Two businesses in Camber, who suffered losses as a result of the bio-bead spill from Southern Water’s Eastbourne wastewater treatment plant in October 2025, have received compensation from Southern Water.
The Camber Castle pub and Khan’z Indian restaurant Camber have received £5,000 each to help with their running costs after experiencing a fall in local tourism and trade as a direct result of the spill and ongoing clear-up. The clean-up has been organised by Rother District Council and is being paid for by Southern Water who are supplying workers and equipment, with Nurdle, experts in clearing microplastics, continuing to use their vacuum machines to collect beads at high tides when they collect at the strandline.
After meetings with local businesses, the parish council and Hastings and Rye MP, Helena Dollimore, all calling for Southern Water to offer compensation, the company advised local businesses, in January, to contact their independent loss adjustor Sedgwick by email Utilities@uk.sedgwick.com, giving them details of their business accounts from the 3 November 2025 to 3 January 2026 and comparable accounts for the same period the previous year (Hope for Camber Rye News January 29 2026)
A Southern Water spokesman said: “Supporting Camber and the local and business communities is a priority for us. A process is in place for businesses to have claims for loss of income assessed but we realised a small number of local firms are at a very real risk of imminent closure. We have stepped in and supported a small number of businesses until the claims are processed and assessed payments made.”
Gaz Jones, who set up Love Local, Use Local to help promote Camber says that warning signs at the entrance to the beach are putting people off visiting. “We have been informed that new signage, explaining the situation on the beach, is being worked on to be installed, hopefully, before the beginning of the busy Easter break. The Pollution Alert signs have further increased uncertainty surrounding the use of the beach.”
As previously reported in Rye News on 5 March, Rother District Council have said that they will not promote Camber Sands as a destination until there is confirmation of the safety of the beach, a situation that concerns Gaz Jones. “This, along with negative social media posts still being viewed from November, paints a worrying picture for the future of Camber Sands. Rother District Council have not yet suggested any additional help towards Camber Sands, which includes any discussion over the cost of car parking, nor have they reached out to any of the businesses affected directly with the pollution spill.”
Councillor Hazel Timpe, portfolio holder for neighbourhood services at RDC, said, “As soon as we are assured that the bio hazard to the environment and users of the beach is over, we will work with 1066 Marketing to publicise Camber as the wonderful destination it is.”
A spokesperson for Rother District Council said: “The signs are a necessary measure to inform visitors, especially dog owners, of the potential risks associated with the ingestion of biobeads. However, we acknowledge the concerns of businesses about the language used and have today replaced the signs.
“Our coastal team continues to work with partners including Southern Water, Nurdle, Strandliners and the Sussex Wildlife Trust, to ensure the beaches are as clean as possible. We are fully supportive of the businesses in Camber, but it is important that we are certain that the beach is as safe as possible before promoting the beach.
“Parking tariffs are determined annually as part of the budget setting process. Summer parking tariffs at Camber have remained the same for the last two years, whilst parking charges elsewhere across the district have risen by almost 10 per cent. We rely on parking income to help support services at Camber including waste management, public toilet provision, and seasonal coastal staff, and even a reduction of 10 per cent in April – September charges would result in a substantial loss of income.”
Image Credits: Gaz Jones .