1980s
Children’s Parade historically started in Pavilion Grounds and toured around Brighton in red buses before returning. Lord Attenborough also officially opened the Brighton Festival one year on the Lawn in front of the café with accompanying jazz band.
 A lovely early morning scene of the cafe with six mature fir trees bordering the patio and John Player Special parasols in place. Four of these trees were stolen one evening never to be seen again. |
 Swedish college band and baton twirlers entertain the public in the Pavilion Gardens.  View from the roof of the Royal Pavilion in a south-westerly direction. |
Mid 1980′s
The first phase of re-modelling of the Royal Pavilion gardens commenced at this time sponsored by the Historic Gardens Trust. The second phase was completed in 1992 with further planting phases between 1992-5. In 1984 the underground gent’s toilets in New Road opposite the Theatre Royal were closed. In the Pavilion Gardens adjacent to Princes Place the ladies toilets were knocked down and replaced by new gentlemen’s and ladies.
 An MF 50 is used to level the earth during the Garden's restoration with the Royal Pavilion on the left of the photograph |
 Workmen setting out paths, roads and drainage near the Royal Pavilion, with the North Gate in the background.  Garden restoration at the Royal Pavilion |
 Workmen setting out paths, roads and drainage near the Royal Pavilion, with the North Gate in the background.  The Royal Pavilion covered in Cladding while the Gardens are being restored. |
1985
David Sewell, grandson of Mr. T started working at the café full time with his parents. He now runs the café with his wife Vanessa but had started years before as a boy on a Saturday morning from 10-2pm and was paid 50p per hour. There are many photos of him through his early years in and around the café at birthday parties, riding go-carts and learning how to bake the cakes.
 The Royal Pavilion covered in cladding with the gardens also starting to have restoration work commenced. |
1987
The famous October hurricane devastated the trees in the whole of the Pavilion Estate and surrounding areas. Many important Elm Trees were lost as can be seen from the photographs above. The café building however was lucky to be spared from the falling trees and only minor damage was sustained to some of our wooden slated chairs that at that time remained outside at night.
 David Sewell surveys the Hurricane damage in October 1987 at the Pavilion Gardens Cafe. |
 Hurricane devastation to old Elm Trees in the Pavilion Gardens near the Brighton Dome in October 1987.  Hurricane damage can be seen to the blue cladding covering the eastern side of the Royal Pavilion, with fallen trees adjacent to the main road. |
1987-1988
Mr. T baked his famous home-made cakes for almost 50 years at the café until the end of the 1987 season. Sadly he passed away after a short illness early in 1988. His zest for life, love of ballroom dancing and following the Albion would be missed by all his family and many Brighton and Hove people he had known over the years. We had a London Plain tree planted adjacent to the café in his memory. |
1989
In March 1989 Adam Trimingham (Argus) informed us of the Brighton Council Tourism Committee’s split decision not to renew our long lease after 48 years as tenants. However after a successful petition and campaign, this controversial and unpopular decision was overturned because there was so much public opinion against it.
 The fight to keep the Pavilion Gardens Cafe a family business in 1989. David, June and Douglas Sewell hold the Cafe sign in this Evening Argus photograph. |
Teresa Simpson started working at the café and along with Nina Tahsin who had started in the 1960s would become stalwarts at the café.
 Morris Men enjoying their dancing amongst the fir trees at the Pavilion Gardens Cafe in the late 1980’s. |
