The wave pool usually shuts from October half term until February. This winter it stays open, with family fun swims at £10.50 for adults and £6.30 for juniors.

The leisure pool at Eastbourne’s Sovereign Centre, the one with the wave machine and the flume, is staying open this winter. For the last two years it closed for four months, from the end of October half term to the start of February half term.

The centre’s operator, GLL, which trades as Better, announced the change on 26 October. Eastbourne Borough Council followed with its own release on 3 November. The council says the closures ran for the last two winters. GLL took over the centre in April 2025.

Why it can open now

GLL says it reviewed how the pool runs before deciding. The work covered:

  • opening hours
  • staffing arrangements
  • maintenance schedules
  • the use of new technology to help run the pool safely

It says a different approach to managing the pools and scheduling essential maintenance lets it keep the leisure pool open for as much of the winter as possible.

It is not yet permanent. The council’s release says that if this winter is a success, GLL will look at making all-year opening “a permanent fixture”. GLL’s own announcement puts it the same way: every visit helps “demonstrate the value” of opening all year.

What they said

Councillor Jenny Williams, the council’s lead member for tourism and place, said: “Ensuring that families can continue to enjoy one of Eastbourne’s most popular indoor leisure attractions whatever the weather is an exciting step forward for the Sovereign Centre.”

She added: “A considerable amount of work has gone into exploring how the leisure pool can remain open in an efficient and sustainable way, so it’s wonderful that we have been able to make it work.”

Phil Dench, the Sovereign Centre’s general manager, said the support of the local community “will play an important part in making this a long-term success”. He said the centre would offer family fun swim and Aqua Splash sessions over the Christmas holidays.

What it costs

Leisure pool sessions are sold as family fun swims. Better’s price list for the Sovereign Centre gives these prices per person:

Session Pay as you go Residents Card Flex member Member
Family fun swim, adult £10.50 £9.40 £5.30 Free
Family fun swim, junior (under 18) £6.30 £5.30 £3.20 Free
Aqua Splash, adult £12.60 £11.60 £7.30 £7.30
Aqua Splash, junior (under 18) £10.50 £9.40 £5.30 £5.30

A family of two adults and two children pays £33.60 for a fun swim at the pay-as-you-go price, or £29.40 with a Residents Card.

Aqua Splash is an inflatable obstacle course in the training pool, for ages 8 and up, and a leisure pool swim is included in the price. Better’s Aqua Splash page says it runs at weekends in term time and on weekdays in the school holidays:

  • Weekends: 2pm to 2.45pm and 3.15pm to 4pm, with the fun swim from 2.15pm to 3.45pm
  • School holiday weekdays: 1.30pm to 2.15pm and 2.30pm to 3.15pm, with fun swims from 12.30pm to 2pm and 2.15pm to 3.45pm

What it means for you

If you have children, the wave pool is now an option on wet winter weekends and through the Christmas holidays, when it would previously have been shut. Book ahead through Better, as GLL advises booking to avoid missing out.

One date to note: Better says the 25m training pool closes from 1.30pm on Saturday 14 November for a swimming gala. That is the pool Aqua Splash uses.

The Sovereign Centre is on Royal Parade. It also has a 25m pool for lane swimming and aqua classes and a learner pool for lessons. For other ways to fill a winter weekend, see things to do in Eastbourne, and for the open-air rink at Sovereign Harbour from December, our Eastbourne ice rink page.

Sources