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Scottish Sun
31-07-2025
- Scottish Sun
Wailing tourists brand our UK seaside resort ‘grim and filthy' but they're WRONG – we have the best beach in England
Scroll down to read the list of the worst seaside towns in the UK BEACH PLEASE Wailing tourists brand our UK seaside resort 'grim and filthy' but they're WRONG – we have the best beach in England Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) LOCALS in a UK seaside town ranked one of the worst in the country have hit back at critics. Defending their home, residents blamed tourists for the "grim and filthy" appearance. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 Mablethorpe in Lincolnshire was ranked the second worst seaside resort in the UK (stock image) Credit: Getty Mablethorpe, in Lincolnshire, was named the second-worst seaside town in the UK in the latest Which? rankings. While the long-established tourist destination scored just 46%, locals have insisted this is an unfair rating. Insisting that this is not a true reflection of life in the seaside town, Mablethorpe residents claimed that visitors are at least partly to blame for litter and dog poo on the beach. Award-winning beach Locals added that the area has changed for the better, citing the "award-winning" beach as one of the main draws. 'It's lovely, an enormous, clean beach and traditional atmosphere," one resident said. Popular seaside cafes, along with the funky Aqua Park are also popular with locals and tourists alike. Carl Tebbutt, town mayor of Mablethorpe and Sutton on Sea, spoke to the Express about what the area has to offer. "It's a traditional seaside resort," said the 70-year-old, who has lived in the town since 1975. "We've certainly got the best beaches on the east coast, if not the best beaches in the country." And as well as the golden beach, Mablethorpe is described as an affordable getaway, with a number of highly-rated restaurants, bars, and pubs. Look around historic 200-year-old lido with stunning seaside views abandoned for decades Despite this, the area scored just two stars for value for money, peace and quiet, and its seafront. And it was only awarded one star for food and drink, tourist attractions, and shopping, for the second consecutive year. Despite this, Sun readers said the town is home to their favourite "North East Seaside Eats", loving the beach bar in a boat to the pirate-themed fish and chip shop. The harsh Which? ranking comes after a tourist on TripAdvisor claimed the beach in Mablethorpe is "strewn with dog muck". However, the mayor quashed these claims, explaining that "the main beaches are dog-free". The 10 worst seaside towns in the UK Which? ranked the 10 worst seaside resorts across the UK. Bangor, Gwynedd Mablethorpe, Lincolnshire Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset Bognor Regis, West Sussex Skegness, Lincolnshire Clacton-on-Sea, Essex Blackpool, Lancashire Great Yarmouth, Norfolk Fleetwood, Lancashire Southend-On-Sea, Essex "I'm not sure where the claims of dog poo come from? Dogs are banned from all of the main beaches in the summer," he said. Local reaction Meanwhile, another resident described Mablethorpe as a "pleasure to live". "I personally think that Mablethorpe is fantastic," he said. "We have one of the best beaches - miles and miles of sand. "The beaches on the whole are clean - if there is litter or dog mess it's left by holidaymakers who are just not respecting the beach for others." Affordable tourist destination He also praised the town's affordablity, saying there are "decent prices for stuff". The town's mayor agreed that it is a very affordable place to visit, unlike other seaside resorts across the UK. According to him, pints are on sale for just £3 in some pubs in the town. "It's a very cheap place to visit as well," he explained. "I've visited most seaside resorts in the country and our prices compare very favourably with what you would pay elsewhere. "When you compare our prices to Margate or Scarborough, or any of the other major places, it's very cheap to visit. "There's a lot of nice bars and you can still buy a pint up here for £3 which you can't elsewhere." He added that the town also has "two great Italian restaurants, Chinese food, and your traditional fish and chip places". "We've got something for everybody really," he said. He also praised locals for taking pride in the area and making an effort to keep it clean. "We have a really good volunteer organisation called Sutton Beach Care who pick up five or six bags of litter in a day," he revealed. "And I don't mean carrier bags, I'm talking about bin bags. It's the people that come to Mablethorpe and don't really care about the town." Another town resident agreed that Mablethorpe is home to the "best beach in the country". "Mablethorpe may be a bit run down in places and like most places in need of investment," she said. "But we have the best beach in the country. The town has many small businesses and has escaped the mass influx of fast food chains and multinational shops." She addded that there has also been "a large investment in building the new sports hall and swimming pool, plus the nature reserve at Sandilands and the completion of the coastal path, along with other local projects."
