before being relaunched under its present name in 2006.
Leaseholder Cliff Barnes previously said the Caroline identity emerged after it became clear that the pub had attracted an alternative clientele. He and Debora Parr relaunched the pub under the current name immediately after Halloween 2006.
That means the 2 October event should be understood as the pub’s 20th-birthday celebration rather than necessarily the exact calendar anniversary of the relaunch.
The name itself has an appropriately unconventional Brighton connection.
Caroline of Brunswick was the estranged wife of the Prince Regent, later George IV, whose association with Brighton produced the Royal Pavilion. Their notoriously unhappy marriage turned Caroline into a major public figure, while George attempted to divorce her after becoming king.
The pub that bears her name has developed its own identity around people who do not necessarily feel catered for by a conventional city-centre bar.
General manager Tami and leaseholder Cliff describe it as an “alternative home for the weird and wonderful of Brighton”, as well as an LGBTQ+ friendly community pub.
That description is reflected in its current programme, which ranges from rock and metal nights to comedy, drag, cabaret, karaoke, film events and open-mic performances.
Why it matters locally
A small venue with a much bigger role
The Caroline has spent two decades combining the functions of neighbourhood pub, alternative bar and small live venue. That mix has allowed new comedians, touring acts, drag performers and Brighton Fringe shows to use the same upstairs room throughout the year.
From pub upstairs to Brighton comedy venue
The small performance room above the bar has become an important part of the Caroline’s identity.
The pub currently describes its Upper Lounge as an 80-seat venue. Its size means visiting comedians perform considerably closer to the audience than they would in Brighton’s larger theatres and comedy clubs.
Over the years the Caroline says its comedy stage has hosted performers including Rhod Gilbert, Jon Richardson, Josie Long, Richard Herring, Sara Pascoe, Romesh Ranganathan, Joe Wilkinson, Isy Suttie, Katherine Ryan and Josh Widdicombe.
It remains active on Brighton’s comedy circuit rather than relying on those past names.
Regular events include Cool-Aid Comedy, which gives performers space to try new material, and The Comedy Experiment, where acts ranging from newcomers to established professionals can test material in an intimate room.
The Caroline’s 2026 programme has also included work-in-progress shows and previews by performers including Mark Thomas, Rosie Jones, Matt Forde and Chloe Petts.
The Caroline is also an established Brighton Fringe venue. During the 2026 festival its Upper Lounge hosted a dense programme of comedy and cabaret through Laughing Horse, with multiple performances on many days throughout May.
What happens at the Caroline?
| Comedy | New-material nights, touring comedians, previews and solo shows |
| Music | Live performances, rock and metal nights, DJs and acoustic sessions |
| Cabaret | Drag, queer performance and the regular Cabaret Lab |
| Brighton Fringe | Established Laughing Horse Fringe venue |
| Regular events | Rock karaoke, quizzes, film nights and alternative club nights |
An alternative and LGBTQ+ space
The Caroline’s role as an LGBTQ+ friendly venue is another strand of its 20-year history.
Its current programme has a dedicated LGBTQ+ section and regularly includes drag and queer cabaret alongside the rock and alternative events for which the downstairs bar is better known.
That mixture is fairly characteristic of the venue. On different nights the same upstairs room can contain experimental stand-up, a drag show, a film screening or a rock and metal event.
The pub describes its approach as “supporting diversity in Brighton & Hove”, while its Fringe listing identifies the Caroline as a year-round comedy and cabaret venue as well as a rock and alternative bar.
Even the interior has become part of its reputation. A large three-headed Cerberus figure hangs above the main bar, alongside a rock jukebox, pool table and the deliberately unfussy surroundings of a pub that has resisted being turned into a polished chain venue.
Surviving a difficult 20 years for pubs
The anniversary also covers a turbulent period for hospitality.
Since 2006 the Caroline has traded through the financial crisis, changing drinking habits and the Covid-19 pandemic, when pubs and live entertainment venues faced repeated restrictions and closures.
