Frequently Asked Questions about Bognor Regis

Common questions answered

Answers to the most common questions about Bognor Regis, West Sussex.

Why is it called Bognor Regis?

The name Bognor derives from Old English, likely combining a personal name (Bucge or similar) with 'ora', meaning a shore or bank. The Regis suffix, meaning 'of the King', was granted in 1929 after King George V convalesced at Craigweil House on the coast between Bognor and Aldwick. The King had been seriously ill with a chest infection in late 1928, and his doctors recommended the mild, sunny Sussex coast for his recovery. He stayed at Craigweil from February to May 1929, and the suffix was granted by royal permission later that year to honour the association. The town has been formally known as Bognor Regis ever since, and the name appears on all official maps, signs, and records.

Is Bognor Regis beach sandy?

The beach at Bognor Regis is a mix of sand and shingle. At high tide the beach is predominantly shingle, but at low tide a reasonable stretch of sand is exposed along the main seafront and towards Felpham. The sand is not the fine golden type found at West Wittering, but it is sufficient for sandcastles, sunbathing, and general beachgoing. Felpham Beach, to the east of the town centre, also has sand at low tide and tends to be quieter than the main stretch. The beach is gently shelving, which makes it suitable for paddling and for families with younger children. Groynes run at intervals along the seafront to slow longshore drift, and pools form around them at low tide.

What is Butlin's Bognor Regis like?

Butlin's Bognor Regis is a self-contained holiday resort at the eastern end of the seafront. Originally opened in 1960 as a traditional holiday camp with chalets and Redcoat entertainers, it has been extensively modernised and now offers hotel-style accommodation, indoor swimming pools, live entertainment, restaurants, bars, and a range of activities for families. The resort operates year-round, with short breaks available outside the main summer season. Facilities include the Splash Waterworld, funfair rides, sports courts, and a programme of live shows and children's entertainment. Butlin's is the single largest visitor attraction in Bognor Regis and a significant local employer, drawing families from across the south-east and beyond for weekend and week-long breaks.

Is Bognor a good place to live?

Bognor Regis has a mild climate with some of the highest sunshine totals in England, a seafront, and property prices that are lower than nearby Chichester or Worthing. The town offers a range of housing from Victorian terraces in the town centre to modern estates at North Bersted, with Aldwick and Felpham providing quieter village-like alternatives at either end. Schools, shops, GP surgeries, and a branch of the University of Chichester are all within the town. The railway connects to Barnham and onward to London, Brighton, and Portsmouth. The town centre has been affected by the same retail decline as many English high streets, and Bognor lacks the architectural distinction of some neighbouring towns, but for affordable coastal living with good transport links and genuine sunshine, it has clear practical strengths.

How do I get to Bognor by train?

Bognor Regis station is on a branch line from Barnham Junction, served by Southern Railway. Trains from London Victoria to Bognor Regis take approximately one hour and forty-five minutes, with a change at Barnham where the branch meets the main Coastway line between Brighton and Portsmouth. Direct services run from Barnham to Bognor roughly every half hour during the day. The branch journey takes about five minutes. From Brighton, travel westbound on the Coastway line and change at Barnham. From Portsmouth, travel eastbound and change at the same junction. The station is at the northern end of the town centre, a ten-minute walk from the seafront down the High Street.

Where is Aldwick?

Aldwick is a residential village immediately west of Bognor Regis town centre, technically a separate parish with its own council. It has its own shops on Aldwick Road, its own parish church of St Richard, and a quiet shingle beach that is less busy than the main Bognor seafront. Aldwick is continuous with the Bognor built-up area, and the boundary between the two is not obvious on the ground, but residents identify firmly with Aldwick rather than Bognor. The Craigweil area, where King George V convalesced in 1929, lies between Aldwick and central Bognor. The postcode is PO21 4. Aldwick is within walking distance of the town centre, and local bus routes connect the two.

What did William Blake do in Felpham?

The poet and artist William Blake lived in a flint cottage in Felpham from 1800 to 1803, at the invitation of his patron William Hayley. During his three years in the village, Blake worked on major visionary poems including Milton and Jerusalem, the latter providing the words to the hymn later set to music by Hubert Parry. He described Felpham as 'the sweetest spot on earth' and experienced intense creative and mystical visions during his time on the Sussex coast. An altercation with a soldier named John Scofield in 1803 led to Blake being tried for sedition at Chichester Guildhall, where he was acquitted in January 1804. Blake's Cottage on Blake's Road is Grade II* listed and is managed by the Blake Society.

Is Bognor really the sunniest place in England?

Bognor Regis has a strong claim to be among the sunniest places in England. Met Office data consistently shows the Sussex coastal strip between Bognor and Eastbourne recording some of the highest annual sunshine totals in the country, typically exceeding 1,900 hours per year. Bognor has won or shared the title for sunniest town in England on multiple occasions based on official Met Office weather station recordings. The south-facing coast, the shelter of the South Downs to the north, and the maritime climate all contribute to the high sunshine figures, with the Downs blocking some of the cloud that forms over the Weald. It is not always sunny, and the coast can be windy and grey in winter, but the long-term statistics consistently support the claim.

