What the Media is saying about Eastbourne in 2023
By Geoff Fielder
Who’s saying what about Eastbourne for 2023?
Well, there’s a pretty packed calendar of events taking place in the town through 2023, so there’s plenty of stuff for the media to get its teeth into, including one really extra-special event for the digital sector.
The official 2023 60-page Eastbourne Holiday Guide was launched in January at the Vakantibeurs European travel show in The Netherlands, to help put the town on the must-see destination list for visitors.
But outside of our town’s own publications, Eastbourne is all over the news.
Condé Nast Traveller’s piece on The 13 Best Places to Visit in the UK in 2023, says: “Eastbourne has brushed off its erstwhile sleepy image to emerge as the latest up-coming coastal hotspot to watch.”
Sussex Modern’s The ultimate guide to visiting Eastbourne says: “Forget everything you thought you knew: Eastbourne is now officially cool.”
Lisa Johnson in The Times’ article The UK’s most under-appreciated town is finally back in the spotlight says: “Between hosting the Turner and launching the new round-Britain coast path, Eastbourne — and the Sussex coast in general — is having quite a moment.”
And the Independent view, by Helen Wilson-Beevers, says Eastbourne tops the list of best 15 places to visit in the UK.
So what’s going on in Eastbourne that’s drawing this media attention? Well, here’s a quick rundown of what’s going on in Eastbourne 2023…
Eastbourne DigiFest
Celebrating all that is digital in Eastbourne
Friday 22nd September 2023
What is it?
In the first event of its kind, Eastbourne is to showcase the best of digital in the town.
Why not come along to a day of talks, workshops, town tours, with an exhibition at the Welcome Building in Eastbourne? See our thriving town for yourself and find out why 10,000 digital jobs in Eastbourne is our target!
Who’s it for?
Eastbourne DigiFest aims to attract businesses and individuals from Eastbourne and across the South East, primarily:
Professionals working in, or with, digital
Local businesses
Students taking their first steps on the career ladder
Companies looking for new tech partners
Individuals looking to retrain in digital
You can sponsor!
DigiFest wants to show off the best of Eastbourne, and you can have your name on that list of sponsors. The aim is, ultimately, to support economic growth in Eastbourne by raising the profile of Digital as a third sector after Hospitality and Tourism. You can be part of that journey. Check out the sponsorship pack for more details.
Who is organising Eastbourne DigiFest?
We are! Chalk Eastbourne is the digital business community group behind the event, led by custom software firm Switchplane, but with fantastic support from Eastbourne Chamber, PRG Ltd, Recursive Digital, FOUNDRY, Racquet Studios, Fountain Digital and other businesses and well-placed individuals.
We've been working together for the last three years to change the perception of Eastbourne, support local talent, and make recruitment for our sector easier. We have no public funding as a community group, but we're full of passion and motivation for the future of digital and for our town.
Help us to make Eastbourne DigiFest a reality! Register for event updates at eastbournedigifest.com.
The Congress Theatre
The Congress Theatre has been recently refurbished, back to how it looked when first built back in the sixties. The work has received a lot of praise and the public response has ensured that shows continue to sell out.
The new Welcome Building makes the theatre complex even more attractive, with a range of food and drink and comfortable seating, with an additional outside seating area offering views of the delightful Devonshire Park and Tennis complex.
The Welcome Building
The new Welcome Building is an adjunct to the Congress Theatre, created to reinforce the town’s reputation as a premier conference destination. It forms a key part of Eastbourne council’s £54 million development alongside its sporting and cultural offer. The building very much reflects the architectural style of the Congress Theatre and blends in exceptionally well.
Council leader David Tutt said, “It’s fantastic to see our vision realised for this stunning new building which is set to put Eastbourne on the map for its excellent conference opportunities. Devonshire Quarter is a truly transformational project and hugely exciting for the town and our long-term prosperity.”
The Turner at Towner
Eastbourne’s brilliant Towner Gallery is also to be found alongside the Congress Theatre and Welcome building.
