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SKEGMESS

Britain’s best and worst beaches ranked as St Mawes in Cornwall tops list but it’s bad news for Skegness

ICONIC British resorts lost out to lesser-known destinations in a list of the best and worst seaside destinations.

Tiny St Mawes in Cornwall - with a population of just 1,000 - came top of ratings by consumer group Which?.

St Mawes in Cornwall was voted Britain's best beach
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St Mawes in Cornwall was voted Britain's best beachCredit: Alamy
Skegness, home of the iconic original Butlin’s, got only a 44 per cent rating
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Skegness, home of the iconic original Butlin’s, got only a 44 per cent ratingCredit: PA:Press Association

It topped more recognised holiday destinations with with an 85 per cent customer approval rating.

But it was bad news for Skegness, home of the iconic original Butlin’s, which was bottom of the rankings with just 44 per cent.

Some even said the Lincolnshire town was “to be avoided”.

Popular hotspots Great Yarmouth, on 48 per cent, and Blackpool, 53 per cent, were also near the bottom of the list.

Clacton-on-Sea in Essex, Bognor Regis, West Sussex, and Morecambe, Lancs, made the bottom 10.

Meanwhile Dartmouth, Devon, one of the better known destinations in the Which? top 10, was second in the top 10 with 84 per cent.

Southwold and Aldeburgh in Suffolk and Bamburgh in Northumberland rounded out the top five.

Visitors to St Mawes recommended getting the ferry across to Falmouth, pictured
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Visitors to St Mawes recommended getting the ferry across to Falmouth, picturedCredit: Alamy
On the Welsh coast, Llandudno beach recieved an 80% rating
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On the Welsh coast, Llandudno beach recieved an 80% ratingCredit: Reuters
Llandudno in North Wales received great ratings for scenery and value for money
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Llandudno in North Wales received great ratings for scenery and value for moneyCredit: Alamy
An unexpected contender in the Which? top 10 was Tynemouth, near Newcastle
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An unexpected contender in the Which? top 10 was Tynemouth, near NewcastleCredit: Alamy

As the holiday season begins with lockdown restrictions easing, many families are looking to stay in the UK but keen to steer clear of bustling resorts.

St Mawes, in Cornwall earned a full five stars for its scenery, seafront and peace and quiet – and a glowing overall customer score of 85 per cent.

Those who visited St Mawes recommended eating crab baguettes at Mr Scorse’s deli and spotting dolphins on the ferry to Falmouth, but admitted that avoiding peak season was the best way to dodge the crowds.

The survey - carried out before the coronavirus lockdown - shows British holidaymakers favour peace and quiet over crowds, crazy golf and roller coasters.

BRITAIN'S TOP 10 BEACHES

  1. St Mawes, Cornwall
  2. Dartmouth, Devon
  3. Southwold, Suffolk
  4. Aldeburgh, Suffolk
  5. Bamburgh, Northumberland
  6. Blakeney, Norfolk
  7. St Andrews, Fife
  8. Saint Davids, Pembrokeshire
  9. Tynemouth, Tyne and Wear
  10. Beer, Devon
One visitor summed up Bamburgh, pictured, as 'one of the UK's top-secret locations'
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One visitor summed up Bamburgh, pictured, as 'one of the UK's top-secret locations'Credit: Alamy
The view from Whitesands Bay to Carn Llidi near St Davids is breathtaking
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The view from Whitesands Bay to Carn Llidi near St Davids is breathtakingCredit: Alamy

It also highlights quieter beaches, bars and restaurants that travellers can visit this summer.

Which? assessed a range of factors including food and drink, seafront, beach, value for money and peace and quiet.

Coastal Suffolk had two entries in the top five, with both Southwold (84%) and Aldeburgh (83%) scoring top marks for scenery and peace and quiet.

BRITAIN'S WORST 10 BEACHES

  1. Skegness, Lincolnshire
  2. Great Yarmouth, Norfolk
  3. Clacton-on-Sea, Essex
  4. Bognor Regis, West Sussex
  5. Marblethorpe, Lincolnshire
  6. Blackpool, Lancashire
  7. Littlehampton, West Sussex
  8. Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire
  9. Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset
  10. Morecambe, Lancashire
St Davids on the Welsh coast received an 81% rating
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St Davids on the Welsh coast received an 81% ratingCredit: Getty - Contributor
The stunning view of Bamburgh Castle from Wynding beach in Northumberland
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The stunning view of Bamburgh Castle from Wynding beach in Northumberland Credit: Alamy
Iconic seaside resorts Blackpool only received a 53% rating this year
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Iconic seaside resorts Blackpool only received a 53% rating this yearCredit: Alamy

Visitors highlighted the great food and drink on offer in Southwold - earning a whopping five stars in this category.

Bamburgh in Northumberland (83%), which topped last year’s rankings, is still a favourite with visitors this year. It was rated a full five stars in almost every category.

St Andrews (81%), home of Scotland’s oldest university, also made it into the top 10, with a full five stars for food and drink, beautiful views and its attractions, including the world-renowned golf course

On the Welsh coast, St Davids (81%), Llandudno (80%), Tenby (79%) and Conwy (78%) all scored highly, with great ratings for scenery and value for money.

Despite the Victorian-era pier on Brighton Beach, it did not fare so well in ratings
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Despite the Victorian-era pier on Brighton Beach, it did not fare so well in ratingsCredit: PA:Press Association
Classic seaside resort Great Yarmouth was also snubbed by lesser-known beaches in the ratings
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Classic seaside resort Great Yarmouth was also snubbed by lesser-known beaches in the ratingsCredit: Getty Images - Getty
Great Yarmouth in Norfolk is home to Britannia Pier and seafront
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Great Yarmouth in Norfolk is home to Britannia Pier and seafrontCredit: Alamy
Clacton-on-sea, home to Clacton Pier only scored 48%
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Clacton-on-sea, home to Clacton Pier only scored 48%Credit: Alamy
Despite busy crowds, Bognor Regis was one of the less popular beaches with punters
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Despite busy crowds, Bognor Regis was one of the less popular beaches with puntersCredit: Getty Images - Getty

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Rory Boland, Which? Travel Editor said: “Whether that’s hitting the waves in Tynemouth or camping in Criccieth, there are good options for those of us keen to keep our distance from the crowds this year but still want to combine stunning scenery with sumptuous seafood.

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"Don’t forget, if you book your hotel or accommodation direct and over the phone, you may even get a discount or free bottle of bubbly thrown in.”

The results are based on an online survey of 4,146 members of the Which? Connect panel, who told Which? about their recent seaside town experiences.

Bognor Regis beach pictured from the pier
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Bognor Regis beach pictured from the pierCredit: Getty - Contributor
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