The UK is a major producer of digital media innovation and it’s not just restricted to London and the M4 corridor, the country’s traditional technology hubs. <em>New Media Knowledge</em>’s Chris Lee went in search of innovation around the UK, starting on the south coast.
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<p>As well as its reputation as a party town, Brighton has recently produced some exciting new media companies doing innovative things on the Web, including Internet radio firms, games developers, marketing agencies and designers. <em>NMK</em> spoke to a few of those involved to see what was going on and why the “good old Sussex by the sea” was coming up with so many new media players. </p><h3>Pier to Peer</h3> <p>Roger Warner runs a small social media consultancy in Lewes, just outside Brighton, called <a href="http://www.contentandmotion.co.uk/">Content and Motion</a>. He attributed Brighton’s prolific record in producing digital firms in part to its proximity to London and the growth of collaborative working spaces for freelancers and small start-ups to get together. </p><p>“Brighton just seems to be a magnet for the best kind of digital émigré - young, twenty or thirty something, with fantastic experience, often entrepreneurial, and with a burning desire to quit London and to start enjoying life,” he told <em>NMK</em>. “[The combination of] rolling hills, sea air, an established ‘scene’ and a 60-minute train ride into London makes a pretty amazing and unique cocktail. It certainly makes for a great mix of creativity, innovation, integrity and ambition, plus some genuinely nice people.” </p><p>Warner added that business incentives such as <a href="http://www.wiredsussex.com/">Wired Sussex</a> served as a hub for hiring talent and generating new business. </p><p><img src="/pictures/0000/0162/Brighton-Pier.png" border="0" alt="pier" title="pier" /> </p><h3>Culture Club</h3> <p>Daniel Nathan runs local radio station Juice 107.2 and Internet-based <a href="http://www.totallyradio.com/">totallyradio</a>. He believes the town’s history for creativity has translated into the digital arena. </p><p>“Brighton’s a place that has always welcomed transient people and had a bit of a history as a playground,” he said. “This has made it a stimulating environment for creative people. As well as a music festival we’ve got around 1,200 active bands in the Brighton and two reasonably sized universities have an influence on the local culture.” </p><p>Will McInnes, whose social media agency <a href="http://www.nixonmcinnes.co.uk/">NixonMcInnes</a> is based in the Brighton Media Centre, agrees that the area’s eclectic mix of creative people has formed a culture conducive to the Internet era, and that this counter-culture adds a “subversive kick” to Brighton’s “come to the seaside” promise. </p><p>“[Brighton has] a counter-culture feel which has strong parallels with what you find on the Web when you go off-piste from the mainstream portals to the remaining 98 per cent of the Web,” he said. “Our celebrated gay community, our anti-capitalists and activists that publish <a href="http://www.schnews.org.uk/">Schnews</a>, the well-known weekly newsletter, our graffiti artists, one of the longest established piercing studios in the UK. Does it matter? Well I reckon that the fit between what marketers call ‘social media’ and Brighton's counter-culture may be one of our biggest assets for the next few years. Call it our built-in empathy and recognition of others.”</p> <h3>Mental Block?</h3> <p>“Brighton is undoubtedly making its name as the biggest media centre outside of London,” said Daryl Willcox chief executive of media firm, <a href="http://www.darylgroup.com/">Daryl Group</a>. “[With] media and tech being very freelance-friendly, people in these industries can uproot from London fairly easily and set up on their own down in Brighton.” </p><p>But Willcox worries about the long-term ambition of some Brighton-based digital firms. </p><p>“Some join together and make mini-agencies and others grow to become more substantial businesses. But then many seem to stop at 10-15 people. I bet you could count on one hand - or two at best - the number of digital businesses over this size,” he told <em>NMK</em>. “Maybe there is some issue with the Brighton ‘brand’ that it’s ok to be a small agency down here, but to get the really big accounts you need to be in London. Or it’s a collective lack of ambition – not enough gung-ho youngsters with nothing to lose.” </p><h3>Craft Werk</h3> <p><a href="http://www.thewerks.org.uk/">The Werks</a> is a community driven shared workspace for freelancers and small businesses to get together and, after success in running one such facility in Brighton, has opened up a second in Lewes. </p><p>The Werks’ community director <a href="http://www.rosiesherry.com/">Rosie Sherry</a> believes that Brighton has “come of digital age” through a mixture of community and business successes and is optimistic about the future. </p><p>“I believe we will see a lot more collaboration going on. This is already happening with co-working spaces and generally within the community,” she concluded. “The result of it, I hope, will be a stronger network and confidence between us all. In addition to this, I would be surprised if new and successful businesses - not just Web apps - didn't pop up in the next few years.”</p>
2009-01-14T11:56:00+00:00
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2009/1/14/brighton-shiny-meeting-the-south-coast-digerati
brighton industry cluster
Brighton Shiny: Meeting the South Coast Digerati
2009-01-14T11:59:34+00:00
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