This once much loved seaside spot has been transformed – and visitors aren’t happy
One of England’s most iconic seaside destinations has been flamed online with visitors calling it “the worst” tourist spot in the UK that people should “avoid like the plague”.
Lands End Landmark in Cornwall is a tourist destination famed for its stunning views over the ocean as the most westerly point of England. It is now also a holiday complex offering mini golf, a 4D theatre and a farm.
But according to online critics, the location’s prices and overall experience are left wanting. Lands End has a three-star rating on Tripadvisor, with many users reporting to be put off by the parking prices. Of its TripAdvisor reviews, most people – more than 1,000 – have rated it one star.
A spokesperson for Heritage GB, which operates Land’s End, said: “The car parking fees at Land’s End are set at rates that are comparable or in line with other parking options in the local area. Theses charges contribute directly to the ongoing maintenance and preservation of this 100 acre iconic location, ensuring that visitors can continue to enjoy the facilities for years to come.”
What’s more, Lands End’s iconic signpost is well known for its iconic signpost which points to various landmarks, that points out its distance to places like New York and the Isles of Scilly and New York. Many celebrities have visited and been photographed in front of it, including Professor Brian Cox and James May.
However, this has now been roped off, and guests wishing to take a picture in front of it can expect to pay £10.50, according to visitors.
One Tripadvisor user wrote: “Firstly the parking charge is outrageously expensive with a minimum charge of £8. Recommend trying to find a free parking spot on the lanes prior to arriving at Land’s End if travellers can manage a 20 minute walk. The landmark is blighted by what looks like a tacky theme park which we bypassed to get to the ‘Post’.”
Another said: “Once you could walk up to the sign post and take a photo. Not anymore. For an extra £10 you can queue up for someone to take your photo at the sign post. Alternatively one could take a picture from a bit of a distance and photo shop it.”
“Absolute rip-off,” a third reviewer wrote. “We were there for about 40 minutes. Car parking £8. The view is amazing but such an iconic location has been desecrated by commercialisation.”
“Avoid like the plague!” one user said. “It’s an over-commercialised dump. £8 to park or you have 20 minutes free parking! But the ANPR cameras are on the main entrance/exit, so the time you drive up to the car park and find a space and then work out if you need to get a ticket your 20 minutes is virtually gone. You then drive back to the main entrance and end up with a ticket for exceeding the 20 minute period, it’s almost as if it has been designed that way.
“To cap it all they charge £11 to have a photograph taken with the famous signpost!!!! Everything on the site is designed to make them money. There is NOTHING to even justify going there.”
This was echoed by a different reviewer who joked: “They may as well grab you and shake you upside down over the cliff until all the cash falls out of your pockets. At least it might add some excitement for your money.”
In a Reddit thread about the worst UK holidays, the top comment named Land’s End. The response reads: “Not so much accommodation, but Lands End for a day trip is absolutely dire.
“It’s a cash cow from the second you enter the car park. Pay for parking, pay extortionate amounts for food, souvenirs and even want your money for a photo of the sign”