About Eastbourne

Sometimes the butt of jokes about its admittedly large retirement community, the town of Eastbourne's more traditional qualities are perhaps what attract people there more than anything else.

Whilst it has a plethora of historical features and architecture to be rightly proud of, as well as glorious beaches, decorative gardens lining the coast road and more hours of sunlight than rival English seaside towns, central Eastbourne has managed to avoid much of the full-scale commercialisation that would have made it much like neighbouring resort, Bounemouth.

Due to the fact that much of the sea-front has been preserved by its owner, the Duke of Devonshire, who has insisted the Victorian frontages remain, the town feels like a step into the past.

Sitting on a coastline dotted by Martello Towers (defensive relics from the Napoleonic Wars) and situated near to a small fort constructed at around the same time which now houses a military museum, Eastbourne has plenty of local history to offer, but that is not to say it isn't modernising too. A number of redevelopment projects have been completed in recent years in Eastbourne, some more welcomed by locals than others, and now the town can boast its own marina and extensive Arndale shopping centre.

The town plays host to several notable annual events, the most well known of which is the Eastbourne Tennis Tournament, a women's competition that is generally seen as a prelude to the Wimbledon Championship for the major stars of the game.

If tennis is not for you, then perhaps the 'Airbourne' air show may appeal: four days of displays from all manner of British and American aircraft, both historic - flights from restored Battle of Britain planes - and modern - the Red Arrows are frequent guests too.