Eastbourne is a small seaside town on the south coast of the UK. It has a reputation for being the place where Brits go to die, but according to my former-town planner friend it has the third youngest population in the country outside London. It is a summer town, I reckon, as most of the things to do were shut and some restaurants didn’t open on Sunday. However at night there are a few late night bars open in town, which were quite lively. The main things to do are to walk on the beach, which is pebbles rather than sand, stroll on the “Sheikh’s” pier full of 2p gambling machines to get kids hooked, and eat at the many restaurants.
History buffs might prefer the Wish Tower, a Napoleonic era fort, built to form part of Britain’s coastal defences in the event of a French invasion. It is one of 103 ‘Martello Towers’ constructed at this time, of which just 43 remain and only 2 are in public ownership. However, it is generally closed to the public, and you are only able to walk around the outside and its small grounds, unless you arrange a tour with the friends of the Wish Tower who seem to run occasional free tours during the summer. It’s worth looking at if you are walking along the seafront, and anyone with any curiosity would find it hard to resist, but don’t make a special trip. It has the number 73 written in Roman numerals above the door, which reflects the numbering from the tower at Folkestone as the easternmost tower.
Address: King Edward’s Parade, Eastbourne
Website: http://www.wishtower.org.uk
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