Published On: Sat, Jun 28th, 2025
Travel | 4,507 views

UK’s 10 best and 10 worst seaside towns named – full list | Travel News | Travel

The best and worst seaside towns in the UK have been revealed. Which? surveyed over 3,800 people about their experiences of UK seaside destinations in the last year.

They asked about their views on criteria including beaches, scenery, food and drink offerings, accommodation, tourist attractions and value for money. For the fifth year in a row, Bamburgh in Northumberland tops the list. With an overall destination score of 84%, it was given five stars for its beach, seafront, scenery, and peace and quiet. One visitor said: “It’s a gem. The beaches are sandy, clean and stretch for miles. There are walks galore, the food on offer is top notch, the feel is of a time gone by, and there’s enough history to delve into to last several holidays.”

At the bottom of the table is Bognor Regis in West Sussex. One of the sunniest places in mainland Britain, it finished in last place with 36% and scored just one star in most categories. One visitor called it “a run-down seaside town”.

Some survey respondents suggested that, with investment, the town could recover its glory days. Several developments are in the works, including an £8m regeneration of The Arcade shopping centre.

Also included in the best seaside towns were Beer in Devon, Saint David’s in Pembrokeshire, and Dungeness in Kent. Among the worst were Bangor in Gwynedd, Southend-on-Sea in Essex, and Blackpool in Lancashire.

The 10 best seaside towns – and their score out of 100

  1. Bamburgh, Northumberland – 84%

  2. Beer, Devon – 80%

  3. Portmeirion, Gwynedd – 79%

  4. Saint David’s, Pembrokeshire – 79%

  5. Sidmouth, Devon – 79%

  6. Tynemouth, Tyne and Wear – 79%

  7. Dungeness, Kent – 78%

  8. Tenby, Pembrokeshire – 78%

  9. Aldeburgh, Suffolk – 77%

  10. Wells-Next-The-Sea, Norfolk – 77%

 

The 10 worst seaside towns – and their score out of 100

  1. Bognor Regis, West Sussex – 36%

  2. Bangor, Gwynedd – 38%

  3. Clacton-on-Sea, Essex – 42%

  4. Southend-on-Sea, Essex – 43%

  5. Fleetwood, Lancashire – 46%

  6. Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset – 46%

  7. Blackpool, Lancashire – 48%

  8. Weston-super-Mare, Somerset – 49%

  9. Great Yarmouth, Norfolk – 50%

  10. Ayr, South Ayrshire – 51%