Shopping in Eastbourne

With over 70 shops and stores, the Eastbourne Arndale Centre is the biggest retail space in the region. Big names include Marks & Spencer, Primark, River Island, Next, Boots and Topshop, while the one-level shopping centre is also home to Sainsbury’s, JD Sports and Lush. It’s also a great place to pick up a snack, drink or meal with Starbucks, McDonald’s, Greggs and Café Ruby on hand. The centre is open Monday to Saturday from 9am-5.30pm and from 10.30am-4.30pm on Sundays, and is a short drive from our Premier Inn Eastbourne hotel. The centre has undergone recent renovations at the time of writing, including an extension and more big-name brands which can only be good news for shoppers.

On a different scale, Little Chelsea is a buzzing shopping and eating out district that spreads over Grove Road and South Street. There are over 50 stores, boutiques, cafés and restaurants to discover, with shops selling everything from art and antiques to designer clothes, jewellery, books and more. A short walk from the train station and the Arndale Centre, the closest Premier Inn to take in all the action is our Town Centre hotel.

Housed under a Victorian glass roof, the Enterprise Centre is another alternative approach to the normal shopping centre experience. Packed full of independent stores that you won’t find on any high street, the Centre is home to florists, art galleries, book and comic shops, boutique designers, jewellery shops and more. If you’re looking for something different or the perfect gift, this is the place for you. And with food and drink options spanning vegan eats, cupcakes, noodles, Thai food and an all-day diner, it’s easy to spend a few hours here.

With the sun shining down on a flotilla of yachts, dinghies and sailing boats, there are fewer finer places to be in Eastbourne than the Sovereign Harbour Marina. With four linked harbours, there are boats at every turn and also a variety of sport, boat and gift shops, while down on the Waterfront you’ll find a very decent selection of bars, cafés and restaurants.

Running every Wednesday and Sunday, the Eastbourne Borough Market sells all the usual market goods and then some, including local fish and meats, fruit and veg, gifts, books, children’s toys, baked good and more. Running from 9.30am on Wednesday and 10am on Sunday until 3.30pm, the market takes place at the closed-off beach-end of Terminus Road.

A three-day affair that runs every few months during summer, the Seafront Market at Eastbourne Seafront is a great place to pick up speciality food, including cheese, biscuits, chocolate and sweets, as well as household goods and fashion items. The market generally runs during June, August and September, but check ahead for the specific dates.

Operating since 1988, Mammoth Boot Fairs is the place in Eastbourne to pick up a bargain. Open every Sunday and Monday from April to October, the car boot market can hold up to 400 stalls, while you can grab a burger, hot dog, donut, ice cream or coffee from any of the food stands as you haggle over that vintage coffee table or weigh up whether you really need that lava lamp in your life. Happily for bargain-hunters, it’s less than 100m from our Eastbourne Polegate hotel.