Storm Eunice: Eastbourne battens down the hatches to prepare for Friday

Eastbourne Borough Council and Drusillas Park have explained about how they will deal with Storm Eunice tomorrow (Friday, February 18).

Eastbourne Borough Council confirmed the flood gates on the promenade will be closed before the high tide tonight (Thursday, February 17) and a contractor is on standby for sandbag deployment.

The coastal team will also be out on site tonight for the midnight tide to monitor the situation, the council spokesperson said.

The spokesperson said, “Crews are on standby for any tree-related issues and the council’s waste and recycling team is ready to clean up wind blown debris.

“A contractor is also booked to clear shingle from the promenade after the weekend (February 19-20).”

Drusillas Park in Alfriston Road will remain open tomorrow but has made some changes to how the park will operate.

A spokesperson for the park said, “Whilst we will remain open, our rides will unfortunately not be running as it is not safe to operate these during such high winds.

“Our additional activities and walk-through exhibits will also be closed, and we will be reducing the catering and retail outlets that are open.

“Our zoo, playgrounds, soft play and SPARK will all be open as normal.”

Due to these changes, ticket prices will be reduced by 50 per cent. If you have pre-booked tickets for tomorrow and no longer wish to attend, email [email protected] to arrange a new date to visit.

Nearby Charleston is also planning on closing tomorrow.

A spokesperson said, “Unfortunately, due to adverse weather conditions, we have made the difficult decision to close Charleston tomorrow, Friday 18 February. The safety of our visitors, staff and volunteers is our first priority.

“If you were planning on visiting us tomorrow, we are sorry for the inconvenience.

“If you have purchased a ticket for a House visit or our exhibitions, you will be contacted directly.

“Any updates will be shared on our social media channels. You can follow us (@CharlestonTrust) on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.”