Brighton's main vaccination centre has moved after giving more than 250k jabs

The Brighton Centre, which has been used to administer more than 250,000 Covid-19 vaccination doses, gave its last jabs this week.

On Sunday, what was the largest and busiest Covid-19 vaccination centre in the South East closed. A new vaccine centre for the city opened at Churchill Square shopping centre, in the former Topshop store, opened on Monday.

Anyone who had a second dose appointment booked at the Brighton Centre on or after August 30 will be contacted by text message and email about the change of location for their vaccination. The date and time of the appointment should remain the same.

Free parking for one hour in Churchill Square’s Orange car park in Regency Road East is available for people attending the new site for their jabs. The new centre will also offer walk in vaccinations for 16 and 17 year olds.

Alistair Hill, director of public health, said of the move: “It’s important that everyone takes up the vaccine offer, especially because so many more of us are mixing socially again. We all need to consider the vulnerable people in our community who are most at risk of becoming ill if they catch Covid. Getting vaccinated is the best way to protect yourself and others.”

The Brighton Centre vaccination centre was opened on Monday, January 25 by Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust. At its peak it delivered up to 3,000 vaccinations a day and the team there has given over 250,000 first and second dose vaccinations.

Siobhan Melia, chief executive of Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust, said: “The Brighton Centre was the largest and busiest Covid-19 vaccination centre in the South East and one of the very first that we opened. It was an incredible effort to transform the iconic entertainment venue into the efficient centre that it became.

"I want to pay tribute to our amazing team and all Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust colleagues who are working so hard behind the scenes to make sure this huge move goes as smoothly as possible. I would also like to extend our thanks to the Brighton Centre and Brighton & Hove City Council for their support in setting up and operating the largest vaccination centre in the South East.”

To book your Covid-19 vaccination appointment at the new Brighton & Hove vaccination centre call 119, visit nhs.uk/covidvaccine, or walk in between 8.30am and 7pm.