The survey from Which? asked members about their experiences visiting some of the UK’s most popular seaside towns, as they ranked factors from beaches to attractions
When the school holidays are dragging on, a trip to the seaside can be a good way to keep the whole family entertained. From paddling in the sea to stopping for an ice cream, it’s a classic British day out.
Unfortunately, not all seaside towns have the same idyllic charm. While many resorts are working to improve their image, there are still some coastal towns that don’t always live up to expectations. Which? recently ran a survey of nearly 4,000 of its members about their experiences at popular UK resorts, and put together a list of the best and worst rated seaside towns.
Which? members were asked to rank factors from the beach to the pier/promenade area, the quality of tourist attractions, food and drink, and overall value for money. This helped them put together a destination score as a percentage, allowing them to create their rankings. One Mirror journalist wrote about her experience visiting a highly rated resort, saying: ‘I visited the UK’s ‘prettiest’ seaside town and won’t be going back for one reason’.
Tied in fifth place were Fleetwood in Lancashire and Burnham-on-Sea in Somerset with a 46% score. Both towns scored just two stars for their beaches and a dismal one-star for their seafront/pier and food and drink options. However, they did get average scores for parking and for peace and quiet, giving them two star scores for overall value for money.
Third and fourth place both went to Essex seaside towns: Clacton-on-Sea and Southend-on-Sea, which scored 42% and 43% respectively. Southend’s beach scored especially poorly with just one star, while Clacton got one star reviews for tourist attractions and scenery. Both only scored a single star for value for money.
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Second to worst was Bangor in North Wales with a score of just 38%. However, this may be due to the small sample size, which meant there was no ranking for the beach and seafront. Bangor came in last in a similar survey by Which? in 2024, so managed to move up a place. The town did manage a decent three stars for scenery, and two stars for parking.
Finally, taking Bangor’s dubious honour as the worst seaside town in the UK, according to Which? members, was Bognor Regis. The West Sussex town is the site of a large Butlins, which provides accommodation for nearly 6,000 holidaymakers at peak times. However, it scored poorly for it’s seafront/pier, food and drink options, tourist attractions, and scenery, giving it a score of just 36% overall.
The UK’s worst seaside towns
5. Fleetwood and Burnham-on-Sea (tied) 46%
4. Southend-on-Sea 43%
3. Clacton-on-Sea 42%
2. Bangor 38%
1. Bognor Regis 36%