The pressure has not disappeared. British Beer and Pub Association figures released this year showed 161 pubs closed permanently in Britain during the first quarter of 2026, a 26% increase on the equivalent period a year earlier.
The trade body estimated that the closures resulted in around 2,400 job losses and blamed a combination of taxes and increasing labour and operating costs.
Against that background, reaching two decades is more than a cosmetic anniversary for a small independent operation.
The Caroline has also faced uncertainty of its own. In 2017, when the pub’s future was under threat, Cliff Barnes spoke publicly about the venue’s importance to its community and the role its upstairs room had played in the early careers of performers who later became nationally known.
Birthday party will support two Brighton causes
The anniversary celebrations begin at 8pm on Friday 2 October, with the pub promising live performances from favourite acts from its history alongside DJs and a wider birthday party.
The Caroline says it will also run happy hour throughout the weekend, beginning when the pub opens on Friday and continuing until closing time on Sunday.
The weekend will raise money for Martlets and the Sussex Rainbow Fund.
Martlets provides hospice care and support to people affected by life-limiting illness in Brighton & Hove and surrounding communities.
The fundraising element fits the Caroline’s description of the anniversary as a thank-you to the people who have supported the pub through the past two decades rather than simply a commercial birthday promotion.
Where is the Caroline of Brunswick?
| Address | 39 Ditchling Road, Brighton, BN1 4SB |
| Location | Opposite The Level, close to London Road and Brighton Open Market |
| Telephone | 01273 624434 |
| Website | carolineofbrunswick.co.uk |
The pub stands at the bottom of Ditchling Road, opposite The Level and around the corner from London Road and Brighton Open Market. North Laine and Brighton Station are also within walking distance.
The main bar has outdoor seating at the front and rear, while the performance venue is upstairs.
Accessibility
The upstairs venue is not wheelchair accessible
Brighton Fringe’s current venue information says the Upper Lounge is reached by stairs and is not wheelchair accessible. Anyone attending a particular anniversary performance who has access requirements should contact the Caroline in advance to confirm where that part of the programme will take place.
Frequently asked questions
When is the Caroline of Brunswick’s 20th birthday party?
The celebration is on Friday 2 October 2026, beginning at 8pm, with events continuing across the weekend.
Where is the Caroline of Brunswick?
The pub is at 39 Ditchling Road, Brighton, BN1 4SB, opposite The Level and close to London Road and Brighton Open Market.
Why is it celebrating 20 years?
The pub was relaunched under the Caroline of Brunswick identity in 2006. Local historical reporting says the relaunch took place immediately after Halloween that year, while the October event is being promoted as its 20th-birthday celebration.
What is happening at the birthday party?
The pub says the night will feature live performances from favourite acts associated with the venue, DJs and a wider birthday party. A detailed running order has not yet been published.
Is there a happy hour?
The Caroline says its anniversary happy hour will run from opening on Friday until closing on Sunday.
Which charities is the pub supporting?
Collections during the celebrations will support Martlets and the Sussex Rainbow Fund, according to the venue’s announcement.
What is the Caroline of Brunswick known for?
It is a rock and alternative pub with an upstairs live venue particularly associated with comedy, cabaret, Brighton Fringe, LGBTQ+ performance and alternative music.
Which comedians have performed there?
The Caroline lists previous performers including Romesh Ranganathan, Katherine Ryan, Sara Pascoe, Jon Richardson, Rhod Gilbert, Josh Widdicombe, Josie Long, Richard Herring and Joe Wilkinson.
Is the Caroline of Brunswick wheelchair accessible?
The upstairs performance space is not wheelchair accessible, according to Brighton Fringe’s current venue information. Contact the pub directly about access to the main bar and individual events.
Where can I find the latest birthday details?
Updates can be checked through the Caroline of Brunswick’s website and its social-media channels.
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