Bognor Regis named UK's worst seaside town in Which? national survey - but what do locals have to say?

The West Sussex town received just one star for its seafront, food and drink, tourist attractions, scenery, shopping, parking, peace and quiet and value for money, according to the Which? survey. Respondents said the town felt ‘dirty’, ‘run-down’ and ‘depressing’, that it had ‘forgotten it was next to the sea’, in a scathing reflection on the historic beach resort’s lack of facilities and attractions.

Grouped up with famous names like Bangor in Wales, Southend and Clacton, some respondents praised the look of the seafront lights at night, while more than one said that, with investment, the town could return to its glory days.

For locals, business owners and visitors, things are a little more complicated. “Bognor is more than Bognor,” said Jason Passingham, owner of Heygates Bookshop – an award winning secondhand bookshop built into the town’s grade II-listed railway station.

"If you want to ask ‘do families come here and enjoy themselves?’ the answer is yes. Bognor Regis is a lovely traditional seaside town in and of itself, but we are also a great launching pad to explore other areas. You can use Bognor as your base, and from there you can go to Arundel, you can go to Worthing, or Chichester. There’s so much around this area – you’re just spoilt for choice.”

Another local, whose lived in Bognor for the last 20 years, had similar things to say. For her, Bognor’s bad rap gets in its own way. “We’ve been to other places, and I think Bognor has similar issues to a lot of seaside towns; we’re really no different.”

"We’ve quite a good community here. There’s a lot in Bognor for people who are vulnerable. And that’s a good thing. There’s My Sister’s House, there’s Grandad’s Front Room, there are all these places where people can turn for support, and I think that sense of community spirit is good.”

But it’s not all rave reviews. Two visitors returning to Bognor Regis after a gap of some thirty years said the seaside town wants for a sense of atmosphere and place suggesting that, despite its holiday-resort chops, there simply isn’t much to pull the punters in.

"My husband came here years ago as a child, so our visit is about coming back down memory lane,” they said. “But we wouldn’t feel the need to come back here again. Why would we, in a way? there just isn’t much special about it. It just doesn’t feel particularly attractive, and we’re really sorry to say it.

"We found the museum really interesting – that was lovely – but there’s nothing else here that we think we particularly want to come back for.”

Issuing a passionate defence of the town just last week, a spokesperson for Arun District Council said Bognor’s reputation is ultimately a matter of perspective, writing: “Yes, like many seaside towns, Bognor faces its share of challenges. But what sets it apart is the strong sense of community and the genuine effort being made to improve and evolve. The town is full of people who care-who volunteer, support local events, and welcome visitors with open arms.”