Britain’s best and worst seaside towns

[smokedout]

Scarborough is the best seaside town, I can't believe it's even up for discussion.

 

[Shechemite]

I always here this in my head when discussing seaside towns

 

[Shechemite]

Or this

 

[High Voltage]

Fourth page in and delighted to note that Weston-super-Mare, my old home town, is yet to appear at either end of the OPs limiters

 

[dessiato]

Years ago we spent a few months aimlessly wandering about. One fateful week we ended up in Bognor. Now we understand why George V said "Bugger Bognor." I've never been anywhere with a beach I've disliked more.

 

[kebabking]

Fourth page in and delighted to note that Weston-super-Mare, my old home town, is yet to appear at either end of the OPs limiters

I note that the derelict pier/island at the north end of town is up for sale for a mighty £1....

I always liked Weston, we used to go down there in evening some times after work/school and have a play on the pier, chips on the beach - and when we got older, we'd go to a Greek place up the north end.

I think the last time we were there we just fancied a day at the beach, got up at some unholy hour and drove down - put our blankets down and enjoyed a free air show. My lot love it...

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

I note that the derelict pier/island at the north end of town is up for sale for a mighty £1....

I always liked Weston, we used to go down there in evening some times after work/school and have a play on the pier, chips on the beach - and when we got older, we'd go to a Greek place up the north end.

I think the last time we were there we just fancied a day at the beach, got up at some unholy hour and drove down - put our blankets down and enjoyed a free air show. My lot love it...

Jeffrey Archer & John Cleese both from Weston, that level of cuntery emanating from a town clouds my view on a place.

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

Favourite seaside village; Bantham. Plus a stroll away is Thursleton beach with it's National Trust carp park (so free to park for members) and stinkingly good beach cafe, a bucket of muscles washed down with a couple of bottles of rose wine whilst the kids run amok on the sand, it's perfect.

 

[High Voltage]

But we did give the world Racey by way of compensation

 

[dessiato]

Jeffrey Archer & John Cleese both from Weston, that level of cuntery emanating from a town clouds my view on a place.

Don't go to any Lincolnshire seaside towns. There's so much racism and dickhead attitudes in them it's virtually unbelievable.

 

[dessiato]

Favourite seaside village; Bantham. Plus a stroll away is Thursleton beach with it's National Trust carp park (so free to park for members) and stinkingly good beach cafe, a bucket of muscles washed down with a couple of bottles of rose wine whilst the kids run amok on the sand, it's perfect.

Liked for the "carp" park and eating a bucket of "muscles"

 

[marshall]

Winterton-on-Sea. A little gem as opposed to the snot-nosed antique shop infested braying twats of north Norfolk, the dingy ;'land that time forgot' Lowestoft and Yarmouth or the fucking muesli belt (Waxham, Walberswick and Aldeburgh. Horsey is OK (but busy) Gorleston is just dull but W-o-S is a little timewarp with a tea-hut on the beach. Good for dogwalks (pretty much the only thing I do at the beach). Painful childhood memories of the utter freezing shitness of New Brighton.

Agree with all this, and know what you mean about the turnip toffs of North Norfolk around Burnham Market and Burnham Staithes, but I do love Holkham and the pine forests that lead to the beach at Wells-Next-the-Sea, which is a glorious expanse of sand.

btw, Winterton was a bit of a 'mare last week with 'outsiders', parked up all over the verges. No fucking respect for the locals.

 

[rubbershoes]

Sidmouth aka the town at the mouth of the river Sid isn't well enough known to appear in these lists but is fantastic. There's no tacky arcades and it isn't full of second homes.

The frequent rock falls don't kill too many people to deter visitors and as long as you sit away from the base of the cliff you're ok.

The cafe at the top of Jacob's Ladder does massive bits of cake.

 

[marshall]

Don't go to any Lincolnshire seaside towns. There's so much racism and dickhead attitudes in them it's virtually unbelievable.

Just driving through Lincolnshire puts the shits up me, it's so bleak it scares me; who knows what goes on there when the sun goes down. Bad stuff fo'sure. Only half joking, it's weird.

 

[kebabking]

I really like Lincolnshire....

 

[Roadkill]

Nearly a page and no mention of Jaywick Sands? Google it. The first page of google hits are pretty much like this.

