There is no greater fall from grace than the UK’s abandoned coastline. Once dripping in opulence and grandeur, seaside resorts up and down the nation were thriving for decades – ditching their fishing and shipbuilding status to become an insatiable tourist magnet.
However, in the 70s, the Benidorm boom kicked in. With cheap flights and promises of guaranteed sun infiltrating the travel market, more and more Brits started flocking over to the likes of Spain and Greece – draining the money from these tourist-reliant spots. This, combined with water firms dumping swathes of sewage in our waters, and inflation tripling the price of the 99 ice cream – meant many coastal destinations had started to crumble.
Weston-super-Mare, located in Somerset, is one of many towns stung by the collapse of seaside prestige. Back in 2023, the destination was cruelly crowned one of the ‘worst’ UK seaside towns by the Telegraph – with judges ranking it a meagre 18 out of 100.
In 2015, Weston-super-Mare also hosted Banky’s Dismaland exhibition – a temporary pop-up that transformed the town’s former Lido site, The Tropicana, into a ‘family theme park unsuitable for children’. While seemingly poking at the town’s plummeting image, the ‘bemusement park’ went on to generate an estimated £20 million in tourist revenues.
Keen to find out whether the town’s notoriety was justified – or simply a result of British snobbery – I headed down to the hotspot last month. It was a sunny Sunday, and the temperature had climbed to a (scorching) 13C – meaning I wasn’t the only one desperate for Fish & Chips on the sand.
Now, I’ve spoken before about what actually makes a good beach. If you think a town some 23 miles from Bristol is going to boast sugar-like sand and Caribbean-esque waters – you need to lower your delusional expectations. The sea at Weston-super-Mare is often brown as it carries high levels of suspended sediment and organic matter in the Severn Estuary.
Does it stop kids from building sandcastles? No. Does it mean you can’t bask in the sun with an ice cream, walk your dog, or have a sunset stroll with your partner? No, no, and no. Weston-super-Mare’s beach may not be great for your Instagram feed, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t filled with joy.
After devouring a portion of chips drowned in vinegar on the beach, I headed onto the Grand Pier – which now charges a £2 entry. You get a pretty fabulous view of the beach from up here, and can easily spend a few hours in the arcade. After that – an ice cream is essential.
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Weston-super-Mare may not have a strip of trendy coffee shops serving up Matcha-flavoured pastries, or a huge amount of culinary choice for those not so keen on beige food, but its roaring spirit is undeniable. I had felt like I’d gone back in time, back when trinket shops selling rock and silly cardboard cutouts were enough to make a holiday worthwhile.
For me, Weston-super-Mare ticked all of the seaside essentials. It was lively and jam-packed with tourists, the toys weren’t pushed too far back on the 2p slots, and the beach was big enough to practice cartwheels without whacking anyone in the face. It wasn’t pretending to be anything it’s not, and for that alone – I fell in love.
In the words of Weston-super-Mare’s MP Dan Aldridge: “The town has so much to offer. Sure, it might not have the white sands of Barbados, but I’ve never seen an arcade this good – or had Fish & Chips as tasty – in the Caribbean. The Ultraviolet Crazy Gold and Dr Fox Tea Room are unmatched. I don’t care what five-star resorts you might stay in, nothing beats the charm of Weston. It’ll always be my favourite.”
If that isn’t enough, Weston-super-Mare has revealed bold plans to improve the area even more. Speaking exclusively to the Mirror, Councillor Mark Canniford, North Somerset Council, said: “The town has seen multi-million-pound investment in recent years, including the £20m award by the UK government which is enabling a programme of significant projects to improve the town. The Grade II Listed Birnbeck Pier now has a bright future and the Tropicana event venue is set to undergo major investment, subject to planning permission…
“The housing market is booming, with supply outstripping demand and house price increases exceeding the national average. All of this is attracting growing inward investment in the area including US tech giant Epic. There’s so much going on, it’s impossible to list it all!”
What’s your favourite UK seaside resort? Let us know in the comments section below
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