October 3rd, 2011
Eastbourne is recovering from a very busy weekend as visitors flocked to the south coast to enjoy the Indian Summer and the sunniest ever start to October.
The autumn heatwave brought an influx of visitors to the UK’s sunniest place with hotels and attractions reporting an increase in bookings across the weekend.
The Tribute to the Tributes concert at Eastbourne Bandstand sold out on Friday evening with 1,600 visitors enjoying the venue’s season firework finale, while Sussex Voyages who operate powerboat adventures out of Sovereign Harbour were booked out with the flattest seas all year.
Eastbourne Borough Council Cabinet Member for Tourism and Leisure, Cllr Neil Stanley said “What a fantastic weekend we have just enjoyed in Eastbourne! The beaches were absolutely packed with visitors and residents all wanting to make the most of the late sunshine and it was fabulous to see clear blue skies and bright sunshine, while autumn leaves continued to fall on the ground!
“This weekend’s heatwave has also brought a real boost to businesses in the town with visitors booking last minute breaks on the coast to enjoy the great weather while it lasts. We were pleased to welcome more than 500 conference delegates this weekend for the Rotary 1250 Conference at the Devonshire Park Centre and I’m sure the fantastic weather was a real added bonus for their visit!”
Eastbourne Tourist Information Centre reported a rise in visitors on Saturday with almost 300 more visitors using the service this weekend compared to the first weekend of October last year, with bus tickets to Seven Sisters Country Park proving to be a best seller.
Drusillas Park in Alfriston enjoyed the hot weekend too and the Keepers even had to make ice lollies for some of the animals to help cool them down in the unseasonal hot weather!
It was so warm that even those enjoying a powerboat trip along the coast wore just t-shirts under their lifejackets, compared to the thick Gortex jackets that are usually worn at this time of year.
Eastbourne’s hotels and guesthouses experienced a late rush in bookings over the weekend with visitors keen to turn their day trips into overnight stays.
Darren Weir runs The Mowbray 4 star guest accommodation opposite Eastbourne Theatres and said “We were full to the brim and could have sold our rooms twice over for Saturday. It was madness!”
And it was a similar story for The Guesthouse East. Owners Sarah and Carl Stanger said “On Saturday, which was a scorcher here in Eastbourne, we were flooded with last minute calls all afternoon and evening from day visitors keen to prolong their sunny seaside experience. I think we had to turn down more bookings on Saturday than any day throughout the whole summer!”
The warm weather and sunshine got plenty of visitors talking on the VisitEastbourne facebook page over the weekend with fans posting photos of their days spent on the beach, as well as more than 80 responses to the A to Z Challenge, inviting fans to come up with reasons for visiting Eastbourne beginning with each letter of the alphabet.
For more information or to book a break in Eastbourne go to the website or call 0871 663 0031.