In a major success for Eastbourne, The Turner Prize, the world’s leading prize for contemporary art, will be presented at Towner Eastbourne in 2023, as the centrepiece of the town’s centenary celebrations.
“Towner Eastbourne is one of Britain’s most exciting galleries, with a fantastically diverse exhibition programme and world-class collection of modern British and international contemporary art. We are absolutely delighted that Turner Prize will take place at Towner in 2023 as part of the gallery’s centenary celebrations.”, commented Alex Farquharson, Director of Tate Britain and Chair of the Turner Prize jury.
Rothesay International Eastbourne Tennis Tournament
Monday 26th June 2023 – Saturday 1st July 2023
Set in the lovely grounds of Devonshire Park, the Rothesay International Eastbourne Tennis Tournament is a pre-Wimbledon highlight of the British summer sporting calendar, and showcases some of the best exponents of men’s and women’s tennis from across the world. Top players from both the ATP and WTA compete on the beautifully kept grass courts.
You can enjoy the thrills of this great game in refined style at Devonshire Park with one of several Rothesay Eastbourne International hospitality packages, offering a range of catering and seating options, which you can check out at www.eventmasters.co.uk.
And for a taste of what’s to come, here’s a press report of last year’s final.
The Bandstand
Eastbourne Bandstand is back to reclaim its title of World’s Busiest Bandstand! It will be re-opening at the end of April 2023 with a packed programme of summer shows following the first stage of restoration of the building.
A Council spokesman commented, “This year we’ll be bringing back the crowd favourites, with tributes to the likes of Queen, ABBA, ELO and all the usual floor-fillers. Plus, this year we’ll have new tributes to Ed Sheeran, The Eurythmics and The Stranglers”. So, something to satisfy all of our music-loving visitors through 2023!
Fort Fun
The seafront play park, Fort Fun, closed during the pandemic and has stayed closed apart from a temporary opening Sept-Dec 2022. However, the good news is that Fort Fun will reopen permanently in 2023.
According to an Eastbourne council spokesperson, Wingrove House (owners of the Treasure Island attraction) will undertake repairs and improvements to prepare Fort Fun from April 2023.
Shipwrecks
Perhaps this ancient boat will one day be exhibited on Eastbourne seafront?
From The Guardian 27 January 2023:
“A remarkably preserved shipwreck known only as the “unknown wreck off Eastbourne” has finally been identified as the 17th-century Dutch warship Klein Hollandia which was involved in all the big battles in the second Anglo-Dutch war.
Its identity has been confirmed after painstaking research by archaeologists and scientists after its initial discovery in 2019, having lain 32 metres (105ft) underwater on the seabed since 1672.
Evidence gathered by a team of professional and volunteer divers, as well as through archival research and dendrochronological (tree ring) analysis of the wood samples, point to it being the Klein Hollandia warship which was built in 1656 and owned by the Admiralty of Rotterdam.”
Stargazing
The area atop Beachy Head is a good place to observe the night sky, being high enough to escape most of the light pollution below.
Councillor Margaret Bannister, Eastbourne Borough Council’s Lead Member for Tourism & Culture, said,“We are lucky that the night skies above our town promise some spectacular sights and thanks to the Eastbourne Astronomical Society, visitors of all ages can enjoy a stellar look at the stars and planets”.
Stargazing events take place throughout the year.
A Bus Ride
How about a bus ride to Brighton, where you can check out The Lanes shopping area, the Brighton Pavilion and the Palace Pier, returning to Eastbourne in time for a fish and chip supper? En route, there’s some beautiful countryside across Beachy Head and the Cuckmere Valley to admire from the top deck. Plus views of Seaford, Newhaven and other small towns along the coast.
The Stagecoach 12X is a limited-stop service between Eastbourne town centre and Brighton Old Steine (close to the seafront) and shopping areas. The journey time each way is approximately 1 hour and 10 minutes.
A description of the route is included in this Guardian article, entitled “Six of England’s Most Scenic Bus Rides”.
In short, there’s plenty of great things to come from Eastbourne in 2023. What are you most looking forward to?
