The 18th century seaside resort of Worthing, which has inspired famous literary types Jane Austen and Oscar Wilde, has become cool again, says Rebecca Pitcairn…

In the late 1700s, Worthing was a popular place to visit for a spot of R&R. After Princess Amelia, the daughter of King George III, visited the West Sussex town to recover from an injury in 1798 – back when Worthing had more fishing boats than houses – its popularity among wealthy holidaymakers boomed. The seaside resort inspired literary greats including Jane Austen, who reportedly modelled her last work, Sanditon, on the area, and Oscar Wilde, who wrote The Importance of Being Earnest while staying there.

Overshadowed by neighbouring Brighton, which became the hip and happening place to be in the 20th century, Worthing’s popularity as a holiday hotspot began to fade.

However, thanks in part to millions of pounds of investment from developers, the town has reinvented itself over the past decade or so and is once again attracting cool creative types, as well as those looking for family-friendly R&R. Last year it was Time Out’s best British seaside town to move to and it even earned itself a spot on The Times’ UK holiday hot list in 2022.

The influence of the town’s creatives is evident as soon as we arrive at the seafront. A gallery comprising stone plinths of changing artworks lines the promenade between the old lido (a family entertainment centre since the pool was built over in the 1980s) and the pier, while the pier itself is home to a public gallery of works by all ages set against a vibrant backdrop of coloured glass installed by local community organisation Creative Waves. There’s no doubt the gallery, which was installed in 2012, contributed to the 960-ft Victorian attraction winning Pier of the Year in 2019.

Another of the town’s early attractions is The Dome, one of the UK’s first ever purpose-built cinemas. Originally opened in 1911 as The Kursaal, the Grade II* listed building with its iconic dome-shaped façade, retains its art deco styling and has been used as a backdrop in films such as My Policeman, starring Harry Styles and Emma Corrin which, ironically, was set in Brighton. It’s a real experience for film and history lovers alike – particularly if you visit when the weather is not on your side.

Fortunately for my husband and I, it is one of the hottest days of the year when we visit and so we continue along the seafront towards East Beach and find yet more examples of Worthing’s artistic community. First is the Two-Faced Twins Gallery (twofacedtwins.com), run by identical twins Stella and Gemma, who produce bejewelled, pop-art style depictions of local and national landmarks.

A little further along a row of former beach chalets have been transformed into East Beach Artists’ Studios, rented by local creatives selling paintings, drawings, sculpture, jewellery, clothes, ceramics and more. I contemplate a tattoo at East Beach Tattoo Hut but settle for something a little less permanent from the array of local artwork in the neighbouring huts.

It’s a relaxed yet buzzy atmosphere and the adjoining Coast Cafe (coastworthing.co.uk) is awash with families enjoying the late morning sun.

The beach terrace is full, so we nip round the back and have a coffee on tables overlooking the SideOut Volleyball courts, where an amateur match is in full swing. We can hear the laughter of young children playing in the nearby playground and splashpad, set against the backdrop of Splashpoint Leisure Centre – another great facility to visit on a rainy day.

Award-winning architecture

Eager to make the most of the outdoor activities on offer, and with the sea beautifully calm, we rent stand-up paddleboards from K66 Boardriders SUP School (wetsuits are included in the £20 per hour fee) and take to the water for a couple of hours. They school also rents kayaks and gives lessons for beginners (K66surfdivision.com).

A well-earned lunch isn’t far away, as we head back to shore and stop in at Perch on the Promenade which serves tasty homemade sourdough pizza and brunch dishes on a prime spot on the beach promenade. The adjacent Bayside building – a modern orthogonal apartment block, named the UK’s most beautiful new building in 2023 – provides an interesting juxtaposition to the more traditional row of brightly painted terraces houses behind and is illustrative of the Worthing’s ability to embrace history and the contemporary side by side.

This area of Worthing provides plenty of interest beyond the seafront too. Set back slightly is Denton Gardens, a tranquil setting to sit and contemplate or have a picnic, leading to Brighton Road, where we find an eclectic mix of cafes, antique and interior shops and craft beer stores. We grab a Brighton Blackout (chocolate sponge cake) from The Flour Pot and a couple of craft cans from The Old Bike Store and head back to the Sleep Eco Hotel – an apartment-style self-catering hotel ten minutes’ walk from the beach in Worthing’s civic quarter that is our home for the weekend – to get ready for dinner.

