The Merry Marine

The Marine Pub in Eastbourne lures patrons from over 100 miles away with its infamously extreme Christmas lights.

Two and a half weeks preparation; a mountain of coloured tinsel and holly wreaths; 1,000 baubles; 18,000 Christmas lights and a £100-a-week electricity bill; not the seasonal check list for a village council, but standard Christmas fare at Phil and Anne Saunders’ Marine Pub in Eastbourne.

The decoration collection, which began in 1982, currently boasts an estimated value of £10,000; a number which has steadily increased over the couple’s 29-year pub reign.

Each year a team of locals is enlisted to help saturate the establishment with festive cheer, attracting visitors from far and wide.

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