Tourist trade hots up at Bexhill

It has also filled Bexhill's limited tourist accommodation.

Tourist information bureau boss George Mathews said: "The TIC has been very busy.

"There's a lot of visitors here at the moment and there's not many bed spaces left.

"The weather has brought a real influx of visitors.

"Visitors tend to fall into two sorts. They either tend to stay a couple of nights or for a whole week.

"Continental visitors tend to stay longer but UK visitors tend to stay two to three days - many of the bed-and-breakfast places offer a cheaper rate for two or three nights than for a single night, which they don't like.

"I think people are influenced by the weather plus the fact that one of the national papers, the Telegraph, has just described Bexhill as the South Coast's best-kept secret.

"I think on the whole they find it easier to park and to get to the TIC at Bexhill that those at Hastings or Eastbourne and we do pick up the 'strays' in that way."

But Bexhill is now down to and 200 beds in serviced accommodation plus another 100 in self-catering and two caravan sites.

Rother community services department recorded 14.1 hours of glorious July sun on Saturday and 14.8 on Sunday-before the weather broke.