Loft Gallery At The Orange Tree

The Loft Gallery sits above The Orange Tree pub in Worthing, and it's the kind of place you stumble upon rather than plan for. Local artists use the space to show work - paintings, prints, sculpture, whatever's catching their eye that season. It's small, intimate, and genuinely feels like it matters to the people running it, which you can't say for every gallery.

You're looking at contemporary pieces mostly, though the exact stock changes. The real pull is the unpretentiousness of it all. There's no velvet ropes or gallery assistants eyeing you suspiciously; you can actually have a chat with exhibiting artists if they're about. It works brilliantly if you're the sort who likes discovering what's happening in a town's actual art scene rather than visiting the established institutions.

The location is proper convenient if you're staying at Brook Lane or Onslow Caravan Park just down the road - both virtually on your doorstep. Even South Downs Caravan Park, a decent five-minute drive away, makes it an easy afternoon stop when you fancy getting off the park for a couple of hours. Worthing itself has plenty to occupy you for a day, so the loft needn't be your sole reason for visiting, but it's worth popping in when you're in town. Likely free entry, though it's worth checking ahead given the opening hours aren't publicised anywhere obvious. Best visited midweek if you want a proper look without the weekend crowd.