Venue
Compton Street, Eastbourne BN21 4BP
Winter Garden, Eastbourne
The Winter Garden is a Grade II listed seaside entertainment building on Compton Street in Eastbourne, part of the Eastbourne Theatres group alongside the Congress Theatre and the Devonshire Park Theatre in the town's Devonshire Quarter, a short walk from the seafront. Built for the seventh Duke of Devonshire in 1875, it is made up of the vast Floral Hall and the Gold Room. Today it is best known for live music, comedy, cabaret style evenings, dinner dances and conferences, with flexible seating that can be set out theatre style, cabaret style or for banquets.
Photos via Google. Attributions: Andrew Diack, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
City
Eastbourne
Capacity
1,000
Venue info
The Winter Garden is a Grade II listed seaside entertainment building on Compton Street in Eastbourne, part of the Eastbourne Theatres group alongside the Congress Theatre and the Devonshire Park Theatre in the town's Devonshire Quarter, a short walk from the seafront. Built for the seventh Duke of Devonshire in 1875, it is made up of the vast Floral Hall and the Gold Room. Today it is best known for live music, comedy, cabaret style evenings, dinner dances and conferences, with flexible seating that can be set out theatre style, cabaret style or for banquets.
History
The Winter Garden was built in 1875 for the seventh Duke of Devonshire, whose family shaped much of Victorian Eastbourne. It was designed by the architect Henry Currey, who also went on to design the nearby Devonshire Park Theatre, and it survives today as a Grade II listed building.
The building was conceived in two main parts. The Floral Hall was a genuinely dual purpose space, used as a skating rink through the winter months and as a concert hall in the summer season, a neat solution for a resort town whose visitor numbers rose and fell with the weather. Alongside it sat the Gold Room, a smaller and more decorative space.
Both rooms have since been used for performances, cabaret style events, dinner dances and conferences, a programme that keeps the original spirit of a flexible pleasure building very much alive. The Winter Garden sits at the heart of Eastbourne's Devonshire Quarter with the Devonshire Park Theatre and the Congress Theatre as its immediate neighbours.
In recent years the Winter Garden has been through extensive renovation intended to restore the building to its former glory, with work continuing on the exterior facades through 2021. The Gold Room is undergoing further refurbishment. The venue forms part of the Eastbourne Theatres group and is operated by Trafalgar Theatres.
Transport
Train
Eastbourne railway station is a walk of from 10 to 15 minutes. Head out of the main entrance and down Terminus Road towards the town centre, turn right at HSBC onto Cornfield Terrace, cross at the roundabout and continue along Chiswick Place until the Devonshire Park Theatre is in front of you. Keep the theatre on your right, carry on down Carlisle Road, and the Winter Garden is the next building on your right. There are frequent direct services from Hastings, Lewes, Brighton, Haywards Heath and London Victoria, with connections to Tunbridge Wells and Seaford.
Bus
Stagecoach Eastbourne and Brighton & Hove Buses run regular services stopping near the theatres, and Stagecoach Eastbourne service 3 stops directly outside the Winter Garden. If you arrive at the main bus station on Gildredge Road, follow the walking directions from the train station, which stands at the end of the same road.
Parking
The closest car park is on College Road, with 115 spaces and pay and display charging until 10pm. There is also plenty of on-street parking nearby, free after 6pm. The NCP car park at Trinity Place, BN21 3BZ, is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. A limited number of disabled parking spaces sit directly in front of the nearby Devonshire Park Theatre and in the College Road car park, a short walk from the Congress Theatre.
Accessibility
It helps to talk through your needs with the box office when you book, so staff can offer you and your party the most suitable seats.
- Wheelchair spaces: available, with locations shown on the venue seating plans.
- Wheelchair accessible toilets are provided.
- Ramp access to the box office.
- Blue Badge parking is available close to the venues, including spaces in the College Road car park.
- Assistance dogs are welcome.
- Orientation tours can be arranged on request.
Essential Companion Scheme
Eastbourne Theatres run a free scheme for anyone who needs an essential companion with them at a show in order to be assisted. Application forms are available from the box office on 01323 412000.
Additional security checks are carried out at the venue, so it is worth arriving a little earlier than usual.
Live venue listings
Christmas at The Winter Garden with Pharaoh And The Beats
Fri 18 Dec 2026
Hospitality · from £55
View listingNearby venues
Frequently asked questions
What's on at the Winter Garden?
The Winter Garden hosts live music and tribute nights, comedy, cabaret style evenings, community events, dinner dances and festive party nights, as well as conferences. The latest confirmed dates are listed on this page.
Where is the Winter Garden?
It is on Compton Street, Eastbourne, BN21 4BP, in the town's Devonshire Quarter and a short walk from the seafront. The Devonshire Park Theatre and the Congress Theatre are its immediate neighbours.
How do I get to the Winter Garden?
Eastbourne railway station is a walk of from 10 to 15 minutes via Terminus Road, Cornfield Terrace, Chiswick Place and Carlisle Road. Stagecoach Eastbourne service 3 stops outside the venue, and by car the approach roads are the M23, A27, A22 and the coastal A259.
Where can I park near the Winter Garden?
The nearest car park is on College Road, with 115 spaces and pay and display charging until 10pm, and there is on-street parking that is free after 6pm. The NCP car park at Trinity Place, BN21 3BZ, is open 24 hours a day.
How many people does the Winter Garden hold?
The Floral Hall seats up to 1,000 in theatre style, and the Gold Room holds 400, although the Gold Room is currently closed for refurbishment. Both spaces can also be set out cabaret or banquet style.
Is the Winter Garden accessible?
Yes. There are wheelchair spaces, wheelchair accessible toilets, ramp access to the box office and Blue Badge parking nearby, and assistance dogs are welcome. Orientation tours can be arranged on request, and it is best to discuss your requirements with the box office when booking.
How old is the Winter Garden building?
It was built in 1875 for the seventh Duke of Devonshire to designs by the architect Henry Currey, and it is Grade II listed. The Floral Hall originally doubled as a winter skating rink and a summer concert hall.
How do I book tickets for the Winter Garden?
Tickets are sold by Eastbourne Theatres, so book through the venue's official box office. Let staff know about any access requirements at the time of booking so the most suitable seats can be arranged.
What's on at Winter Garden, Eastbourne?
Winter Garden, Eastbourne hosts a rolling programme of touring productions. The current what's-on list with dates, last checked 2026-08-23, is further up this page, and tickets are sold through the venue's official box office.
Where is Winter Garden, Eastbourne?
Winter Garden, Eastbourne is located at Compton Street, Eastbourne BN21 4BP.
How big is Winter Garden, Eastbourne?
Winter Garden, Eastbourne has a capacity of 1,000 — small enough to feel intimate but large enough to host major productions.