Names on the buses

752 David Arscott

Connections with Brighton and Hove : 1942-2024
David Arscott was a broadcaster and author. He was best known for his association with BBC Radio Brighton, later expanded to Radio Sussex. He hosted and produced shows from the 1970s until 1991, becoming a familiar voice to his many listeners. Born in Tottenham, North London, David left school aged 16 to begin a career in journalism. After a few years, he took up a post in Venezuela, before eventually returning to the UK. He studied English Literature at Oxford and moved to Sussex with his family in 1975. Local history was a passion of his, and a subject he felt was often overlooked. He made it his mission to change that by travelling around Sussex and giving talks. On his radio shows he enjoyed interviewing people with interesting stories about the county. A range of people were interviewed, from academics to gardeners, from archaeologists to wildlife experts. As a keen booklover, David founded a publishing company, Pomegranate Press, in 1992. The earlier publications focused on Sussex, but the scope broadened out to include both fiction and non-fiction titles. He also published a series of short guides: Pomegranate Practicals. In 2004 he published Brighton & Hove Bus Names, biographies of the people featured on the local buses. David also wrote many books himself; over 40 relating to Sussex, several of the Very Peculiar History series, short stories, and novels such as The Frozen City. Gardening was another of his favourite pastimes. Having moved to Lewes, he played a key role in creating a public garden in the town centre for all to enjoy. His wife Jill remembers: "He liked people and rarely judged them. Although he loved his writing, he always said that radio presenting was the best job he had ever had."

752 ADL Enviro400 - carried name since December 2025.