On Saturday, 14 June 2025, the Brighton & Hove Community Land Trust (BHCLT) hosted a successful Co-operative Housing Tour, bringing together a diverse mix of participants from across the city and beyond. The event marked the 2025 UN International Year of Cooperatives and was supported by the University of Sussex.
Attendees visited five local housing co-operatives—Rosa Bridge, Bunker, SEASALT, Out Of Town, and Two Piers—each demonstrating a unique model of co-operative living. From long-established homes to student and self-build co-ops, the tour offered a rich snapshot of alternative housing in action. More details about each co-op can be found here.
Participants—ranging from councillors and academics to students, activists, and prospective co-op members—engaged in meaningful conversations about how co-ops operate, manage conflict, welcome new members, and sustain themselves financially. Tours were led by residents who shared first-hand stories and insights, offering a window into both the practicalities and values of co-operative life.
A tour attendee reflected, “The variety of models was striking, and I was especially interested in how each co-op effectively decommodified its property. It’s a different way of living—not necessarily in lifestyle, but in mindset and management.”
The day highlighted not only the logistics of co-op living but the deeper principles of solidarity, mutual aid, and collective care that define it. As one resident put it: “Co-operativism is the fundamental truth about human life—we all know we need each other.”
BHCLT extends heartfelt thanks to all who participated, especially the co-op residents and the University of Sussex. The tour reaffirmed the importance of community-led housing as a hopeful, resilient response to the housing crisis.