The 2021 Which? Guide to the best British seaside resorts has been revealed – showing where Southport does well and where we need to improve.

The survey of more than 4,000 people ranked nearly 100 towns and villages and put Bamburgh, in Northumberland, at the top with a customer score of 85 per cent, with five stars for its beaches, tourist attractions and scenery.

Southport was placed 85th, with a Customer Score of 60%, falling from 73rd last year.

Lytham St Annes, in 26th, was the highest rated of nearby resorts on the Lancashire coast. New Brighton was placed 83rd, just above Southport.

However Southport was rated higher than resorts including Blackpool, Fleetwood and Morecambe. Skegness finished last in the survey for the second year running.

The Which? Guide to the best British seaside resorts demonstrates just why Southport needs investment through the Town Deal, which is pledging to spend £38.5million from the Government on a range of projects to improve Southport’s standings as a seaside resort.

They include the creation of a new theatre, conference and events centre; a spectacular light show in the Marine Lake; and funding to support the transformation of Southport Pleasureland into an all-year attraction.

Town Deal funding has also supported the creation of “a boulevard of lights” along Lord Street by Southport BID, and the £1.4million conversion of Southport Market into a new food, drink and events hub.

Southport’s average hotel price was given as £71, which was considerably below places such as Salcombe in Devon (£221), St Ives in Cornwall (£190) and Fowey in Cornwall (£170).

Prices for nearby resorts include: Lytham St Annes (£88), New Brighton (£110), Blackpool (£60), Fleetwood (£65) and Morecambe (£77).

With categories rated out of five stars, Southport scored the highest with three stars in: Seafront & Pier; Shopping; Entertainments; and Peace and Quiet.

Southport scored two stars in: Beaches; Food & Drink; Tourist Attractions; Scenery; and Value For Money.

Bamburgh, in Northumberland, with its vast sandy beach and castle view, was named the country’s best-loved coastal destination.

It is one of a number of smaller, less crowded holiday resorts that have been listed as the nation’s favourites for a staycation visit.

With more people expected to book a holiday at home than ever before as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, Which? sought out views on Britain’s coastal towns and villages.

Visitors rated nearly 60 British seaside destinations at 70 per cent or above, while 30 were awarded four or five stars for peace and quiet.

Tynemouth, in Tyne and Wear, took joint second place alongside Dartmouth in Devon. Both received a visitor score of 84 per cent, and five stars for their seafronts, while Tynemouth was given five stars for its beach and seafront, and four stars for scenery.

St Andrews was named as Scotland’s best beach town. Busier than some of the other destinations at the top of the table, the ‘home of golf’ earned its high ranking thanks to its five-star-rated tourist attractions.

Aberaeron was named the best seaside town in Wales, with a customer score of 82 per cent. The quiet harbour town was given five stars for its scenery, with visitors commenting fondly on the painted houses in pastel colours.

Languishing at the bottom of the table for the second year in a row was Skegness, seen as being stuck in the past. It scored a lowly one star for its tourist attractions and scenery, and its beach was given three.

Other destinations at the bottom end of the table included Weston-super-Mare (55 per cent), Ilfracombe (56 per cent) and Margate (57 per cent).

The editor of Which? Travel, Rory Boland, said: “Many of us discovered the joy of a British summer holiday last year and the trend looks set to continue well into this summer. The results of our survey show that bigger is rarely better, with smaller and less crowded resorts taking the top spots over better-known destinations.

“Given the crowds and prices at some of Britain’s most popular seaside destinations, the best news from the survey is just how many highly-rated destinations we have to choose from.

“Whether you want a village with a beach or a big town with all the fish and chips you can eat, there is a fantastic spot by the sea for you.”

Any investment into Southport is very welcome - but the money has to be wisely spent. An all year round Pleasureland is not a wise move. No fairground is profitable during the wet cold months that is the reason why fairgrounds are seasonal.

When promoting Southport, much is mentioned about its status as a seaside resort - but the beach is in a terrible condition. This should be a priority above all other spending. Until this situation is resolved, any other spending would be wasted completely.

The station complex is another uninviting area to which tourists are faced with a dismal introduction to Southport. Investment should include for re-siting the station to the Liverpool/Manchester junction complete with a decent bus station being installed. Modern cafes and a chic covered shopping area cold also be placed on the site for when the weather is poor.

The empty eye sore unit next to Iceland could be made into single private shops with outdoor seating to compliment the new Market development.

The town needs a complete re-vamp to attract visitors, a cheap make over will do nothing except deteriorate in the near future and delay the necessities that are required now.

Originally Posted by said

When promoting Southport, much is mentioned about its status as a seaside resort - but the beach is in a terrible condition. This should be a priority above all other spending. Until this situation is resolved, any other spending would be wasted completely.

The beach is only doing what nature intended it to do. It would be a never ending and exremely expensive job to put it back is it once was as the sea has moved out, it needs something building on the current beach and thus creating a new beach further out.