The Irish Sun
31-07-2025
- The Irish Sun
Wailing tourists brand our UK seaside resort ‘grim and filthy' but they're WRONG – we have the best beach in England
LOCALS in a UK seaside town ranked one of the worst in the country have hit back at critics. Defending their home, residents blamed tourists for the "grim and filthy" appearance. 2 Mablethorpe in Lincolnshire was ranked the second worst seaside resort in the UK (stock image) Credit: Getty Mablethorpe, in Lincolnshire, was named the While the Insisting that this is not a true reflection of life in the seaside town, Mablethorpe residents claimed that visitors are at least partly to blame for litter and dog poo on the beach. Award-winning beach Locals added that the area has changed for the better, citing the Read More On Seaside Towns 'It's lovely, an enormous, clean beach and traditional atmosphere," one resident said. Popular seaside cafes, along with the funky Aqua Park are also popular with locals and tourists alike. Carl Tebbutt, town mayor of Mablethorpe and Sutton on Sea, spoke to the "It's a traditional seaside resort," said the 70-year-old, who has lived in the town since 1975. Most read in News Travel "We've certainly got the best beaches on the east coast, if not the best beaches in the country." And as well as the golden beach, Mablethorpe is described as an affordable getaway, with a number of highly-rated restaurants, bars, and pubs. Look around historic 200-year-old lido with stunning seaside views abandoned for decades Despite this, the area scored just two stars for value for money, peace and quiet, and its seafront. And it was only awarded one star for food and drink, tourist attractions, and shopping, for the Despite this, Sun readers said the town is home to their favourite "North East Seaside Eats", loving the The harsh Which? ranking comes after a tourist on TripAdvisor claimed the beach in Mablethorpe is "strewn with dog muck". However, the mayor quashed these claims, explaining that "the main beaches are dog-free". The 10 worst seaside towns in the UK Which? ranked the 10 worst seaside resorts across the UK. Bangor, Gwynedd Mablethorpe, Lincolnshire Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset Bognor Regis, West Sussex Skegness, Lincolnshire Clacton-on-Sea, Essex Blackpool, Lancashire Great Yarmouth, Norfolk Fleetwood, Lancashire Southend-On-Sea, Essex "I'm not sure where the claims of dog poo come from? Dogs are banned from all of the main beaches in the summer," he said. Local reaction Meanwhile, another resident described Mablethorpe as a "pleasure to live". "I personally think that Mablethorpe is fantastic," he said. "We have one of the best beaches - miles and miles of sand. "The beaches on the whole are clean - if there is litter or dog mess it's left by holidaymakers who are just not respecting the beach for others." Affordable tourist destination He also praised the town's affordablity, saying there are "decent prices for stuff". The town's mayor agreed that it is a very affordable place to visit, unlike other seaside resorts across the UK. According to him, pints are on sale for just £3 in some pubs in the town. "It's a very cheap place to visit as well," he explained. "I've visited most seaside resorts in the country and our prices compare very favourably with what you would pay elsewhere. "When you compare our prices to Margate or Scarborough, or any of the other major places, it's very cheap to visit. "There's a lot of nice bars and you can still buy a pint up here for £3 which you can't elsewhere." He added that the town also has "two great Italian restaurants, Chinese food, and your traditional fish and chip places". "We've got something for everybody really," he said. He also praised locals for taking pride in the area and making an effort to keep it clean. "We have a really good volunteer organisation called Sutton Beach Care who pick up five or six bags of litter in a day," he revealed. "And I don't mean carrier bags, I'm talking about bin bags. It's the people that come to Mablethorpe and don't really care about the town." Another town resident agreed that Mablethorpe is home to the "best beach in the country". "Mablethorpe may be a bit run down in places and like most places in need of investment," she said. "But we have the best beach in the country. The town has many small businesses and has escaped the mass influx of fast food chains and multinational shops." She addded that there has also been "a large investment in building the new sports hall and swimming pool, plus the nature reserve at Sandilands and the completion of the coastal path, along with other local projects." 2 Locals described the golden sands at Mablethorpe as the 'best beach in the country' (stock image) Credit: Getty
The Sun
31-07-2025
- The Sun
Wailing tourists brand our UK seaside resort ‘grim and filthy' but they're WRONG – we have the best beach in England
LOCALS in a UK seaside town ranked one of the worst in the country have hit back at critics. Defending their home, residents blamed tourists for the "grim and filthy" appearance. 2 Mablethorpe, in Lincolnshire, was named the second-worst seaside town in the UK in the latest Which? rankings. While the long-established tourist destination scored just 46%, locals have insisted this is an unfair rating. Insisting that this is not a true reflection of life in the seaside town, Mablethorpe residents claimed that visitors are at least partly to blame for litter and dog poo on the beach. Award-winning beach Locals added that the area has changed for the better, citing the "award-winning" beach as one of the main draws. 