OUR STORY
In 1961 ten years after its formation, Brighton Lions Club purchased a house in Beaconsfield Villas and converted it into five flats. These flats were to house elderly people with limited means from the Brighton area. Impressed with the concept of the Lions Club and its housing vision, an anonymous donor gave £15,000 to the club to build a block of flats to help more Brightonians. This anonymous donation enabled the first block of 12 flats to be built in Manor Way Brighton, on land leased from the council. The block known as Lions Court was opened by the then Mayor of Brighton in 1968.
In 1972 the Club decided that management of the properties would best be handled by a separate limited company and Brighton Lions Housing Society Ltd was established, it was and still remains an integral part of the Club.
During this same year the original house in Beaconsfield Villas was sold and a mortgage was secured to build a further 18 flats adjacent to the 12 at Lions Court.
A few years later in 1976, the Society had the opportunity to buy a large and well-laid-out garden of a house in Withdean Avenue, on the understanding, it was to be developed as more housing for elderly people. A year later this development known as Lions Gardens, consisting of 6 bungalows was opened by the then President of Lions International.
The Housing society was left a property in Wilbury Avenue by Mr. Edwards in 1987, this property needed modernising throughout, and as part of this work the property was also extended to include 5 flats in total and two garages. This property was not given a Lion title and remained as Wilbury Avenue.
As the years progressed the members actively investigated further building and growth opportunities, with the huge rise in property prices in the 1980’s this proved difficult until 1992 when the opportunity arose to purchase a partially completed block of flats at 11 The Deneway. The block was replanned internally to incorporate a lounge for the Lions Club members, a doctor’s surgery, and a management office for the housing society. This development was completed by September 1993 with the surgery opening at the end of this year.
It was 10 years later that the largest of the Housing Societies developments was opened. In May 2004 Lions Gate was opened by Dr T S Lee International President. Lions Gate is made up of 43 1 and 2-bed flats.
Following 2 years of negotiation with the city council approval was given to replace the 6 bungalows at Lions Gardens with 26 flats. This work commenced in late 2019 and continued through a very tough pandemic. This site was officially opened in June 2021 by The Lord-Lieutenant of Sussex and Lions District Governor.
Brighton Lions Housing Society currently has 136 Flats in the Brighton and Hove area.
