A seaside destination to rival Brighton? I'm sure we've all heard that before. Whether it's the hipster appeal of Folkestone, the gentle retreat of Broadstairs or the booming nightlife of Margate, there's no shortage of contenders for Brighton's jewelled status on the Sussex coast.
But lo and behold, there is a sleek spot on the horizon that is attracting Londoners in their droves, with wildly-coloured shop fronts that "look more West Indies than East Sussex", according to a recent Times article. St Leonard's On Sea, dubbed "St Lenny" by locals, is often thought of as an appendage to neighbouring Hastings, but is fast gaining kudos in its own right with its grassroots arts scene and comparatively affordable house prices.
Now in its bohemian era, perhaps the first stage of gentrification, St Leonards-on-Sea is buzzing with new businesses full of creative ideas. Here, we lay out just what you can expect if you rock up to this indie hotspot on the Sussex coast.
A London satellite
From its beginnings, St Leonards-on-Sea has been a satellite of London. The site of the modern town was used as farmland for centuries until property developer James Burton, who owned many houses around Regent's Park, decided to create a purpose-built resort in the 1820s. He purchased part of old Gensing Farm and built an opulent house for himself as well as a marina and several other villas, hotels, shops and public houses.
After his death in 1837, Burton's work was carried on by his son Decimus, who built dozens of elegant houses in the town. St Leonards-on-Sea became recognised as a fashionable resort for the well-heeled, including a young Princess Victoria and her mother, as well as King William IV's consort Queen Adelaide.
St Leonards-on-Sea's genteel appeal and sudden rise in popularity was viewed with suspicion by neighbouring Hastings and the two towns formally merged as the same borough in 1875. The pier was added in 1891 opposite the Royal Victoria Hotel, but it suffered damage during the Second World War and was demolished in 1951.
Things to do
King's Road in St Leonards-on-Sea has become a foodie's paradise, with colourful restaurant awnings and independent cafes oozing charm and charisma. Chief among them is Remy's Cafe Kulinarya, a family-owned English and Filipino restaurant, café and patisserie, which happens to be the town's number one-rated restaurant according to TripAdvisor, with users describing its food and intimate atmosphere as "outstanding".
Also on King's Road is Cinnamon Spice, the town's number 2 rated restaurant, winner of a TripAdvisor's traveller's choice award last year and hailed by one customer as "the best Indian on the Sussex coast". For more traditional British fare, Farmyard on King's Road is a one to watch in St Leonards-on-Sea's foodie scene, with a popular choice of roast dinners and tapas dishes as well as a curated wine selection.
The Goat Ledge beachfront cafe is a "local legend", decorated in bright colours like a Caribbean saloon, and the most popular quick-bite along the seafront. One customer wrote: "This became our go-to morning spot in Hastings during our stay. Excellent seafront location with colourful, quirky seating right on the beach. A great menu with delicious bacon baps, buttery almond croissants, creamy chai lattes, coffees and smoothies. We loved it here."
Accommodation
Hotel stays are fairly affordable in St Leonards-on-Sea. A two night stay in a double room at the "fabulous" Bohemian Rhapsody Guesthouse from Friday, May 30, to Sunday, June 1, is just £126 for two people. For more space, a couple could rent the "superb" Union Street apartment three minutes' walk from the beach for £220 over the same period, rated 9.4 out of 10 by users of Booking.com. For a truly classic stay, The Royal Victoria Hotel - one of the town's oldest hotels - offers a double room for just £160 over the same two days.
How to get there
It takes around one hour and 50 minutes to drive to St. Leonard's-on-Sea via the A21. To travel by train, Southeastern Railways operates a direct service from London bridge to St Leonards Warrior Square which takes precisely one hour and 31 minutes. One-way tickets can be booked for as little as £15.80 if purchased in advance, but will likely cost around £39 if booked on the day. Open return tickets can be purchased for £47.50.
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