Out and About in Shoreham-by-Sea 

Your hosts Karen and Steve Vyse have lived in Shoreham-by-Sea for well over 20 years, so although to some locals we're still visitors, we have gained a few insights that might prove useful to our guests. Apologies to any pubs or eateries that we've missed; this is very much a personal listing in keeping with the unofficial county motto "We wunt be druv".

The 'beach' is distinct from Shoreham Beach, which is the name given to the long shingle peninsula on which we live. Once famous as the home of the early film makers seeking perfect light, with many original chalets cobbled together around redundant railway carriages, Shoreham Beach was once known locally as 'Bungalow Town. Today, only a handful of the older houses remain; designer residences with gated drives now dominate the foreshore. Shoreham Beach has markedly changed from when residents were largely bohemian artists and short changed eccentrics, that were looked upon with huge suspicion by those that lived in decent society across the river.

With a busy commercial and fishing port to the east of town, Shoreham-by-Sea is very much a maritime community, with sailors of all flavours living and saiing here. As well as yachting and dinghy sailing, windsurfing is hugely popular though it has latterly been somewhat eclipsed by a thriving kitesurf community. When the conditions are right, the sky is thick with kites. At the back of the shingle is the relatively new board walk, which makes it easy to stroll the length of the beach right down to the partially renovated fort at soldiers point by the harbour mouth.

In the middle of Shoreham Beach and around 10 minutes walk from the North Wing Apartment, linking the seafront with the footbrige into town is Ferry Road with its parade of local businesses including;

• Surfladle is a specialist store offering the most comprehensive selection of kite and windsurfing equipment anywhere on the South Coast. They also sell Stand Up Paddle Boards (SUP) and it's worth reading their news items and offers on the website www.surfladle.co.uk
  
• Into the Blue has a well deserved reputation as the best seafood restaurant for miles. Run by our friend Jacqui with her self-taught Chef husband David in the open kitchen, you need to book well in advance to ensure you get a table. www.intothebluerestaurant.com Look them up on Trip Advisor and read the glowing reviews.
• The Beach Shop is the closest convenience store, off licence and post office counter to the North Wing Apartment.
• Cotts&Linz Ice Cream Cafe on nearby Ferry Road is open during the summer months and offers a staggering selection of ice cream and coffee treats that are attracting queues on sunny days.
• Beach Bakery is there for take-away coffee, bread and pastries. Staff can be a tad slow, but relax, you are taking a break.
• The Atlantic Store is a cheerful newsagent and the nearest tobacconist to the apartment (when we first moved here it was an off-license run by a hugely entertaining alcoholic who seemed to drink more than he sold).

Over the pedestrian crossing is the Waterside pub. Once known as the Lady Jane, it had such a bad reputation as a fighting pub that the brewery changed its name when they cleaned it up. Today it is one of the cheapest pubs in town and provides plenty of TV sports and honest, simple food. Very friendly, with a large outdoor seating area, the huge resident hound 'Stan', who very occasionally patrols the bar is best friends with our own dog. The rather raucous Sunday afternoon meat raffle has raised thousands for the Shoreham Life boat.

The town

Heading north brings you to the 'new' swinging footbridge that takes you across the river into town. I call this new even though it was opened in 2013 as the 'Adur Ferry Brdge', a name foisted on us by the county council and used by nobody (it's just the 'footbridge' to locals). Even now I still marvel at the contemporary design, though the frequency with which the glass side panels fail is a continuing dissapointment.

Looking north as you cross the bridge you can see the new Sussex Yacht Club clubhouse on the opposite bank, and a little further is the pedestrianised East Street with its outside tables for great food and drink, overlooked by the St Mary de Haura Church. From the bridge you can look down-river towards the main commercial port area and distant power station, or west towards the bird-rich mud flats, house boats and the Norfolk road bridge.

On the riverbank down by the Norfolk road bridge is The Bridge offering basic pub grub and river views which changed hands a few years ago and went after the youth market which in my humble opinion was a mistake. If you are looking for a genuine gem of a locals pub then the snug Royal Sovereign tucked away bup a side street offers great local ales and astonishingly good Thai food in a traditional pub atmosphere. The much larger Crown and Anchor is marked by the huge pirate figure perched outside and attracts a younger clientele with a large outside seating area alongside the river. There is also the Ferry Inn on East Street which is currently being refurbished but we hear whispers it may not open again. Other dinking spots include the historic Marlipins, the 'Piston Broke' with real ale and live music, Suters Yard which also does food and the tiny Star

For reasonably priced italian dishes with a smile you can't beat Tosca's where they also do pizza in proper oven plus a tempting selection of cake and coffee. What was once the Town Hall is currently being tuned into a new restaurant (as of Apr 2024) and the Galleria which offers outside tables.

Also on East Street is the Tap House which is one of our favourites for a good atmosphere, smart drinks and a classy burger (their fresh mussels are also delicious). 

Our favourite take aways

You can always get food delivered to the North Wing Apartment and these are the eateries we currently order from through Just Eat;

• Indian: Yasmin Indian Takeaway
• Chinese: Tasty Shoreham Fisheries (they do fish and chips as well, hence the name).
• Fish and Chips: Middletons on nearby Ferry Road
• Pizza: The Tides Pizzeria (make sure you select the one on Ferry Road rather than the one on Upper Shoreham Road which is quite some distance away).