Longest bench in Britain comes to Littlehampton

The promenade-side bench, designed by Studio Weave, is the result of a project initiated by mother-and-daughter team Sophie and Jane Wood, the pair behind the nearby Thomas Heatherwick-designed East Beach cafe.

At 324 metres long and with seating for over 300 adults the seating is the longest bench in Britain. This measurement is taken following all the curves through the shelters which each house approximately 83 metres of bench.

Should the title be threatened, the promenade site and design allows the landmark bench to keep growing up to over 621 metres, seating over 800 adults.

As part of the project’s funding, individuals could ‘buy’ slats on the bench, with a special message engraved onto them.

The bench has been four year’s in the making, with Studio Weave’s husband-and-wife team of Je Ahn and Maria Smith and making their first visit to the site on their first wedding anniversary and the final site visit on their fifth.