Work to repair access steps at a popular beauty spot is making good progress.
The staircase at Birling Gap in East Sussex has been closed since January following a cliff fall that left it unsafe to use.
A cliff fall damaged the steps leading down to the beach.
Two families and a dog were winched to safety after falling rocks trapped them on the beach.
Images from the scene showed a dramatic cliff fall next to the steps that lead down to the beach.
Wealden District Council, which manages the foreshore on behalf of The Crown Estate and owns the staircase, previously said repair work was due to begin shortly and the steps are expected to be open to the public again this summer.
Two families and a dog were rescued (Image: Eddie Mitchell)
Now, the council has said that work to install new steps at the famous tourist spot is “progressing well.”
A Facebook post by Wealden District Council yesterday said: “Works to repair the steps and platform at Birling Gap are progressing well.
“The new flight of stairs was lowered into position on Tuesday and repairs to the debris screen and platform beam are currently taking place.
“Once a safety check has been carried out, the steps and platform will be re-opened.
“Access to the beach should be fully restored by Saturday, May 2, for the Early May Bank Holiday.”
The new stairs are ‘progressing well’ (Image: Wealden District Council)
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Birling Gap and Crowlink, near Eastbourne, are part of the world-famous Seven Sisters chalk cliffs, one of the longest stretches of undeveloped coastline on the south coast.
Around 600,000 people visit Birling Gap and the Seven Sisters cliffs every year.
In 2017, the steps were relocated due to significant erosion following the storms of 2013 and 2014, which the BBC reported caused seven years’ worth of erosion in just three months.
More recently, in 2023, the Birling Gap Visitor Centre was also moved further inland to avoid the risk of it collapsing into the sea.
In April 2025, cracks appeared on part of the cliff, prompting the trust to say: “For your own safety, always stay well away from the cliff edges when visiting.