Take a promenade beside the sea in Bexhill

Enjoy striking modernist architecture and beachside ice creams at this coastal resort with an intriguing past

Bexhill in East Sussex has long had a reputation as a staid spot, but the town has an unexpected mix of radical history and past glamour. Local aristos, the De La Warrs, helped promote Bexhill’s development as a resort town, culminating in the 1930s socialist earl mayor proposing an eye-popping modern arts and entertainment venue. The result is one of England’s most striking modernist buildings, the De La Warr Pavilion.

Visitors today can delve into a panoply of fascinating local history (including a finishing school for daughters of the Nazi elite) at the excellent Bexhill Museum, a 10-minute stroll along the seafront from the De La Warr Pavilion.

Bexhill is also a grand place for a seafront stroll along the promenade, stopping for an alfresco beachside cuppa at the nearby Old Bathing Station café hut. Wander along to the lovely Victorian Colonnade, ranged in front of the De La Warr Pavilion, its period domes home to various artisan shops and cafés. En route, check out the red-stone domed Marina Arcade, a quirky example of British Orientalist architecture akin to Brighton’s Royal Pavilion.

The town’s compact centre is also home to distinctive shops, indie cafés and creative arts outlets, as well as diverse stores for vintage design fans, including Acme Inc for standout mid-century design and Chapelle Rouge for beautiful decorative brocante.

For more on places to visit, vintage shops to browse and delicious eateries, see the February issue of Reclaim, available now in print (single issue), digital or via subscription.