Littlehampton factfile

How to get to Littlehampton
Littlehampton, a seaside resort town in West Sussex, stands on the east bank of the mouth of the River Arun. Well-served by bus and rail, you can reach it by car on the A259. It's also close to the main A27 south coast trunk road.

Littlehampton through the ages
Steeped in history, Littlehampton dates back to Roman times. Originally known as "Hampton", in the 14th century it became Littlehampton, to set it apart from the nearby and larger Southampton.

Maritime trade was the most important driver of Littlehampton's economy until the railway arrived in 1863. This quickly sparked an influx of holidaymakers, beginning the town's booming and lasting leisure industry. The town's motto is: "Progress".

Eating and drinking in Littlehampton
As you'd expect from a lively seaside resort, Littlehampton offers many eateries specialising in local fish and seafood. British modern cuisine, Mediterranean, and Asian cuisines are well represented. The town also has a plethora of sandwich bars, cafés and cosy country pubs offering homemade food and local beer.

Famous people from Littlehampton
Dame Anita Roddick, the innovative entrepreneur and founder of The Body Shop, was born in Littlehampton in 1942. Throughout her life she generously supported Littlehampton Community School, a specialist business and enterprise school. In tribute a new wing was named The Roddick Enterprise Centre.

Things to see and do around Littlehampton
Littlehampton hosts many major events to cater for its busy tourist trade, such as the Carnival, the Bonfire Celebrations and the Town Show. If you fancy something more water-based, there's the Seafront Festival and Zap Cat racing.

Sports and leisure in Littlehampton
Arun Leisure Centre offers two swimming pools, a state-of-the-art gym, sports hall and multi-use games area.

Littlehampton's senior football team, Wick FC, play in the first division of the Sussex County Football League.

Arts and culture in Littlehampton
Housed in the grand and historic Manor House, Littlehampton Museum was founded in 1928 and offers a wealth of archaeological material from the local area including Roman, Bronze and Iron Age artefacts.

Entertainment in Littlehampton
Located on the seafront, the Windmill Entertainment Centre is a 213-seat auditorium offering movies and a varied theatre programme.

Harbour Park is an amusement park situated on the sandy beaches. Attractions include a water chute, dodgems, adventure golf, an indoor skating-rink and an arcade.

Littlehampton's claim to fame
Ronnie Barker had a property in South Terrace. It's thought that his comedy series about an eccentric grocer, Open All Hours, was based on his local corner shop here.