Brighton swimmers are expressing their frustration regarding sea pollution, with some stating that checking for sewage spills is now as common as checking the weather forecast. Jo Armstrong, 75, who usually swims daily in Seaford, found the water there too polluted to swim in the past week, noting that Brighton beach was the only clean option.
Public data indicates that Brighton beach had two sewage alerts in August and a total of 158 alerts in 2025. Armstrong remarked, “There’s a tiny bit of rain and then the sewage comes, I just don’t understand it. It’s extraordinary that we can’t have clean beaches.”
Hildi Mitchell, 55, who runs the Pool to Pier programme, observes that pollution is deterring pool swimmers from transitioning to open water. She stated, “There are swimmers who have swum with us in the pool all year round but won’t come out in the sea in the summer because they’re worried about becoming ill.” Greg Veros, 59, now prefers Brighton’s outdoor swimming pool after falling ill a few years ago due to what he believes was sewage pollution.
Anna Field, 54, who moved to Brighton for regular swimming, also finds checking for sewage spills as crucial as checking the weather. She noted that when pollution prevents her from swimming, it feels like people are to blame.