First Nudist Beach Approved In Brighton, August 9, 1979

On August 9, 1979, Brighton became the first major resort in Britain to set up a nudist beach.

Following a campaign by local councillor Eileen Jakes, councillors agreed to set aside 200 yards of the beach for nude bathers, the BBC reported.

But there was strong opposition, with rival councillors saying it would attract "perverts and voyeurs."

"What distresses me is that people naively believe what is good for the Continent is good for Britain," said one Tory councillor.