Brighton may not be the holiday hot spot of the world but for Londoners and UK residents it’s a well known summer retreat. Here are 10 unusual facts you may not know about the Brighton:

• Eight million tourists a year visit Brighton
• Brighton’s beach, which is a sand-free shingle beach, although it is sand when going into the sea, has been awarded a blue flag
• The inaugural Brighton Marathon will take place on 18 April 2010
• There is also an annual beach soccer competition in a temporary stadium on imported sand on the beach. The inaugural contest in June 2002 featured football stars such as Eric Cantona and Matt Le Tissier.
• Brighton hosts what is commonly held to be the world’s oldest motor race, the Brighton Speed Trials which has been running since 1905 on Madeira Drive (the road being originally constructed for this purpose)
• Brighton’s citizens have developed a reputation in recent years for their readiness to challenge the views of the council’s planning department
• Brighton is well-known for having a substantial LGBT community, served by shops, bars and night-clubs in addition to support organisations
• Theatres include the Brighton Dome, the expanded Komedia (also used as a music venue) and the Theatre Royal which celebrated its 200th anniversary in 2007
• One of the most prominent musical events has been the irregularly recurring “Big Beach Boutique”, for which a substantial portion of the beach is controversially closed off for a concert by Fatboy Slim
• Part of the eastern side of the beach has been redeveloped into a sports complex, which has courts for anything from beach volleyball to ultimate Frisbee, and opened to the public in March 2007.