Eastbourne Considering Moving Beach Six Feet Closer To Sea Following Complaints About Stones

By Barry Beakman, Senior Local Correspondent

EASTBOURNE — Plans have emerged to move sections of Eastbourne beach approximately six feet closer to the sea following years of complaints from visitors that it contains "far too many stones."

The proposal follows feedback from tourists who arrived expecting miles of golden sand before discovering that Eastbourne's famous coastline is largely composed of pebbles.

One visitor reportedly described the situation as "misleading."

"We brought buckets and spades," he said.

"Have you ever tried building a castle out of gravel?"

Local residents responded by pointing towards the beach and explaining that it had looked like that for quite some time.

Radical Solution

Under the proposed scheme, thousands of tonnes of beach would be carefully repositioned closer to the water, creating what planners have described as a "more intuitive coastal experience."

The existing pebbles would remain.

They would simply be somewhere slightly different.

Supporters believe the change could finally address concerns that visitors have to walk further than expected before reaching the sea at low tide.

Critics have questioned whether moving the beach towards the sea might result in the sea simply moving it back again.

Engineers acknowledged this was possible.

"The sea has not yet been formally consulted," one source admitted.

Sand Remains Unlikely

A separate proposal to replace the beach entirely with sand was reportedly rejected after calculations revealed that approximately seventeen billion children's buckets would be required.

Residents were also strongly opposed.

"If you want sand, go somewhere with sand," said lifelong Eastbourne resident Margaret Collins.

"We've got stones."

"They're perfectly good stones."

Another resident defended the beach's traditional design.

"You can sit on it, walk on it and throw bits of it into the sea."

"What more do people want?"

Tourism Benefits

Officials believe repositioning the coastline could create new opportunities for tourism.

Concept drawings reportedly show families enjoying the new beach without having to travel the exhausting additional six feet.

Information boards would explain that visitors are standing on Eastbourne Beach 2.0.

The original section would become a "heritage beach zone."

No final decision has been made.

Residents will reportedly be invited to provide feedback through an online consultation later this year.

At the time of publication, the tide had come in and moved approximately six feet closer by itself.

Officials described the development as "promising."