Hastings Bonfire

Getting there and home

Hastings has direct trains from London Charing Cross via Tunbridge Wells and from Brighton along the coast. From the station it is about a 15-minute walk down to the seafront. Road closures start around 5.30pm and last until the police give the all-clear, usually about 11pm. Pelham Place car park is closed for the fire site. Coaches park in Falaise Road, and disabled parking is available near Wellington Square, Castle Hill Road and Priory Meadow. Arrive early if you are driving.

Access and families

Pick your spot around the needs of your group before you settle in to watch. In 2026 the society said there was no dedicated disability viewing enclosure. Instead it pointed people towards the White Rock Hotel area for a less crowded outlook, or the crazy golf area if you’d rather be closer to the bonfire atmosphere. Those are suggestions, not reserved spaces, and neither comes with a promise of a clear view, so ask the society what’s planned for the next event.

The same guidance listed an accessible toilet at Pelham Place, opened by an attendant. Check that’s still the arrangement when you go, and make your toilet stop before the procession reaches you. A nearby parking bay is handy, but it won’t clear a path through the spectators. If someone in your party needs regular breaks, agree beforehand how you’ll all leave your spot together. And nobody says you have to stay for the finale: a shorter visit can be far more comfortable than realising halfway through the night that the crowd is too much.

Food and drink

Build the meal into your plan rather than trying to sort it out while the procession is going past. In the 2026 instructions the White Rock Hotel was the society’s headquarters, with drinks and toilets available there during assembly. That’s its role on the night, but it doesn’t mean a restaurant booking, a table with a view or free run of the place at a future celebration. If you’d like to eat there around the procession, get in touch with the hotel directly.

If you don’t fancy juggling food in a crowd, we’d suggest an earlier sit-down meal. Decide whether eating together or holding on to a good viewing spot matters more, and don’t split the group to try to do both. If a business is selling programmes for a donation, buy one: it’ll help you make sense of the evening you’ve come to see, and the society says the proceeds support its bonfire charity and some local charities. Keep your table booking a little flexible, because the published procession and fireworks times are approximate, not a dining timetable.