One of Britain’s best-loved coastal towns to get a bigger beach from next month
THE south of England has some incredibly popular beaches, and one is getting even bigger in time for next summer.
From next month, work is starting on the beach in Brighton and Hove to protect it from erosion and that’s great news for holidaymakers – because let’s face it… size matters.
Brighton and Hove is a one of the busiest spots in the UK with 11 million people visiting every year.
Worries about flooding and erosion across the busy Brighton and Hove seafront have led to new plans involving adding new groynes and extending the shingle beach.
Starting in late November or early December, a new groyne field will be built on the beach between the King Alfred Leisure Centre and Second Avenue in Hove.
The new timber groynes will be supported by filling the bays between each one with thousands of tonnes of shingle – which has been dredged from a site in the English Channel.
Effectively, this will slow the movement of shingle along the coastline, helping to protect the area from flooding and erosion.
It will also reduce the amount of shingle which washes up onto the promenade during storms and high tides.
What’s probably more interesting for tourists is that the plans will see the beach extended by approximately 25 metres out to sea.
Not only does this mean the beach will be better protected, but it will create more room for tourists during busy seasons.
There’s a public engagement event taking place today (23 October) so locals can learn more about this phase of the scheme.
The work is scheduled to finish next year so by summer.
Following that, the next phase of the plan is the rebuilding of sea defences on Southwick beach which is set to be complete in 2027.
Councillor Trevor Muten, cabinet member for transport and public realm, said: “This scheme is vital for the city, to safeguard homes and businesses from coastal flooding and protect our local economy for decades to come. By taking action now, we will help make our city more climate resilient and able to adapt to increasing storms, extreme rainfall and rising sea levels.
“We are committed to value for money to deliver the best for our city. £4.5 million is a substantial sum but our local visitor economy alone is worth £5 billion.”
That’s not the only work that has been taking place in Hove – the Kingsway to the Sea project, also known as Hove Beach Park has been underway since around 2023.
The project has seen the construction of a skate and pump track, padel tennis courts, and a new tennis pavilion which opened last year.
The project has focused on creating landscaped gardens and making new pathways at a cost of £13.7million.
There will be an official opening in spring 2025 when the majority of the project will be complete.
Brighton and Hove isn;t just about the beach though.
It’s also famous for shopping in The Lanes, Brighton Palace Pier, beachfront, and the Royal Pavilion.
There’s lots of nightlife, and plenty of pubs – in fact, Brighton & Hove has the most pubs in the UK per person.
Sun Travel‘s favourites include The Station Inn, The Tempest Inn and Hove Place , which has a beautiful Italian-inspired garden.
Brighton is also home to Volk’s Electric Railway, which is the world’s oldest operating electric railway – and it’s right on the front of Brighton Beach.
It’s been operating since 1883 which makes it over 140 years old and is still going today.
One Sun Writer recommends a visit to this beach club in Hove whatever the weather…
HOVE is the vibey neighbour of the popular Brighton – and my top choice for a weekend break.
It’s more relaxed, still with a pretty pebble coastline and blue waters, but much quieter. On Friday afternoon, just under two hours from my home in Hertfordshire, I hit Brighton.
The seaside town that everyone knows and loves for its sea lanes, pop-up market stalls, quirky creatives and music scene.
It was immediately quieter with a notable absence of Brighton’s squawking seagulls. Hove still retains its beach charm, and in fact, it’s recently been named one of the best seaside towns to live in.
Almost as soon as I hit Hove, I discovered a gem of a beach club called Rockwater.
Rustic-looking on the outside, Rockwater completely blends in with its surroundings with wooden slatted exterior, huge glass windows, and the inside is spectacular.
It has plush chairs, a beautiful bar and a holiday-like atmosphere – imagine the sun shining through open windows, the clinking of glasses and happy tourist chatter.
You might think beach bars are just for summer, but this one has lots of activities all year round from relaxing yoga to book socials, sip and paint – and of course, plenty of Christmas fun.
In Brighton you’ll find one of the UK’s most popular seaside towns has California-like beach bar named one of the best in the country.
Plus, one of the UK’s most popular seaside towns is set to get new train station revamp in huge ‘spruce up’.