Bognor Regis & the Coast
Bognor Regis is the best known of the West Sussex seaside towns, a straightforward stretch of promenade, pier and shingle-and-sand beach that grew up as a Georgian and Victorian resort and still keeps much of that traditional English seaside character.
The "Regis" in the name is a genuine royal connection, granted by George V after he came to the town in the 1920s to convalesce; the addition distinguished it from other places called simply Bognor and gave the town a permanent, if slightly unusual, mark of royal favour. The seafront still centres on the pier and the promenade, with the wider stretch of coast running along flat, low-lying shoreline typical of this part of Sussex.
Holiday camps and the wider coast
Bognor Regis has long been associated with the British holiday camp tradition, with a large camp established in the town in the 1960s that became, and remains, one of the best-known in the country, drawing generations of holidaymakers to the area and helping keep the town firmly on the map as a family seaside destination. Along the coast in both directions, the West Sussex shoreline continues through smaller towns with the same flat beaches and gentle, unhurried pace.
Where to Stay in Bognor Regis
- The Royal Norfolk Hotel — a Regency-era building on the Esplanade, close to the pier.
- Premier Inn Bognor Regis (Seafront) — a short walk from the town centre and the Esplanade.
- Navigator Hotel — a beachfront hotel on Marine Drive West.
- The Beachcroft Hotel — a seafront hotel in Felpham, on the edge of Bognor Regis.
- The Inglenook Hotel — on Pagham Road, close to the seafront.
Getting there
Bognor Regis has its own railway station, with a direct line up to London Victoria, and sits a short drive from Chichester and Arundel inland. The town is flat and easy to get around on foot, with most of the seafront within a few minutes of the station.