'It's a filthy place' - lifting the lid on England's poorest town

Jaywick Sands in Essex has been named England's most deprived area - but other residents call it 'fantastic'

www.mirror.co.uk

It isn't fantastic.

My dad has vivid memories of a holiday in Jaywick in the 50s. Well, I say a holiday, but as soon as they got there his father took one look, turned the car round and drove straight back to London.

 

[dessiato]

Interesting article on Skeggers.

Sun, sand, sea … staycation Skegness

Sun, sand, sea … staycation Skegness

With Spain out of bounds again, hopes are rising for a new lease of life in England’s careworn seaside resorts – and nowhere more so than in the birthplace of Butlin’s

www.theguardian.com

 

[LDC]

Fucking misuse of staycation again, grrrrr. Unless you live in Skegness that's a fucking holiday not a staycation.

 

[Roadkill]

Interesting article on Skeggers.

Sun, sand, sea … staycation Skegness

Sun, sand, sea … staycation Skegness

With Spain out of bounds again, hopes are rising for a new lease of life in England’s careworn seaside resorts – and nowhere more so than in the birthplace of Butlin’s

www.theguardian.com

To quote one of my favourite films ... 'Skeggy?! I'd rather watch me toenails grow than go there!'

 

[Saffy]

Caerhays beach is one of my favourites because it has a wild feel to it. That might be because we tend to go to the beach in the rain though.

 

[Sprocket.]

Ha! Skegness, days of youth and adventure, catching crabs under the pier, the stench of tobacco and disappointment.

 

[SpookyFrank]

Sidmouth aka the town at the mouth of the river Sid isn't well enough known to appear in these lists but is fantastic. There's no tacky arcades and it isn't full of second homes.

The frequent rock falls don't kill too many people to deter visitors and as long as you sit away from the base of the cliff you're ok.

The cafe at the top of Jacob's Ladder does massive bits of cake.

We've been considering moving there. Surprisingly affordable compared to a lot of other places in the South West.

 

[platinumsage]

Fucking misuse of staycation again, grrrrr. Unless you live in Skegness that's a fucking holiday not a staycation.

Staycation means staying rather than going on vacation and is context-dependent. It could mean not leaving the house, not leaving your town, not leaving your county except for day trips, not leaving your country etc...

 

[SpookyFrank]

And I dunno what planet you'd have to be on to think Weston Super Mare was a seaside town. If you can see the other side, it's not the sea.

 

[Sprocket.]

And I dunno what planet you'd have to be on to think Weston Super Mare was a seaside town. If you can see the other side, it's not the sea.

I believe you are channeling something.

 

[Bus Honeygun]

We've been considering moving there. Surprisingly affordable compared to a lot of other places in the South West.

It is nice town to visit, but a mate of mine moved there as a returning Devonian for his retirement and has regretted it - too many blue-rinse Tories. Some other friends also moved there from Ottery but left again as there wasn't much for the kids.

 

[Spymaster]

We've been considering moving there. Surprisingly affordable compared to a lot of other places in the South West.

Sidmouth is far too posh for the likes of you.

 

[Bus Honeygun]

I notice nobody has mentioned my hometown of Paignton.

I can confirm that it is utterly dire. All the sketchiness of Torquay without any of the (few) redeeming features.

I only live 25 miles away but it wouldn't bother me if I never went back. Last time was about three years ago and it was stupendously depressing. It was never great, but like so many UK seaside towns it has really declined rapidly.

 

[Spymaster]

It is nice town to visit, but a mate of mine moved there as a returning Devonian for his retirement and has regretted it - too many blue-rinse Tories. Some other friends also moved there from Ottery but left again as there wasn't much for the kids.

Dartmouth seems to be the place to retire to in Devon at the moment. I've always enjoyed it there and has its picturesque bits; decent pubs and restaurants, and on the face of it seems to have avoided the drugs and abjection prevalent in so many UK coastal towns.

 

[Spymaster]

I notice nobody has mentioned my hometown of Paignton.

I can confirm that it is utterly dire. All the sketchiness of Torquay without any of the (few) redeeming features.

I only live 25 miles away but it wouldn't bother me if I never went back. Last time was about three years ago and it was stupendously depressing. It was never great, but like so many UK seaside towns it has really declined rapidly.

What's Totnes like?