Here are all the rules for barbecuing on different beaches in East Sussex

Some of the rules may be a bit surprising. Be sure to read up on all the rules to ensure that you can enjoy your barbecue in peace.

Rules on drinking alcohol in public are also included as the two are usually combined.

Here are the rules on beach barbecuing in the beaches in East Sussex:

Eastbourne

The rules for having a barbecue on a beach in Eastbourne are:

- Only light your barbecue on designated beaches or areas.

- Do not light a barbecue on the beaches between the Pier and the Wish Tower or on any promenade or grass area.

- Dispose of your litter in the bins provided when you leave

- Do not play amplified music

- If you intend to have alcoholic drinks with your barbecue, check the signs to make sure you are not in a “No Drinking” area.

- Do not have more than 20 people at your gathering. More than 20 constitutes an event and requires a permit for the event to take place.

- A permit can be issued by Seafront Services. These barbecues can only be held on beaches 67 to 69 (in front of Fort Fun car park).

Barbeques are allowed on the following beaches:

- Beaches 1 to 25 - Holywell to the Wish Tower

- Beaches 40 to 55 - Pier to the Redoubt

- Beaches 64 to 69 - Opposite Princes Park entrance from the next beach eastwards of Fisherman’s Green to Fort Fun entrance

- Beaches 86 to 94 - Langney point from the beach opposite dotto turning circle to end of beaches before harbour wall.

For more information on barbecuing on a beach in Eastbourne please visit the Borough Council website.

From 2017 public spaces protection orders (PSPO) were put in place along the seafront and in a number of parks and open spaces across Eastbourne. These PSPOs have now been extended to November 2023.

The rules these impose on drinking in a public space in Eastbourne are to:

- Stop drinking when requested to by an authorised officer.

- Surrender any alcohol when requested to by an authorised officer.

Failure without reasonable excuse to comply with the prohibitions and requirements imposed by these orders is a summary offence under the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014.

An authorised officer, police officer or PCSO may issue a fixed penalty notice to anyone they have reason to believe has committed an offence in relation to this order.

Breach of a prohibition or requirement may result in a fixed penalty notice of up to £75 or fine of up to £1,000.

For more information on drinking alcohol in public in Eastbourne please visit the Borough Council website.

Seaford

Barbecues are permitted on Seaford beaches but users are requested to follow some rules:

- Do not light fires directly on the stones, use a proper barbecue.

- Do not cause any annoyance to other beach users including playing loud music

- Be aware that stones can explode if they get too hot, make sure that barbecues are safely put out when you have finished with them

- Do not put used hot barbecues into the litter bins

- Take all your rubbish off the beach when you leave. Don’t leave broken glass on the beach. If you break any glass please pick up the pieces and put them into a bin on the promenade.

For more information on beach barbecues please visit the advice issued on the Lewes District Council website.

Anyone drinking in public and acting in an anti-social way on Seaford beach can be asked to stop drinking or surrender any alcohol when requested by an authorised officer.

Failure to do so could result in a maximum fine of £500.

For more information on this please visit the Lewes District Council website.

Brighton

In Brighton you may not barbecue:

- Between the two piers in Brighton.

- Between Hove Street and Fourth Avenue (this is the area between the end of Hove Lawns and King Alfred Leisure Centre car park).

- On Hove Lawns or its surrounding areas such as behind the beach huts.

- On the promenade or its surrounding walls.

Brighton and Hove City Council has advised residents to:

- Only light barbecues after 6pm.

- Contain barbecues in a metal tray.

- Raise barbecues above the pebbles to prevent the ground from getting hot and burning people once you have left the beach.

- Put cold water on the barbecue once you have finished to ensure the fire is out and the coals are cold.

- Put litter in the bins provided when you leave, any food remains should be well wrapped before being placed in a bin

- Follow their food safety tips.

And advised residents not to:

- Light a fire, this is extremely dangerous to other beach users and has caused serious injuries in the past.

- Put a lit barbecue in a litter bin, use the special BBQ bins located along the prom.

- Cover up hot stones with cold ones, cold stones shatter when they warm up and can cause injury.

- Leave your litter behind.

- Bring glass bottles on to the beach.

- Play amplified music.

- Have more than 20 people at your gathering.

For more information please visit the Brighton and Hove City Council website.

If you are asked to stop drinking or hand over alcohol by a police officer or an authorised person and, without reasonable excuse, you:

- continue to drink alcohol, and/or

- fail to hand over any container (sealed or unsealed) believed to contain alcohol

You may be liable for prosecution and, on conviction, a fine of up to £500.

For more information about this please visit the Brighton and Hove City Council website.

Hastings

In Hastings, barbecues are allowed at any time but open fires or bonfire type barbecues are only permitted after 8pm or dusk if earlier.

Residents are encouraged to use the beach between groynes 47 and 51a at Sea Road in St Leonards (adjacent to West Marina Gardens).

The rules for a beach barbecue in Hastings are:

- Barbecues must be held below high-water mark within the designated area.

- Barbecues must be sited away from any structures i.e. boats, groynes, beach huts and the like.

- All fires must be extinguished and litter cleared before the site is left.

- Only purpose built barbecues to be used before 8pm.

- To ensure good order is kept and no nuisance is made to other beach users or residents.

- To indemnify Hastings Borough Council against all actions, claims, demands and liabilities, which may arise directly or indirectly as a consequence of this permission. If it is an organised event you must have public liability insurance of £5 million - contact the council for further details.

Anyone who does not hand over a container believed to contain alcohol when asked by an authorised person may be liable for prosecution and, on conviction, a fine of up to £500.

For more information please visit the advice page available on the Hastings Borough Council website.

Bexhill, Cooden and Normans Bay, Winchelsea and Pett Level

Barbecues are permitted on Bexhill, Cooden and Normans Bay, and Winchelsea and Pett Level beaches. However, Rother District Council asks that you follow the guidance below:

- Do not leave lit or warm barbecues unattended.

- Remove all waste and ash from the beach.

- Do not place warm or lit barbecues into waste bins.

- Ensure all barbecues are raised off the stones and sand.

- Ensure the area beneath the barbecue is cool before leaving the area unattended – this can be done by dousing the area with cold water.

- Permission for large numbers (10+) of people should be sought from the Neighbourhood Services Office in advance.

Anyone who does not hand over a container believed to contain alcohol when asked by an authorised person may be liable for prosecution and, on conviction, a fine of up to £500.

For more information on beach guidelines, please visit the advice from Rother District Council available for Bexhill, Cooden and Normans Bay, and Winchelsea and Pett Level.

Camber Sands

Barbeques are allowed in certain areas of Camber Sands. Rother District Council ask residents to help them care for the beach environment and other users’ safety and enjoyment by following these guidelines:

- Do not use disposable, wood or coal barbecues.

- Gas powered barbecues only that are raised off the sand are permitted on Camber Beach.

- No barbecues are permitted in the dunes for safety reasons.

- Individual permission for groups of more than 10 people should be sought from the Neighbourhood Services Office at least four weeks in advance.

Anyone who does not hand over a container believed to contain alcohol when asked by an authorised person may be liable for prosecution and, on conviction, a fine of up to £500.

For more information please visit the Camber Sands advice page on Rother District Council website.