Bognor Regis joint last in the Which? annual survey of Britain’s best seaside destination

The town received an overall score of 49 per cent, along with Skegness.

However the only category it was rate in was ‘scenery’ with a score of two stars.

In all the other categories there was a dash indicating the sample size was too small.

Skegness received ratings in all other categories.

Visitors to Bognor Regis found a ‘charming’ town with the best climate on the south coast.

Holidaymakers tipped the peaceful Pagham Harbour nature reserve and Hotham Park – a ‘little gem’ – while the flat promenade was praised for being accommodating to visitors with limited mobility.

The survey asked more than 4,300 visitors to rate coastal resorts they have visited across a range of categories including quality of beaches, seafront, tourist attractions, food and drink, scenery, peace and quiet and value for money.

A tiny village in Northumberland retained the title of Britain’s best seaside destination.

Bamburgh, with a population a little over 400, topped the charts with an overall destination score of 87 per cent.

Ranked number one in 2021, Bamburgh proved unbeatable once again for its sheer beauty, with its sweeping sandy beach overlooked by a clifftop castle described as ‘spectacular’ and ‘imposing’ by respondents.

Wales had three of the top six seaside towns, with budget-friendly Llandudno claiming second spot overall with a score of 86 per cent.

The town’s biggest draw is the Great Orme, a limestone headland which rises to nearly 700ft and boasts ‘incomparable’ views. Active visitors enjoyed lacing up their walking boots and hiking to the summit, while others opted to take the tram or open-sided cable car.

Llandudno has twin West and North Shore beaches and reasonably priced hotels – £95 a night on average, proving that for popular locations there’s no need to break the bank.

Third-placed St Andrews is the highest-ranked Scottish seaside destination with an 84 per cent score.

The city heaves with history, hosting Scotland’s oldest university, a world-famous golf course and a network of medieval streets to explore.

It’s one of three places that scored five stars for food and drink (alongside Padstow and Lytham St Annes) thanks to its variety of cafés and food shops.

Visitors said St Andrews ‘oozes golf’, while praising the university city’s ‘youthful vibe, quaint streets and historical sites, testament to its winning blend of sport, culture, sand and sea.

Dartmouth in Devon shows it doesn’t need a sprawling beach to attract visitors to the water: it scored five stars in the seafront category.

This propelled it to a destination score of 83 per cent and joint fourth place in the overall table along with Tenby.

The town in Pembrokeshire, west Wales, has a parade of pastel-coloured Georgian houses and a selection of five-star beaches, from the golden sweep of North Beach, peppered with rock pools and windbreaks, to Castle Beach tucked into a cove, or the smaller Harbour Beach.

The results shine a spotlight on the sheer quality of Britain’s coastline: 51 destinations scored an impressive 70 per cent overall or higher.

This included Folkestone in Kent which was the cheapest seaside destination at £63 per night.

Its destination score of 72 per cent makes it an appealing choice for travellers whose holiday budgets are tighter than usual this year due to the cost of living crisis.

Further down the table, Skegness, Bognor Regis, Southend-on-Sea, Great Yarmouth and Burnham-on-Sea made up the bottom five, with destination scores no better than 51 per cent.

Rory Boland, editor of Which? Travel, said: “The British seaside hasn’t boomed like this since the 1960s.

“Holidaymakers had such a fantastic time in their caravans, tents and beach lodges over the past two years that a coastal break on home shores is on the cards for many, even with restrictions on overseas travel lifted.

“Prices for a UK stay have increased, but there’s no need to pay over the odds.

“For a holiday on a budget it’s best to aim for an off-season trip.

“Head to one of the many well priced resorts with your bucket and spade, an empty stomach for the candyfloss and a pile of 2p coins and go make your fortune on the slots.”

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