Originally Posted by said

Any investment into Southport is very welcome - but the money has to be wisely spent. An all year round Pleasureland is not a wise move. No fairground is profitable during the wet cold months that is the reason why fairgrounds are seasonal

I'm sure I read somewhere that the proposed expansion and development of Pleasureland included indoor attractions.

Originally Posted by onehorsetown2

The beach is only doing what nature intended it to do. It would be a never ending and exremely expensive job to put it back is it once was as the sea has moved out, it needs something building on the current beach and thus creating a new beach further out.

The beach is being Destroyed by the people who have for many years been planting all the grasses/plants on the beach. question for the bellends from sefton council who are on this site why do you want to ruin the beach??

Originally Posted by condemnation

The beach is being Destroyed by the people who have for many years been planting all the grasses/plants on the beach. question for the bellends from sefton council who are on this site why do you want to ruin the beach??

I take it you've got photos of this planting taking place.
If it's been going on for years you'll have lots of evidence.

Originally Posted by condemnation

The beach is being Destroyed by the people who have for many years been planting all the grasses/plants on the beach. question for the bellends from sefton council who are on this site why do you want to ruin the beach??

You’re talking absolute rhubarb. As a previous poster said, it’s just nature taking its course.

Originally Posted by salus.populi

I take it you've got photos of this planting taking place.
If it's been going on for years you'll have lots of evidence.

for 4 years ive been taking pics and video of them doing it> the ginger hair fat bint that parks her car in the car park by fairways round about she is 1 of the main ones, there is or was ive not been watching last year, a fella who comes puts food on the plants for the birds. when i first noticed it over 4 years ago there were loads of them planting

Originally Posted by onehorsetown2

The beach is only doing what nature intended it to do. It would be a never ending and exremely expensive job to put it back is it once was as the sea has moved out, it needs something building on the current beach and thus creating a new beach further out.

I've often seen tractors on beaches abroad going up and down keeping the beach clean and level. Surely, after the initial clearing and cleansing, that is what would be required?

Originally Posted by condemnation

for 4 years ive been taking pics and video of them doing it> the ginger hair fat bint that parks her car in the car park by fairways round about she is 1 of the main ones, there is or was ive not been watching last year, a fella who comes puts food on the plants for the birds. when i first noticed it over 4 years ago there were loads of them planting

Sounds like twitchers are carrying out a covert 'terraforming' exercise, turning the beach into a vegetated 'bird zone'.

Originally Posted by onehorsetown2

The beach is only doing what nature intended it to do. It would be a never ending and exremely expensive job to put it back is it once was as the sea has moved out, it needs something building on the current beach and thus creating a new beach further out.

Perhaps if the predictions of the doom-mongers should materialise and sea levels rise to phenomenal levels, then the current beach vegetation will be submerged and the eyesore will be no more.
I would seriously suggest that the presence in our town of 3 Britannia Hotel outlets could well influence the judgement of visitors who are, no doubt, the source of information that these surveys are based on.
Britannia have to be the "kiss of death" to any seaside town endeavouring to attract visitors. Our council and MP should be seeking legal advice in exploring all ways of how they can be hounded out of town.

Originally Posted by duncet

Perhaps if the predictions of the doom-mongers should materialise and sea levels rise to phenomenal levels, then the current beach vegetation will be submerged and the eyesore will be no more.
I would seriously suggest that the presence in our town of 3 Britannia Hotel outlets could well influence the judgement of visitors who are, no doubt, the source of information that these surveys are based on.
Britannia have to be the "kiss of death" to any seaside town endeavouring to attract visitors. Our council and MP should be seeking legal advice in exploring all ways of how they can be hounded out of town.

I think your username would be far more apt if you removed the letter t.

Originally Posted by condemnation

for 4 years ive been taking pics and video of them doing it> the ginger hair fat bint that parks her car in the car park by fairways round about she is 1 of the main ones, there is or was ive not been watching last year, a fella who comes puts food on the plants for the birds. when i first noticed it over 4 years ago there were loads of them planting

I'm pretty sure the issue of vegetation on the beach has been the subject of debate for a lot more than 4 years.
Do you think this "ginger hair fat bint" and the bird feeding fella are from the council seeing as it was the council you were blaming in your earlier post? Sounds more like a couple of bird watchers and I doubt they are entirely responsible for the extensive vegetation at Birkdale and Marshside.
But feel free to upload your pics and videos for us all to see.

Originally Posted by condemnation

The beach is being Destroyed by the people who have for many years been planting all the grasses/plants on the beach. question for the bellends from sefton council who are on this site why do you want to ruin the beach??

The beach has been going further and further out for centuries! If you look at Bankfield Lane in Churchtown along the edge of the Botanic Gardens, you’ll see what was once the sea wall.

It’s a process called Accretion and it’s a combination of the silt and sand washing down from the Mersey and Ribble coupled with the tidal action pushing the sand up from the Irish Sea.

The beach is still there, it’s just constantly moving further out.