What happened to the pier?

Bognor Pier was built in 1865 and originally extended roughly 1,000 feet into the sea, with a pavilion at the seaward end and landing stages for paddle steamers. It suffered repeated storm damage through the twentieth century, with major sections destroyed by heavy seas in the 1960s and further reductions in subsequent decades. By the 1990s, only a short section near the shore remained, and this was eventually closed to the public on safety grounds. The truncated stumps are still visible at low tide. Various proposals to rebuild or replace the pier have been advanced over the years by councils, developers, and community groups, but none has secured the necessary funding or planning consent to proceed to construction.

What schools are in Bognor?

Bognor Regis has several primary schools serving different areas of the town, including Rose Green Junior School, Nyewood CE Infant School, South Bersted CE Primary, and schools in Felpham. Secondary provision includes Felpham Community College and the Regis School, both serving students from across the Bognor area. The Chichester College Group has a campus in Bognor providing further education, vocational courses, and apprenticeship programmes. The University of Chichester's Bognor Regis campus on Upper Bognor Road offers degree-level courses in education, humanities, sport, and performing arts. For sixth-form study, students can attend Chichester College or sixth forms attached to the secondary schools. West Sussex County Council manages school admissions for the area.

Where can I park in Bognor?

Bognor Regis has several public car parks in and around the town centre, managed by Arun District Council. The main options include the car park on London Road, the Fitzleet car park near the precinct, and the Hotham Park car park providing access to the park and the western side of the town centre. Seafront parking along the Esplanade is available with seasonal pay-and-display charges. On-street parking is available on some residential streets, though restrictions vary by zone and time of day. The retail park at North Bersted has free parking for shoppers using the stores there. At peak summer weekends and during events such as the Birdman Rally, parking near the seafront fills quickly, and arriving early or using the town centre car parks further from the beach is advisable.

What is the Birdman Rally?

The International Birdman is a competition in which contestants launch themselves off a platform over the sea in home-made flying machines, attempting to fly the furthest distance before hitting the water. The event moved to Bognor Regis in 2008, having originated at Selsey in 1971 and been held at various south coast locations in the intervening years. It takes place on the seafront during the summer and draws large crowds of several thousand spectators. Competitors range from serious aviators using hang-glider and human-powered aircraft designs to comedy entrants in elaborate costumes who make no pretence of actual flight. Prize money is offered for the longest distance flown. The event generates national media coverage and has become one of Bognor's most recognised annual attractions.

What is Hotham Park?

Hotham Park is the principal public park in Bognor Regis, located on the north-western side of the town centre off Upper Bognor Road. The park was originally the grounds of Hotham House, built for Sir Richard Hotham in the 1790s as part of his scheme to develop Bognor as a seaside resort. The grounds were later acquired by the local council and opened to the public. The park now features formal gardens, mature specimen trees, a miniature railway that is popular with families, a boating lake, a putting green, a cafe, and a well-equipped children's play area. Proms in the Park concerts and other community events are held during the summer months. The park is freely accessible year-round and is the most valued green space in the town.

What postcodes does Bognor use?

Bognor Regis falls within the PO (Portsmouth) postcode area. The main postcodes are PO21 for central Bognor, Aldwick, Rose Green, and Nyetimber, and PO22 for Felpham, North Bersted, and Flansham. Within PO21, the sub-districts include PO21 1 for the town centre, seafront, and Hotham Park area, PO21 3 for Rose Green and Nyetimber, PO21 4 for Aldwick, and PO21 5 for South Bersted. Within PO22, the sub-districts are PO22 7 for Felpham, PO22 8 for Flansham and the area towards Middleton, and PO22 9 for North Bersted and the newer developments on the northern edge of the town.

Where is the nearest hospital?

The nearest major hospital to Bognor Regis is St Richard's Hospital in Chichester, approximately seven miles to the north-west. St Richard's is operated by University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust and has a full accident and emergency department, maternity services, and a comprehensive range of hospital specialties. The drive from Bognor takes around fifteen to twenty minutes in normal traffic via the A259 or the A29. Bognor Regis War Memorial Hospital on Shripney Road provides some outpatient clinics and minor treatment services but does not have an emergency department. For emergencies, call 999. NHS 111 is available for non-emergency medical advice around the clock.

What is the population of Bognor Regis?

The population of the Bognor Regis built-up area is approximately 65,000 to 70,000, including the adjacent communities of Aldwick, Felpham, Bersted, Rose Green, and Nyetimber that together form the continuous urban area. The town of Bognor Regis itself, defined more narrowly by the parish boundary, has a population in the region of 25,000 to 30,000. The population has grown steadily through the twentieth century and into the twenty-first, with significant residential expansion in the post-war decades and a further phase of development around North Bersted from the 1990s onwards. Bognor Regis is the largest town within Arun District, which is administered by Arun District Council from offices in nearby Littlehampton.