A small but charming seaside town that has long been overlooked is finally witnessing a tourist boom, after almost £2 million has been spent on improving the resort for holidaymakers and locals
A tiny seaside town that has remained under the tourist radar for years has finally been cast into the spotlight.
Often touted as the UK’s most ‘underrated’ coastal gem, Saltburn-by-the-Sea – commonly referred to as just Saltburn – has been attracting tourists since 1861. But, while most of the UK’s coastline started to fall into decline after the Benidorm boom, Saltburn has sustained its appeal, and has been quietly undergoing a huge makeover.
The resort – located in North Yorkshire under the Redcar and Cleveland authority – boasts an eight-mile stretch of golden sandy beach, which melts into rugged green cliffs. It’s the perfect place for sitting back with a good book, rock pooling, or even surfing (if you’re brave enough to face the chilly waters). There’s also Saltburn Pier, which opened back in 1869 and stretches out into the North Sea for 200 metres.
But Saltburn’s biggest claim to fame has to be its Cliff Tramway, which is the oldest water balanced funicular still in operation in Great Britain. Tourists can pay just £2 to ride in quaint carriages that offer stunning sea views and get transported straight down to the beach.
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“The delightful coastal town Saltburn-by-the-sea bestows plenty of Victorian charm and thrills,” hails Yorkshire.com. “From the water balanced cliff lifts to the last remaining pier in Yorkshire, Saltburn promises its visitors an authentic seaside experience! There’s plenty to entertain too as the town has an up and coming arts scene, lots of restaurants and plenty of daring water sports to try.”
Speaking exclusively to the Mirror, Councillor Carrie Richardson, deputy leader and cabinet member for Climate and Culture at Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council, described Saltburn as one of the region’s most ‘popular and much-loved beauty spots’ – revealing that visitor numbers are continuing to grow year on year. “Its unique Victorian charm, which features a traditional pier, a historic water-balanced cliff tramway, boutique B&Bs, Italian gardens, a stunning coastline and a vibrant food and drink scene, makes it a truly special place to visit,” she added.
“Saltburn has even featured on BBC’s Robson Green’s Weekend Escapes and Channel 4’s Yorkshire by the Sea. This growing popularity increased the demand for visitor infrastructure, particularly during the peak tourist season.”
Cllr Richardson said the council is ‘delighted’ to see the positive impact recent improvements had on both tourists and local hospitality businesses. Overall, almost £2 million has been pumped into the town to improve accessibility, better transport links, and upgrade crumbling infrastructure.
The regeneration includes increasing the capacity of the most popular car park in Saltburn and building an overflow car park in adjacent land to deal with soaring tourist numbers. This also includes EV charging and infrastructure for motorhomes. Major improvements – including a resurfaced footway, new street lighting, and additional seating – have been completed on the Upper Promenade, while essential infrastructure upgrades have been carried out on the Lower Promenade. This includes renewing the historic balustrade.
Saltburn has also seen its grade-two listed Albert Memorial landmark – which was falling into disrepair – get restored. Funding was also allocated to improving other local footpaths to make it ‘easier to explore Saltburn on foot’.
Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council did not give details on how much money was spent on each upgrade.
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