Eastbourne Pier


Mercifully saved by some clever firefighting when a huge blaze broke out in the amusement arcade on 30 July 2014, it took just over a year for this ramshackle piece of rusty Victoriana jutting into the Channel to come back from the dead. The amusement arcade wasn’t rebuilt, a pleasant open decking space replacing the slot machines. There are attractions galore along the pier but the main draw is admiring the sweeping view of Eastbourne.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Towner Art Gallery

0.54 MILES

One of the southeast’s most exciting exhibition spaces, this purpose-built structure has temporary shows of contemporary work on the ground and 2nd floors…

2. Beachy Head

2.52 MILES

The famous cliffs of Beachy Head are the highest point of the chalky rock faces that slice across the rugged coastline at the southern end of the South…

3. Pevensey Castle

4.03 MILES

The ruins of William the Conqueror’s first stronghold sit 5 miles east of Eastbourne, just off the A259. Regular train services between London Victoria…

4. Battle Abbey

13.27 MILES

On this spot raged the pivotal battle in the last successful invasion of England in 1066: an event that had an unparalleled impact on the country’s…

5. Hastings Pier

13.6 MILES

Hastings last hit the national news in 2010 when its Victorian pier burnt down. The ballroom at the end, where the likes of The Clash, Sex Pistols,…

6. Hastings Museum & Art Gallery

13.65 MILES

A short walk west of the train station, this marvellous little museum is housed in a red-brick mansion. Highlights inside include the intricately Moorish…

7. Hastings Castle

14.16 MILES

This fortress was built by William the Conquerer, and an exhibition in the grounds tells the story of the castle and the Battle of Hastings in 1066.

8. Smugglers Adventure

14.4 MILES

On West Hill, a short walk east of the Hastings Castle, is the Smugglers Adventure, where you can explore underground caverns and hear smuggling yarns…