Airbourne 2022: Eastbourne businesses share thoughts with Chamber of Commerce

Airbourne will return this year after two years of cancellations due to covid and the Chamber of Commerce has been speaking to businesses about the show.

The four-day international air show goes ahead this August 18-21 and attracts huge crowds to the town.

In preparation for the event, the Chamber of Commerce has been talking to businesses in Eastbourne.

Christina Ewbank, chief executive for the chamber, said, “Airbourne brings in visitors and puts Eastbourne on the map.”

Hotels/guest house owners told the chamber how it fills rooms and many are already fully booked for this year’s Airbourne weekend, but stressed August is already busy for the better businesses anyway. Filled rooms also means the restaurants and bars at the hotels do well too.

Mrs Ewbank said Airbourne allows hotels to charge top prices, even on Thursday and Sunday which are normally lower.

Visitors spend money in shops and restaurants, especially at the seafront end of town. Mrs Ewbank said Airbourne weekend gives takeaways and restaurants the best weekend all year with a turnover increase of around 30 per cent.

Despite many businesses agreeing August is the best time for maximising visitor numbers due to school holidays, several said it would be more beneficial in May or September.

The main issue raised was on the topic of transport.

Mrs Ewbank said businesses told the chamber a park and ride needs to be in place in Polegate and the parking should to be free.

It was also suggested the seafront should be closed to traffic for the duration of the weekend to make way for pedestrians and cyclists to move round freely.

The ‘feel-good factor’ was mentioned by many.

Mrs Ewbank said, “Whilst it is not good for all businesses, if the dates are known well in advance the business community can plan around it and enjoy the feel-good factor across the town.”

Businesses want attractions and rides in Royal Parade, the town centre to be ‘smartened up’, and clear signs from the station to the seafront.

Mrs Ewbank said, “One person asked whether a biannual event might be better to make it feel more special.”

She also said there were suggestions of combining it with another event over the same weekend to encourage more visitors.

The topic was also raised at the annual meeting of Plastic Free Eastbourne (PFE). The majority of participants said they wanted Airbourne to go ahead.

PFE director Oliver Sterno said it needs to ‘evolve’ and suggested boats could be added to the lineup.

Another PFE director Sue Dixon said, “There’s an enormous amount of rubbish produced. The traffic that comes into the town is insupportable – there are traffic jams for hours.

“It needs to evolve into a fuller event including events for children to attract families and young people too.”

Sally Boys, from Eastbourne Friends of the Earth, said, “By 2030 we should be a zero carbon town and it’s something we need to think of for the future. The plans are highly polluting, it’s ghastly, I know a lot of people leave during Airbourne.”

Neil Peters, a community recycling engagement officer, said, “The clean up for it looks like no one has been there, I think the clean up from Environment First is exceptional.”

More information on Airbourne 2022