Brighton Big Weekend

Your weekend, day by day

1. 1

   Day 1

   

   Clay pigeon shooting

   From about 13:00 · 1 hour

   Arrival day. Check in, then out to the Downs for clay shooting: a safety brief, then shooting from a stand with an instructor alongside, finishing in a scored round. Boots and a waterproof, no alcohol beforehand, and time for the travel out.

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   There are two main grounds. One is at Falmer, just outside Brighton, on a ten-acre site with CPSA-qualified instructors, 25 clays each and sessions of 60 to 90 minutes, taking up to 15 at a time. The other is in the South Downs near Findon, about 20 miles away, with packages of 25 or 50 clays; transfers are not included, so arrange a minibus. Both are outdoors, so dress for the weather and wear sensible footwear. Keep the drinking for after the session, when everyone is back in town.

   An instructor covers gun safety and the mount, then you shoot in small groups from a stand while the rest of the group watches. Most sessions give everyone a set number of cartridges and finish with a flush or a scored round to find a winner.

   Guns, cartridges, ear defenders and eye protection are provided. The instructor stays at your shoulder throughout and it is genuinely achievable for someone who has never held a shotgun.

   Countryside sites mean boots and a waterproof. No alcohol before shooting, and any ground will refuse someone who has been drinking.

   

   Club entry, VIP & booths

   From about 23:00 · 2 hours

   Reserved entry to a seafront club, where the clubs are built into the arches along the front. Dress codes are enforced on stag groups: no sportswear and no matching shirts.

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   Brighton's biggest club sits on West Street by the seafront, across three floors, with guest-list entry on Friday and Saturday nights; you need to arrive before 11:30pm, and it runs until 4am. Packages add reserved areas and drinks bundles. Smart casual is the standard. Door staff refuse anyone who seems intoxicated, so keep the earlier part of the night steady. A reserved area at a seafront party bar near West Street, with cocktails and shots, is the usual warm-up, and it keeps the group together before the club.

   Standard entry gets the group past the queue on a guest list, which matters because large male groups are the first ones a door turns away. A booth adds a reserved table, a set number of bottles with mixers and a host who looks after the table.

   Booths are sold on a minimum spend rather than a flat fee at many clubs, so the bottles you order count towards it. Ask what the minimum is and what it includes before you agree to anything.

   Dress code is enforced hard on stag groups. No sportswear, no trainers at some doors, no matching shirts, and nobody visibly drunk gets in regardless of the booking.

2. 2

   Day 2

   

   Cocktail making class

   From about 15:00 · 1.5 hours

   A slow morning, then the cocktail class: each person makes two or three drinks behind the bar with a bartender and drinks what they make, usually finishing with a competition for the best one. Wear nothing you are precious about.

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   Brighton's classes centre on West Street, the party strip just back from the seafront, with others on Middle Street and Castle Square, a few minutes' walk from the pier. Ninety minutes is standard, and some West Street sessions are paired with a buffet, pizza or burgers, with start times from late morning to early evening. Every venue is 18+, and several insist on ID for every guest. One speakeasy-style bar holds your slot for only 15 minutes, so do not run late. A mobile bartender can also come to your accommodation within about 15 miles of the centre.

   You stand behind a bar with your own kit and a bartender takes the group through two or three drinks, explaining the spirits, the shake and the balance. You make each one yourself and drink it. Most classes finish with a competition for the best drink.

   Sessions usually run around ninety minutes and include everything you make, with the option to stay on in the bar afterwards.

   No dress code beyond the venue's. It gets sticky, so nothing you are precious about.

3. 3

   Day 3

   

   Group dinner & restaurant

   From about 19:30 · 2 hours

   The booked group dinner, with one table for the whole group. Confirm final numbers and any dietary needs with the restaurant ahead of the day. If the group is heading out afterwards, dress for the bars rather than the restaurant.

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   Group dining for a stag in Brighton is easiest on or near West Street, where the party bars sit just back from the seafront and a set two-course menu leads straight into the evening. Expect the whole table to choose the same format, such as starter and main, and some venues are 18+ and may ask for ID. If you have rented a house, a fine-dining meal kit delivered to the door is an alternative; it needs an oven tray, a frying pan and two saucepans. Agree the course choices in the group chat before you go.

   A restaurant taking a large group will usually want a set menu, a deposit and final numbers a few days ahead. That is normal and it works in your favour: the food comes out together and the bill is per head rather than an hour of arithmetic.

   Tell them about allergies and anyone who does not eat meat when you confirm the numbers, not on the night.

   Dress code is the restaurant's. If you are heading to a club afterwards, dress for the club, because the restaurant is the softer door.