Foodie haven

When local resident Kenny Tutt won BBC show MasterChef in 2018 and subsequently opened his first fine dining restaurant, Pitch, in the town a year later, it shone a spotlight on Worthing as a foodie hub. Despite critical acclaim, Kenny’s Warwick Street eatery didn’t last long and has since been inhabited by up-market bakery Gail’s. Meanwhile, Kenny has focused attention on his fast-food chain Patty Guy, which has a venue next to The Dome.

But the town has remained on the foodie map thanks to earlier established restaurants, such as The Crab Shack (crabshackworthing.co.uk), which is famous for its freshly-caught seafood, as well as newer arrivals, such as the aforementioned Perch on the Parade and its sister restaurant, Perch on the Pier, which took over the lower floor of Worthing Pier’s south pavilion in 2022.

Upstairs, things get a little bit fancier at 25-seater restaurant, Tern by Johnny Stanford (ternrestaurant.co.uk), where we have a table booked for the evening. Northerner Johnny has been living on the south coast for 12 years, working at other famed Sussex restaurants including Michelin-starred The Pass at South Lodge and Alexander House hotel.

And his first solo venture is a triumph. Not only is the five-course tasting menu of British produce-led dishes and English-only wines to match a glorious showcase of local producers but the setting is like no other dining spot in Sussex. The 180-degree windows give diners a standout view of the coast and the stunning starling murmurations that swoop past at sunset.

Spirit of the South Downs

What’s is wonderful about Worthing is that you can experience coast and countryside in one visit. So, the following morning – after breakfast at West End cafe Malt and a walk along Goring Gap Beach, which is adorned by traditional beach huts and kite surfers – we head for Cissbury Ring.

This National Trust site on the South Downs, is about three miles from the seafront but just a 20-minute walk from the car park to the top of what is the largest hill fort in Sussex. We spend some time walking along the rampart, keeping an eye out for the New Forest ponies that have been rehomed here by the National Trust to help maintain this area of chalkland, before heading back towards the seafront via Highdown Gardens (highdowngardens.co.uk).

Originally planted by Sir Frederick and Lady Sybil Stern in 1909 as an experiment to see what would grow on the chalk soil of the Downs, the free-to-enter gardens are recognised as a National Plant Collection and are now run by Worthing Borough Council.

The wild plants that can be found in Worthing’s countryside and coast are central to Slake Spirits (slakespirits.com), our final pitstop. Run by Dr Tom Martin-Wells, this distillery at The Chalkhouse, on Upper High Street runs, tours and masterclasses on the first and last Saturday of the month that showcase their artisan gin made using science and nature for a unique taste of Sussex.

We are welcomed through the doors by Tom, who quickly whips up a G&T with his Sussex Dry Gin and talks us through some of the botanicals and other ingredients he has foraged for in the Sussex Weald, such as Alexander seed, which forms basis for Slake Alexander Gin, as well as the story behind his business’s name, which means ‘to satisfy’ in old English.

We taste test the rest of the range, which includes a gin distilled with hedgerow fruit and flowers, as well as a wild elixir made from a blend of Slake gin and Bacchus grapes grown on the Stopham Estate vineyard in Pulborough before rounding off the tasting – and our weekend in Worthing – with a margarita-style cocktail. Cheers!

An eco-friendly stay

There are a few traditional options along the sea front, including the Georgian townhouse hotel Chatsworth House (chatsworthworthing.co.uk) and The Burlington (theburlington.net). However, we opted for one of the more recent additions to Worthing, Sleep Eco Hotel.

It is set few rows back from the seafront, in an Edwardian red brick building, which has had many lives including a washhouse, library, school and vaccination centre during the pandemic.

As the name suggests the focus of this hotel is sustainability (it claims its heating and cooling system will save 12 tonnes of carbon each year) but that also means no frills.

There’s no welcoming reception desk here, nor is there breakfast served in the mornings but there is a 24/7 concierge service, stylish contemporary furnishings and one of the most comfortably mattresses I’ve slept on for some time. sleepecohotel.co.uk