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The intimate experience

2010 AEGON International | 12-19 June

devonshire parkEastbourne's Devonshire Park offers visitors a real tennis feast with the first ever combined tournaments. 

This is the largest grass court professional tennis tournament in the UK apart from Wimbledon, with Eastbourne's prestigious AEGON International 2010 played just a week before the 2010 Championships at SW19. 

And with the tournament so massive this year, the bars, hotels, restaurants and shops are going to benefit from an influx of visitors despite the credit crunch. 

With so many visitors to the town, which remains very popular all year, there will be a clamour for premium parking spaces.

But getting to Eastbourne is no problem, as it is easily accessible by air, bus, road, sea, shuttle bus, taxi, train or walking.

And reserving tickets is straightforward. Ticket prices vary according to the type and on Centre Court are priced in three categories, which are more expensive the closer you are to the action. Whereas, ground tickets are very reasonably priced and suit for those who prefer the more intimate experience and excitement away from the Centre Court.

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Eastbourne directory

Where to ...

imageDRINK | Recomended watering holes Eastbourne has plenty of places for a drink, including a wide choice of coffee houses, pubs and wine bars located within walking distance of the tennis courts and the town centre. Dal Maestro offers great cocktails, while the Big Sleep is a well-kept secret and cheap.

imageEAT | Recommended eateries Eastbourne is littered with some excellent restaurants and a range of places to grab a quick bite. Close to the tennis are plenty of public houses while Terminus Road boasts a wide selection of restaurants to suit all budgets and tastes.

imageSTAY | Recommended hotels & guesthouses With places to sleep to suit all budgets and tastes, we serve up a list of recommended hotels and guesthouses that will tempt you to stay in the picturesque seaside resort. Close to the tennis is the Big Sleep, a retro seafront hotel or to rent is nearby Hartington Place.

imageSHOP | Recommended places to spend money Looking for the best place in town to spend your money? Eastbourne has the Arndale Centre for the chain brands, an array of quaint shops off the seafront and a wide collection of jewellery shops.

Reaching Devonshire Park

College Road, Eastbourne, East Sussex. BN21 4JJ

centre courtDevonshire Park, situated a stone's throw off Eastbourne's seafront, is the perfect setting for top class tennis and is highly accessible from all over the world.

The lawn tennis club plays host to the Davis Cup and County matches, as well as the traditional last chance for players to warm-up for Wimbledon.

AIR | London Gatwick Eastbourne is located within an hour's journey from London Gatwick international airport, and such accessibility seems to which helps to attract players and spectators to the annual Wimbledon warm-up tournament. 

BUS | Other towns & local Bus services from other towns come directly to Eastbourne. During the 2010 AEGON Tournament, the no55 bus service for Meads operates from the bus precinct close to Eastbourne train station and has a designated stop close to Devonshire Park. 

ROAD | Car, bicycle & motorbike Eastbourne's town centre is littered with roundabouts and one way streets, but is not as confusing as it sounds. Since the 2008 event, parking restrictions have been imposed within the Eastbourne town centre. For out of towners, the main approach roads include the A27 from Brighton, the A259 from Hastings and the A22 from London. 

SEA | Newhaven & Channel Tunnel As one of Britain's most popular seaside resorts, Eastbourne has good sea connections. The channel port of Newhaven lies 15 miles away while the Channel Tunnel, Dover and Folkestone are around two hours away. 

SHUTTLE BUS | Train station & car parks A special shuttle bus will operate during the main draw of the 2010 AEGON Tournament from Eastbourne train station and certain major car parks directly to Devonshire Park. 

TAXI | Hotels & around town The taxi services in Eastbourne tend to be reliable. Taxi ranks line up outside Eastbourne train station, but hotels recommend their favourite taxi services. Abfab (01323 762222) specialises in travelling in style, while taxi firms include Call-A-Cab (01323 746746) and Radio Taxis (01323 749749).

TRAIN | Ashford, Brighton & London Eastbourne has excellent train connections, especially with important destinations like Ashford International (65 minutes), Brighton (45 minutes) and London Victoria (85 minutes).  See Southern Railways.

WALK | Town centre There are various routes to the site of the 2009 AEGON Tournament, and regulars to the tennis event will know their own 'special' shortcuts. Most hotels are within a 10 minute walk, while Eastbourne train station is a mere 15 minute walk away.

Parking information

Premium places near Devonshire Park

parking is not easy for everyoneCAR PARKS | Locals attempt to cash in during the tennis event by charging £10 and upwards to park on their property. Beware of the claims the money is going to charity, although some may be genuine. 

The best bet is to use the three official car parks, as they are all linked to Devonshire Park by a special shuttle service bus during the tournament. 

There are also two NCP car parks, situated at Ashford Road and Trinity Place, plus a special makeshift car park at the Saffrons Cricket Ground in Meads Road.  

OFF-ROAD PARKING | Parking is always at a premium during the popular tournament, and will be much more difficult to claim a space in 2010 than previous years. 

With the men's ATP Tour playing alongside the women's Sony Ericsson WTA Tour, there will be - in theory - twice as many vehicles as those coming to Eastbourne tennis week before 2009.

Because parking restrictions were imposed in Eastbourne town centre since early 2009, parking enforcement officers will be out in force to swiftly deal with anyone dumping their vehicles on double yellow lines and/or private properties – you have been warned already!


Hospitality

Unforgettable experience

eastbourne tennisEvery aspect of the inaugural AEGON International at Eastbourne, where events for both the world's leading men and ladies will be played side-by-side, will be taken care of through top class hospitality.

And Devonshire Park boasts idyllic settings as well as impressive spectator facilities. 

Comfort, cuisine and world class tennis at Devonshire Park's very own mini-Wimbledon tournament offers an unforgettable experience at the inaugural AEGON International. Enjoy Eastbourne tennis your way.

East Sussex-based Sportsworld has been appointed by AEGON to deliver its hospitality at tennis events that it sponsors -  the AEGON Championships (Queen’s Club), the AEGON Classic (Edgbaston), the AEGON International (Eastbourne), and AEGON’s hospitality allocation at Wimbledon

Click here for Sportsworld to call you back about tennis packages


Wimbledon Championships | Hospitality packages
AOK Events // tel 0208.222.8420
Bow Lane Entertainment // 0207.538.1200
Corporate Entertainment // tel 0113.394.3380
DTB International // tel 0207 385 3553
Paragon Sports // tel 0208.332.8640
Sportsworld // tel 01235.555.844
The Sports Partnership // tel 0871.2000.339
Trusted Tickets // tel 0800 860 0631