Secluded English seaside town which Brits forget about reveals plans for £3million beach upgrade
A SMALL seaside town in the UK is often overlooked due to it’s secluded location.
Selsey in West Sussex, could nearly be an island with it being surrounded by the sea on three sides.
It became part of the mainland around 200 years ago, when a rich local landowner drained and filled the land to avoid a ferry ride from the mainland.
Now, there just one road in and out of the town.
And if you can make the trek there, it boasts some of the highest sunlight hours in the UK.
But the town’s beach is currently undergoing a huge £3million redevelopment, due to fears of it disappearing for good.
The new sea defences will stretch for 2.5 miles, which hopes to reduce the beach erosion.
As much as six yards disappears a year, making it one of the worst in the country.
Jonathan Brown, Chichester District Council’s Deputy Leader, said: “This money is vital in order to help us investigate options to reduce the risk of coastal flooding and erosion to Selsey.
“The coastal defences for Selsey involve a number of elements, including seawalls, rock revetments, groynes, and beach.
“Over the last decade, the council has undertaken a very successful programme of beach management through shingle replenishment, and Environment Agency funding is currently in place to continue these works until March 2026.
“This has helped protect the aging seawalls from major storms and protected local properties.”
But away from the beach, the town is also known for being a stargazing hotspot, with famous astronmer Patrick Moor living there.
He was just one of the 10,000 locals who call it home.
It is also one of the best places to try crab in the country, with a fresh crab sandwich often served at the pubs and cafes.
Otherwise there is the West Sands Fun Fair, which families have raved about for being a bargain.
Guests can pay just £15 and go on the rides for free all day, with one saying they went on “no less than 120 rides together”.
And the abandoned Selsey Pavillion – an 110-year-old theatre – hopes to reopen again after 50 years as an entertainment venue.
Sadly it no longer has a train station, with it closing back in 1935.
The nearest options are Chichester and Bognor Regis, both of which are about 20 minutes by car.
It’s relatively secluded location when it comes to public transport keeps the town lesser visited than it’s nearby neighbours such as Brighton.
If you need somewhere to stay, you can opt for a converted train carriage right on Selsey Beach.
Seabank Selsey even has bedrooms in the former first class which overlook the sea.
The Sun visit Selsey
The Sun’s Assistant Digital Editor Hannah Ferrett visited a holiday park in Selsey last year.
My partner Dan and I were at Cove Holiday Park’s Seal Bay in Selsey with our kids Jessica, nine, Isabelle, seven, and six-year-old Eva.
The holiday park itself is vast, but you don’t need to walk everywhere as there is a handy bus service that saves tired legs at the end of the day.
We gave the climbing wall and bounce nets a go on the first day, which initially had the kids’ eyes bulging.
The kids loved the Waterwalkerz, getting zipped up inside the ball and having air pumped in to inflate them, before tentatively rolling their way towards the swimming pool.
Jessica couldn’t contain her giggles as she desperately tried to run across the pool, but Eva and Isabelle were a little more cautious — that is until Eva realised she could manage just as well on all fours.
For those who don’t love the ocean, there’s a massive swimming pool back at Seal Bay resort, which has slides and a lazy river.
The action-based activities made sure our kids were conked out in the car on the way back, making for a peaceful journey.
Or there is the award-winning The Hideout which was named the best staycation location by Sykes Holiday Cottages.
And kids will love the Cove Holiday Park which opened a new £1.5million indoor adventure park back in 2023.