As the country is gripped by a heatwave, a trip to the beach will be on many people’s cards this weekend. Finding a good seaside resort shouldn’t be too difficult as an island nation, but sometimes they can leave you wanting more.
If you fancy a visit to a different beach this summer and are venturing further afield for staycation, then there are several amazing destinations over the border in Yorkshire. There’s Scarborough, Whitby and Robin Hood’s Bay to name but a few, yet our Friends at Yorkshire Live discovered one beach in particular has got an unjustified bad rep.
Bridlington was named as the worst seaside town in Yorkshire according to consumer guide Which? Based on several visitor reviews which judged the resort on aspects such as scenery and value for money. Overall it scored 61 percent, a disappointing score compared to Bamburgh in Northumberland which came first with 85 percent.
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The beach ranking data came from 4,000 UK visitors who have shared their thoughts on the many UK locations Which? has ranked. Bridlington scored poorly for offering peace and quiet, and it also scored poorly for offering value for money.
Bridlington scored disastrously for attractions, with just one star awarded for this category - bringing the overall score down. It did score well for its sandy beach though.
Having already visited Bridlington earlier this year and feeling rather impressed by the beach, reporter Megan Banner decided to go again this week and see if it really deserved its ranking. Here is what she discovered.
My first ever visit to Bridlington was on a wet and windy day, you might even say the worst possible day to visit of the entire season, so the coastal town was pretty dead and the tide was in, though there was still a handful of people walking their dogs along the beach and those dogs really seemed to be having a good time.
But this time (Thursday, August 11) an amber warning for extreme heat was in place and the school holidays were in full swing, which meant Brits, like me, flocked to the huge expanse of sand (when the tide is out) to enjoy the gorgeous 30C weather.
As I arrived, the smell of sun cream hit me and just like that it was like I’m back on a Greek beach as a kid.
I'm not surprised the beach was the category Bridlington scored highly, I spent a good chunk of my day laid on the beach, catching rays on the relatively clean sand, while listening to the buzz of the amusements and arcades in the far background - it was lovely to see the north beach busier than last time I visited.
There was stacks of families enjoying their summer holidays and honestly it made me happy to see people having fun on this claimed 'worst' beach - I'm still trying to figure out why its been dubbed this title.
You're inundated with things to do in Bridlington too - its a kid's paradise, from amusements and rides, crazy golf to theatres and restaurants. The town really does have something for everyone.
On my last visit (in Spring) lots of the attractions were closed up but this time everything was open along the north beach and promenade including the crazy golf, rides and ice cream shops - they even had two trains driving up and down the promenade for children - which was thriving itself with people having a wander.
Although it was busier I still didn't feel like Bridlington was 'too busy' as I find Scarborough or Whitby sometimes do - which I prefer, sometimes it feels a little intimidating when a place is totally heaving.
Bridlington scored low for peace and quiet but isn't that what the seaside is all about? Arcades, amusements and fun for kids who are running around the promenade on a scorching day - isn't that the fun of the beach - the roaring hustle and bustle from visitors having a great day.
That being said, yes the amusements aren't peaceful and tranquil but if that's what you're looking for then head to the other end of north beach, where the distant buzz of the arcades is in the background - I found it almost kind of soothing.
And the breath-taking scenery of the cliff edges and the promenade, including the big wheel is definitely something to gaze at as you sit on the beach. The area is known for being quite beautiful, with the Yorkshire Wolds right on its doorstep and even with a grey sky the views were stunning.
Last time I found that Bridlington was lacking on the fish and chip front down by the sea, but this time so much more appeared to be open with seafront bars and restaurants booming - honestly no other seaside resort compares to Brid, it totally has its own vibe and I love it.
On my last visit I tried Fish and Chips at 149 on Marton Road, and wow were they good, so much so I had to go back again this time. I'd go as far to say they are possibly some of the best I've ever eaten and the portions are enormous - the chippy has also been visited by famous people I'm told.
According to Which?, visitors weren't impressed with how much they had to spend on their trip to Bridlington. This still puzzles me, even on a scorching day I spent less than £10 on fish and chips and parking - OK I didn't go on any of the children's rides and fuel was expensive but were in a cost of living crisis, its kind of a given.
Overall, I've still left feeling pretty puzzled at the result and would recommend Bridlington to anyone. Honestly its my go-to seaside resort and in my opinion I think it beats Scarborough, I prefer how much quieter the beach is but still has the hustling amusements at the other end of the promenade with lots to do.
Bridlington completely felt like a different place from my last visit - you could easily spend days here and not get bored as a family.
I love Brid - there I said it.
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