Mablethorpe in Lincolnshire was ranked as the second-worst UK seaside town in the latest Which? rankings – but locals have come out in defence of their home
Residents of a UK coastal town labelled “grim” and “filthy” by holidaymakers have fought back, defending their home which was ranked as the second-worst seaside town in a recent report published by Which?, arguing that visitors contribute to the litter and dog mess on the beach.
Mablethorpe, located in Lincolnshire, only managed a 46% score in the rankings, yet locals maintain that this does not accurately reflect life in the town and assert that the area has improved. Carl Tebbutt, the town mayor of Mablethorpe and Sutton on Sea, from the Conservative party, who has resided in the region since 1975, said that the town is a classic seaside resort with one of the finest beaches in Britain.
Besides its golden sands, Mablethorpe offers affordability and boasts numerous top-rated eateries, bars and pubs. “It’s a traditional seaside resort,” Mr Tebbutt, aged 70, remarked. “We’ve certainly got the best beaches on the east coast, if not the best beaches in the country.” It comes after news that an abandoned UK Butlin’s site is now seaside town’s ‘hell hole’ hotel.
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Contradicting a tourist’s TripAdvisor complaint about the beach being “strewn with dog muck”, the mayor refuted these allegations, reports the Express. He expressed: “The main beaches are dog-free, so I’m not sure where the claims of dog poo come from? Dogs are banned from all of the main beaches in the summer.”
Neil Jonathan also expressed his contentment living in Mablethorpe, praising the beach as a key draw and pointing the finger at tourists for any rubbish left behind.
“I personally think that Mablethorpe is fantastic. We have one of the best beaches – miles and miles of sand,” he said. “The beaches on the whole are clean – if there is litter or dog mess it’s left by holidaymakers who are just not respecting the beach for others. Decent prices for stuff, a pleasure to live here.”
On the subject of affordability in Mablethorpe, Mr Tebbutt concurs that it’s a bargain destination compared to other UK seaside spots. He points out that some local pubs even offer pints for as little as £3. “It’s a very cheap place to visit as well,” he elaborated. “I’ve visited most seaside resorts in the country and our prices compare very favourably with what you would pay elsewhere.”
He made comparisons with other popular coastal towns, noting: “When you compare our prices to Margate or Scarborough, or any of the other major places, it’s very cheap to visit. There’s a lot of nice bars and you can still buy a pint up here for £3 which you can’t elsewhere.”
Mr Tebbutt also highlights the variety of dining options available: “We’ve got two great Italian restaurants, Chinese food, and your traditional fish and chip places. We’ve got something for everybody really.”
He acknowledged that tourists often contribute to the litter problem in Mablethorpe but praises the efforts of local volunteers in keeping the area tidy.
“We have a really good volunteer organisation called Sutton Beach Care who pick up five or six bags of litter in a day. And I don’t mean carrier bags, I’m talking about bin bags. It’s the people that come to Mablethorpe and don’t really care about the town,” he added.
Local Karen Ball is also full of praise for Mablethorpe, claiming it boasts the “best beach in the country”. She lauds additional local gems such as the Sandilands Nature Reserve.
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Mrs Ball remarked: “Mablethorpe may be a bit run down in places and like most places in need of investment. But we have the best beach in the country. The town has many small businesses and has escaped the mass influx of fast food chains and multinational shops.
“There has been a large investment in building the new sports hall and swimming pool, plus the nature reserve at Sandilands and the completion of the coastal path, along with other local projects.”
Mr Tebbutt believes the National Trust reserve is a magnet for visitors to Mablethorpe. The coastal path, known for its breathtaking sea views, also draws numerous tourists. “I’ve lived here 50 years and we’ve changed our offer a lot recently,” he said. “Over the years we’ve changed and we’ve now got a National Trust nature reserve. We also attract a lot of walkers to the amazing coastal path.”
Residents Paula Share and Sandra Cant are both Mablethorpe enthusiasts. Mrs Share is fond of the town’s “traditional features”, while Mrs Cant expresses she has “never been so happy” as when living in Mablethorpe.
“We live in Mablethorpe and we love it,” Mrs Share said. “We have the best beautiful beach all year round, love having the holiday makers and seeing our beach busy. Mablethorpe has kept many old-fashioned features, which is also lovely for young and old. The best memories are made here for many past and present”.
Mrs Cant added: “We moved here a year ago and we absolutely love it. We have never been so happy. We have visited Mablethope for over 20 years. This town is doing far better then many many others. We love it here.”
Former visitors have also alleged that Mablethorpe suffers from antisocial behaviour problems. One visitor complained about “smashed glass” and “tissues galore” littering the town, whilst another declared “the people there made me ashamed to be British.”
Nevertheless, Mr Tebbutt maintains that Mablethorpe faces similar challenges to other coastal resorts nationwide. He praised the local constabulary for their efforts in tackling criminal activity.
“I think every seaside resort has issues. But I don’t think we suffer any worse than anywhere else in the UK,” he said. “We’ve had problems here in the past but it’s not as noticeable as other places like Blackpool.
“The police do a great job here. They have a real presence in the town and cope with areas of anti-social behaviour.”
Edith Humphreys, another local resident, encourages tourists to experience Mablethorpe for themselves. She guarantees they won’t regret their visit. “Why don’t you just come to Mablethorpe yourself and spend the day? You won’t be disappointed.” She further stated: “I live here and after living all over the UK it is a lovely place to live.”