Names on the buses

703 Mike Barrett

Connections with Brighton and Hove : Mike Barrett was born in Clapham, London but as a child moved with his family to Mount Pleasant, Newhaven when his father’s work took him there as an Immigration Officer. He attended school in Newhaven in Dacre Rd and Hillcrest and later at Lewes County Secondary. Early in WWII Mike was working on a farm at Peacehaven before enrolling in the Merchant Navy where he served in the Far East and Pacific. As a young boy he learned to box, an accomplishment which served him well on the ship. After the war, as a wharf owner, in the London Docks he had boxing gyms in the East End. He became one of Britain’s foremost boxing promoters, with over 150 fights at the Royal Albert Hall and Wembley with world famous names under his charge, Muhammad Ali, Henry Cooper, Joe Bugner, and John Conteh amongst many others. Mike was closely involved with Brighton’s Metropole Sporting Club.

703 ADL Enviro400 - carried name since delivery March 2024.