Two Tyneside towns have been named in a top 10 list of the best places in the UK to relocate to by the seaside. Research for mortgage experts at money.co.uk analysed over 100 seaside towns and cities in a range of factors.
They included the house price, local pay levels, beach water quality and reviews and the amount of restaurants before reaching a final 'relocation' score. The result saw Whitley Bay in eighth place with a score of 6.07 and South Shields in 10th with 5.95.
Saltburn-by-the-Sea in Redcar and Cleveland was placed 9th with a score of 6 and overall the best coastal town to relocate to in the UK was Sheerness. It scored highly across the board resulting in a final mark of 7.05.
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Second is the Isle of Wight resort of Shanklin, known for its beach, Old Village and wooded ravine. Shanklin benefits from average temperatures of 11.6°C and has one of the highest beach review scores too. Third place went to a town just down the coast from first-placed Sheerness, Minster.
As with its neighbour, Minster has great weather, with just 709mm of rainfall a year and an average temperature of 11.2°C. It also has a highly rated beach, Minster Leas, a tranquil beach that has won Blue Flag awards in the past and is popular with dog walkers and families.
Whilst both Whitley Bay and South Shields were not as warm as their more southerly rivals, according to researchers the towns experienced much less rainfall than Sheerness and Shanklin. Both scored well in the beach water quality and beach review categories too.
Rank. Place; avge house price; median annual pay; avge temp (C); annual rainfall (mm); beach water quality; beach review; restaurants (per 1,000 people); relocation score
1. Sheerness; £276,441; £26,165; 11.1C; 775mm; 3.0; 3.83; 3.87; 7.05
2. Shanklin; £299,639; £21,597; 11.6C; 745mm; 3.0; 4.00; 5.00; 6.56
3. Minster; £300,063; £26,165; 11.2C; 709mm; 3.0; 4.00; 0.66; 6.43
Selected others
8. Whitley Bay; £264,573; £25,167; 9.7C; 718mm; 3.0; 4.00; 2.64; 6.07
9. Saltburn-by-the-Sea; £161,279; £21,687; 9.7C; 810mm; 3.0; 4.00; 7.88; 6.00
10. South Shields; £148,690; £22,973; 9.7C; 718mm; 3.0; 4.00; 2.37; 5.95
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