A colourful beach hut is one of the great British seaside pleasures — your own little base by the sea for the day, complete with deckchairs and shelter from the breeze. In Eastbourne you can hire one for a day, a week or the whole season. Here’s how it works, where they are, and what it costs.
Daily and weekly hire
For visitors and holidaymakers, Eastbourne’s council offers a handful of beach huts for short-term hire on the main resort beaches, available by the day or the week from around May to September. Handily located next to the lifeguards, these traditional huts don’t have utilities but do come with two deckchairs, giving you a comfortable, sheltered spot to store your things, brew up a picnic and shelter from the sun or wind. Prices start at around £40 a day, rising during peak periods such as the Airbourne airshow, so it’s worth checking current rates and booking ahead.
Annual huts and chalets
If you’re a local or a regular visitor, you can rent a beach hut on a longer-term licence, typically for a minimum of 12 months. These annual huts are dotted along the main resort beaches at Grand Parade, Holywell and Sovereign. The Grand Parade and Holywell huts come with deckchairs and use of free beach showers nearby, while the newer, extra-large huts at Sovereign are a real step up, equipped with a kitchenette, running water and electricity via a pre-pay meter. Holywell also has beach chalets, offering a safe daytime base close to the sea with cold running water and a gas hob.
Did you know? Beach huts have been part of the British seaside since late Victorian times — a wonderfully enduring tradition that’s as popular today as ever, with Eastbourne’s much sought-after.
Where they are
Eastbourne’s beach huts cluster along the town’s five-mile seafront. Many sit on the main resort beaches between the Wish Tower and the pier — the safest bathing stretch, with lifeguards, showers, toilets and cafés close at hand. Others line the pretty Holywell Retreat at the western end, tucked beneath the Downs beside a popular café, and the newer, better-equipped huts sit further east at Sovereign. Wherever you are, you’re never far from refreshments and facilities.
Good to know before you book
For short-term hire, keys are collected from and returned to the council’s Seafront Office on Lower Grand Parade, usually with a small refundable key deposit, and huts are for daytime use only. Do note that dogs aren’t allowed on the main resort beaches during the summer season. If you’re after an annual hut, be prepared to wait: demand is high and there are waiting lists (with a joining fee) for all areas, with just one hut allowed per household — so it pays to get your name down early.
Good to know: Prices, availability and booking arrangements are all handled by the council, so check the official Visit Eastbourne or Lewes and Eastbourne Councils websites for current details before you plan your day.
Eastbourne beach huts: FAQs
Can you hire a beach hut in Eastbourne for a day?
Yes — the council offers huts on the main resort beaches for daily or weekly hire from around May to September, starting at roughly £40 a day.
How do you book an Eastbourne beach hut?
Short-term hire is booked through the council, with keys collected from the Seafront Office on Lower Grand Parade. Check the Visit Eastbourne website for current prices and availability.
Can you rent a beach hut long-term?
Yes — annual huts are available at Grand Parade, Holywell and Sovereign on 12-month licences, though there are waiting lists and a joining fee, as demand is high.
Do Eastbourne beach huts have electricity?
Most don’t, but the newer extra-large huts at Sovereign are the exception, with a kitchenette, running water and electricity via a pre-pay meter.
Make a day of it: explore Eastbourne’s beaches, take a stroll along the seafront promenade, and find the best time to visit.