Named after the five roads that meet at its busy junction, Fiveways gives you a glimpse of everyday Brighton beyond the city centre. Independent cafés, vintage shops, local pubs and Blakers Park are all within a short walk. The South Downs are close by too, making Fiveways a handy starting point if you fancy swapping Brighton’s streets for a countryside walk.
Brighton city centre and the seafront are around a 40-minute walk downhill, with regular buses and Beryl bikes available around the area. Our local advice? Enjoy the walk down and save the bus for the journey back up.
A quieter corner of Brighton with local favourites, green space & the Downs nearby.
Discover upcoming events happening in Fiveways this month.
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Fiveways offers a mix of local indie favourites, with cafés, delis, vintage and second-hand shops, plus plenty of takeaways for an easy lunch or dinner.
Fiveways has a strong neighbourhood pub scene, with quiz nights, live music, Sunday roasts & busy beer gardens giving locals plenty of reasons to stay close to home.
Around the Fiveways junction and along Preston Drove, independent shops make it easy to pick up dinner, flowers & one-of-a-kind gifts
Blakers Park is a favourite with Fiveways locals. Families make the most of the renovated playground, the tennis courts stay busy, and the small park café is a handy stop for coffee, pastries and something sweet.
The park’s standout landmark is its 50-foot Victorian clock tower, one of the few still standing in its original park setting. With plenty of open grass, benches and space to unwind, it’s easy to see why Blakers Park is so well used by the Fiveways community.
Find independently owned local cafes dotted around Fiveways. A perfect, relaxing place for a pit stop before heading into the city centre. Â
Fiveways has the sort of day-to-day convenience that makes it especially popular with families. Local shops, cafés, green spaces and sports facilities are all close by, while Brighton city centre is still easy to reach by bus or on foot.
Schools are a big part of Fiveways’ appeal for families, with Balfour Primary, Dorothy Stringer and Varndean nearby. Combined with sports facilities, local shops and everyday services within walking distance, there’s a lot people can do without heading back into central Brighton.
The properties are another big part of the appeal. Fiveways has plenty of Victorian and Edwardian homes, often with more space than you’ll find closer to the seafront, while the elevated position puts you within easy reach of Hollingbury and views of the South Downs.
Beyond Fiveways, you have some great areas close by, including Hanover, Kemptown and North Laine.Â
If you have more questions about Fiveways, we’ve answered some of the most popular ones below.
The name ‘Fiveways’ is very literal. Five roads meet at the main junction: Ditchling Road north and south, Preston Drove, Stanford Avenue and Hollingbury Road.
Fiveways is known for its independent shops, Blakers Park and leafy residential streets. It also has an important place in Brighton’s creative history, as the Artists Open Houses movement began in Fiveways in 1982.
Fiveways sits just north of central Brighton; positioned at the crossroads of Ditchling Road, Preston Drove, Stanford Avenue and Hollingbury Road. It’s uphill from the city centre, with Preston Park to the west and Hollingbury further north.
Yes, Fiveways is a great area if you want to see a more residential side of Brighton. Explore the local shops, wander through Blakers Park or visit during Artists Open Houses, when houses across Fiveways become temporary galleries filled with work by local artists.
Brighton buses run up Ditchling Road towards Fiveways, with routes 26, 46 and 52 currently stopping near the main junction. Walking is perfectly doable too, although there’s one important bit of local knowledge: most of the journey there is uphill.
Balfour Primary School is close to Fiveways, while Dorothy Stringer and Varndean are a little further north. School catchments and admissions arrangements can change, so families moving to the area should always check the latest information with Brighton & Hove City Council.
Much of the Fiveways and Balfour area sits within controlled parking Zone F, with paid on-road parking and permit restrictions. Nearby streets can have different rules, so always check the signs where you park rather than assuming the same restrictions apply throughout the neighbourhood.
If you own or manage a business in Fiveways, you can create a Spotlight or claim an existing one on Brighton.co.uk. Your Spotlight gives you a dedicated business page, with paid Spotlight options and advertising available if you’d like even more visibility.
