Brighton and Hove City Council has confirmed that restored seafront ironwork is now being finished in a turquoise coating with the colour code RAL 6027, which it says is the closest available match to the turquoise used on Madeira Terrace since the 1920s. In a written reply on Monday 2 November 2026, the council said modern protective coatings, rather than gloss paint, are now specified for new cast iron and for ironwork that has been blasted back to bare metal.
ImJustBrighton asked the council press office whether it had stopped using Brighton Blue on restored seafront ironwork. The press office replied with written answers and a statement from Councillor Jacob Allen, Cabinet Member for Public Realm. This report is by Tim Graichi Cucarella, founder of ImJustBrighton.
What the council has confirmed about the new seafront colour
The colour. RAL 6027, a colour code in the RAL system. The council describes it as a shade of turquoise that closely matches “Brighton Blue”.
What has changed. The council says modern protective coatings are now specified for new cast iron, or where abrasive blasting has removed all previous paint and taken the surface back to bare metal. These coatings often come in a limited colour palette or can only be mixed to a specific RAL code.
Not entirely new. The council says the first time a RAL code was used was for the coating applied to the Madeira Terrace perimeter fencing in 2015.
Who decided. Council officers and the contractor, using a number of sample colours to find the best match. The council says senior councillors have delegated authority to proceed with the restoration and refurbishment of cast iron assets on the seafront.
Where it is used. So far on Madeira Terrace, some seafront railings and heritage streetlamp columns. The council says it will include shelters and bollards in future.
Listed structures. Where buildings or structures are listed, the council says the colour needs to be agreed as part of the Listed Building Consent.
What Councillor Jacob Allen said
The council says the change applies only to cast iron where a RAL colour is required, and that it was not driven by cost savings but by the long-term resilience of the coating compared with earlier painting regimes. Councillor Jacob Allen, Cabinet Member for Public Realm, gave this statement:
“As we continue to restore our historic lamp columns, bollards, railings and, of course, the Madeira Terrace arches, serious care and attention is given to the heritage.”
“Our approach balances preserving these iconic cast iron structures with taking advantage of modern preparation methods and advanced protective coating systems to ensure they can be maintained in the future.”
“We’re protecting the cast ironwork using a specialist, cost effective and long-lasting coating system, rather than standard paint, and the closest available match to the turquoise paint used on the terrace since the 1920s, determined by microscopic paint analysis.”
“While we welcome the savings this new technique will bring, our primary aim is not short-term cost reduction but the application of restoration techniques that better preserve and protect our historic infrastructure.”
“The coatings will keep the cast iron in good condition for longer, extend maintenance cycles and reduce the frequency of future interventions. This is a more sustainable approach to maintenance and may generate savings over the longer term.”
“The use of the matched colour is specific to restoration projects, such as Madeira Terrace and the city’s seafront lamp columns, where durability and long-term maintenance are important considerations.”
“In daylight, it will very closely match the turquoise used on the terrace for the past 100 years, while the terrace’s new lighting scheme will create different visual effects after dark.”
“Over time the appearance of the colours will become more muted, but we are confident this is as good a match as possible.”
Councillor Jacob Allen, Cabinet Member for Public Realm, Brighton & Hove City Council
The council did not give a figure for any saving, and said any saving may come over the longer term.
Madeira Terrace: the ironwork behind the colour
Madeira Terrace is a Grade II* listed structure, about 865 metres long, with 151 round-headed arches. According to its Historic England listing it was built between 1890 and 1897 and designed by Brighton Borough Surveyor Philip C Lockwood, with decorative ironwork made at the Phoenix Foundry in Lewes. The listing describes the structure as predominantly cast iron or wrought iron.
The terrace closed to the public between 2015 and 2016 because it was unsafe, and its restoration is being done in phases because of funding and scale. Phase One covers the first 28 arches and a new lift to the eastern seafront. Planning permission was granted in November 2022, JT Mackley & Co was appointed main works contractor in 2024 and work began in November 2024. The council's Madeira Terrace project page says it is anticipated that the first restored section will open in 2026.
Other seafront ironwork
The council is restoring seafront ironwork beyond the terrace. In Hove, our earlier report on the restoration of the seafront railings found contractors stripping about 300 metres of cast iron railings back to bare iron with garnet blasting, a technique the council describes as an eco-friendly alternative to sandblasting. The council says the new coating will also be used on shelters and bollards in future.
Brighton Blue paint: quick answers
What colour is the new seafront paint? RAL 6027, a turquoise, according to the council.
Is Brighton Blue being scrapped? The council did not say that. It said the RAL 6027 coating is a close match to Brighton Blue and that the matched colour is specific to restoration projects, such as Madeira Terrace and the city's seafront lamp columns.
Why has the council changed the paint? It says modern protective coatings last longer than gloss paint on new or bare-metal cast iron and extend maintenance cycles.
Is it about saving money? The council says the change was not driven by cost savings. Councillor Jacob Allen said the council welcomes the savings the technique will bring and that it may generate savings over the longer term.
Who decided? Council officers and the contractor, with senior councillors holding delegated authority for the restoration.
Will the colour fade? Councillor Jacob Allen said the appearance of the colours will become more muted over time.
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