Camber Sands in East Sussex was once a holiday hotspot with huge crowds, but as Brits increasingly head abroad for breaks the village has been left behind, says one resident
Karen Wright looks out onto Camber’s expansive sands, the scene stirring memories of bygone summers.
Serving customers at the KitKat cafe along Camber, East Sussex’s seafront, her warm encounters with dog walkers indulging in sausage sandwiches or a cappuccino post-beach walk provides comfort representing the village’s pulse throughout the quieter seasons. However, the harsh reality is that today’s holiday buzz is but a shadow of its former self.
Looking back on her 1980s childhood, Karen recalls a time when hordes comparable to a Wembley Stadium crowd would pour into Camber Sands, their pockets jingling with change for arcade games and donkey rides. “I think a lot of people are now going abroad,” she said, tinged with disappointment before adding: “It is just as cheap as the UK and you’ve got good weather.”
She notes Britain’s fickle climate with a shrug. “Here, it is so unpredictable. I mean, one minute, it could be sunny, and the next, it could be tipping it down. And I think the cost of living doesn’t help, you know, people find the British pound is a lot stronger somewhere else than what it is here”, Karen told the Express.
Camber has witnessed fading fortunes over the decades. The previous year marked the end of an era with the closure of the iconic Pontins holiday camp, severing a lifeline once crucial to local commerce. Locals were dealt a heavy blow as the Nisa convenience store on the edge of the resort and a beloved pie and mash shop both closed their doors, joining a growing list of establishments that have succumbed over recent years. The holiday camp has witnessed a gradual but steady decline, reflecting in the dwindling number of shops available for residents and visitors alike.
Karen lamented: “Now we’ve only got the one shop in Camber, which is ‘BJ’s on the beach’. Unfortunately, it’s only a tiny shop, and you’d have to go elsewhere if you want to go shopping.” She continued: “It’s not the same. When we used to have a village shop everyone flocked there. You didn’t go off to the supermarket because we had everything here. But now we haven’t got any of that, it’s such a shame.”
Reflecting on another past attraction, Wright added, “When they took the arcades down, I think that took a lot of trade away as well. They demolished them completely and [turned one into a] pizza place.” The once-popular promenade is now left with just a handful of places where tourists can splurge. Yet, paradoxically, this decline has turned the famous sands into an off-the-beaten-path treasure—a peaceful retreat from the throngs typically found in Sussex seaside hotspots like Brighton, Hastings or Eastbourne.
Barely two hours from London, quiet-seeking holidaymakers are now choosing Airbnbs for a tranquil stay, with options such as the White House or Sunnyside offering a serene sanctuary. Express reporter Aimee Robinson highlighted the allure of an East Sussex gem, recently crowned “Britain’s best beach for warm temperatures” by Parkdean Resorts.
The tranquil spot is perfect for a serene day out or a refreshing swim in the sea. Karen concurs, noting the frequent praise from visitors: “It’s a beautiful beach,” she remarked, adding, “and the amount of people that come in and say ‘what a beautiful beach it is’ [shows what] a shame it is that we don’t have that tourism trade anymore.”
However, the area faces challenges, not least due to council-induced parking fees which now reach £30 for a full day. One local business defying the downturn is the post office, where owner Neha Patel maintains a sunny outlook on Camber’s potential as a prime holiday spot.
She said: “I discovered Camber 10 years ago. Its sandy beach has always been a favourite of mine because I’m a sun person and I believe if it’s going to be a seaside [day out] it has to be sand. It’s always been one of those kind of dreamy places [and] we always come down for the sunset.”
On bright days, Neha’s shopfront bursts into life with a vibrant display of giant beach balls and inflatables, while her stock of buckets, spades and towels cater to those who’ve left home without their beach essentials. She observed that while domestic tourism may have dwindled, a significant number of European tourists still visit.
The decrease in holiday camp accommodation has been offset by other sources. “We get a lot of German customers here in the summertime,” she added. “Over the last year or so we’ve seen a lot of houses come up for Airbnb, which is nice because it gives customers another option [for] how they want to stay.” While it might not attract 80,000 visitors to its beach in the summer, Neha highlights the benefits of the tranquillity. “It’s a getaway from your normal life and from the hecticness,” she concluded.
