Join AOC Sussex, Surrey & Hampshire once again for a unique visit to the historic 19th-century fort. We’ll be parked in the central courtyard, displaying our pride and joys to the general public. We last attended in summer 2023, shortly after which the fort closed for a year to undergo a £7.5 million restoration. This includes brand-new exhibitions, a revamped playground, escape rooms, and areas of the fort opened to the public for the first time. There is also a new onsite café operated by Cadence.
The fort has a varied history. Built in 1871 in response to Napoleon’s threatening behaviour, it last saw action in World War II, defending the coastline and protecting a nearby radar station from German invasion. Now, as the largest defensive structure ever built in Sussex, the fort is a museum.
Since we’ll be displaying our cars to the public, the fort has offered us a heavily discounted admission. Tickets are £8 and include admission for the car, driver, and one passenger.
IMPORTANT: We’ll be accessing the fort via the main entrance through a tunnel. Because of this, we have set arrival and departure times to minimize the risk to the public, as the tunnel will need to be closed to pedestrians. Our entrance time is between 09:15 and 09:45—please do not arrive before this time. The Abarths will then be displayed in the central courtyard. At 15:00, the tunnel will be closed to pedestrians again, allowing the cars to leave the fort.
