There’s no quintessential British experience quite like a classic seaside day trip on a warm summer’s day. However, according to an assessment by Which?, one “traditional bucket-and-spade resort” falls short, earning a spot among the UK’s worst seaside towns.

Located on the Essex coast, Clacton-on-Sea is a budget-friendly seaside town that ticks all the boxes, boasting a pleasure pier, amusement arcades, and a sandy beach. Nevertheless, visitors who participated in the Which? survey were left “underwhelmed” by their experience, placing Clacton-on-Sea along the bottom of the rankings, alongside Bognor Regis, Bangor, and Southend.

The report revealed that while the beaches garnered an average three-star rating, the town’s seafront was deemed sub-par. The town also fared poorly in the peace and quiet department, earning only a one-star rating.

On Tripadvisor, some past visitors echoed these sentiments, describing Clacton-on-Sea as “underwhelming”. One British tourist said they expected there to be “a bit more” to see and do, especially for children – and found “everything was just a bit underwhelming”.

But let’s not dwell on the negatives, as Clacton-on-Sea definitely has its gems – a number of Which? survey participants have been quick to praise the town’s beautiful seafront gardens and the “fantastic” yearly airshow.

Tripadvisor ratings also speak volumes, with Clacton-on-Sea’s beach boasting an impressive 4.5 stars out of five. Visitors frequently commend the cleanliness of the sands and some even label it as Essex’s “jewel”.

One review raved about Clacton saying: “Clacton-on-sea has a lovely clean sandy beach with palm trees, and is a great place to visit while on holiday or just a day out; the kids will love it as there is so much to do.”

Adding to this sentiment, another visitor gushed: “It’s sunny, has a sandy beach, there are patrol on hand in [an] emergency.

“People are coming [from] all over the place. Lots of attractions and places to eat… fish and chips and ice cream. The jewel of Essex.”