'It's lovely, an enormous, clean beach and traditional atmosphere," one resident said. Popular seaside cafes, along with the funky Aqua Park are also popular with locals and tourists alike. Carl Tebbutt, town mayor of Mablethorpe and Sutton on Sea, spoke to the Express about what the area has to offer. "It's a traditional seaside resort," said the 70-year-old, who has lived in the town since 1975. "We've certainly got the best beaches on the east coast, if not the best beaches in the country." And as well as the golden beach, Mablethorpe is described as an affordable getaway, with a number of highly-rated restaurants, bars, and pubs. Look around historic 200-year-old lido with stunning seaside views abandoned for decades Despite this, the area scored just two stars for value for money, peace and quiet, and its seafront. And it was only awarded one star for food and drink, tourist attractions, and shopping, for the second consecutive year. Despite this, Sun readers said the town is home to their favourite "North East Seaside Eats", loving the beach bar in a boat to the pirate-themed fish and chip shop. The harsh Which? ranking comes after a tourist on TripAdvisor claimed the beach in Mablethorpe is "strewn with dog muck". However, the mayor quashed these claims, explaining that "the main beaches are dog-free". "I'm not sure where the claims of dog poo come from? Dogs are banned from all of the main beaches in the summer," he said. Local reaction Meanwhile, another resident described Mablethorpe as a "pleasure to live". "I personally think that Mablethorpe is fantastic," he said. "We have one of the best beaches - miles and miles of sand. "The beaches on the whole are clean - if there is litter or dog mess it's left by holidaymakers who are just not respecting the beach for others." Affordable tourist destination He also praised the town's affordablity, saying there are "decent prices for stuff". The town's mayor agreed that it is a very affordable place to visit, unlike other seaside resorts across the UK. According to him, pints are on sale for just £3 in some pubs in the town. "It's a very cheap place to visit as well," he explained. "I've visited most seaside resorts in the country and our prices compare very favourably with what you would pay elsewhere. "When you compare our prices to Margate or Scarborough, or any of the other major places, it's very cheap to visit. "There's a lot of nice bars and you can still buy a pint up here for £3 which you can't elsewhere." He added that the town also has "two great Italian restaurants, Chinese food, and your traditional fish and chip places". "We've got something for everybody really," he said. He also praised locals for taking pride in the area and making an effort to keep it clean. "We have a really good volunteer organisation called Sutton Beach Care who pick up five or six bags of litter in a day," he revealed. "And I don't mean carrier bags, I'm talking about bin bags. It's the people that come to Mablethorpe and don't really care about the town." Another town resident agreed that Mablethorpe is home to the "best beach in the country". "Mablethorpe may be a bit run down in places and like most places in need of investment," she said. "But we have the best beach in the country. The town has many small businesses and has escaped the mass influx of fast food chains and multinational shops." She addded that there has also been "a large investment in building the new sports hall and swimming pool, plus the nature reserve at Sandilands and the completion of the coastal path, along with other local projects." 2
Daily Mirror
30-07-2025
- Daily Mirror
Locals rush to defence of UK seaside town after tourists claim it's 'grim and filthy'
Mablethorpe in Lincolnshire was ranked as the second-worst UK seaside town in the latest Which? rankings - but locals have come out in defence of their home Residents of a UK coastal town labelled "grim" and "filthy" by holidaymakers have fought back, defending their home which was ranked as the second-worst seaside town in a recent report published by Which?, arguing that visitors contribute to the litter and dog mess on the beach. Mablethorpe, located in Lincolnshire, only managed a 46% score in the rankings, yet locals maintain that this does not accurately reflect life in the town and assert that the area has improved. Carl Tebbutt, the town mayor of Mablethorpe and Sutton on Sea, from the Conservative party, who has resided in the region since 1975, said that the town is a classic seaside resort with one of the finest beaches in Britain. Besides its golden sands, Mablethorpe offers affordability and boasts numerous top-rated eateries, bars and pubs. "It's a traditional seaside resort," Mr Tebbutt, aged 70, remarked. "We've certainly got the best beaches on the east coast, if not the best beaches in the country." It comes after news that an abandoned UK Butlin's site is now seaside town's 'hell hole' hotel. Contradicting a tourist's TripAdvisor complaint about the beach being "strewn with dog muck", the mayor refuted these allegations, reports the Express. He expressed: "The main beaches are dog-free, so I'm not sure where the claims of dog poo come from? Dogs are banned from all of the main beaches in the summer." Neil Jonathan also expressed his contentment living in Mablethorpe, praising the beach as a key draw and pointing the finger at tourists for any rubbish left behind. "I personally think that Mablethorpe is fantastic. We have one of the best beaches - miles and miles of sand," he said. "The beaches on the whole are clean - if there is litter or dog mess it's left by holidaymakers who are just not respecting the beach for others. Decent prices for stuff, a pleasure to live here." On the subject of affordability in Mablethorpe, Mr Tebbutt concurs that it's a bargain destination compared to other UK seaside spots. He points out that some local pubs even offer pints for as little as £3. "It's a very cheap place to visit as well," he elaborated. "I've visited most seaside resorts in the country and our prices compare very favourably with what you would pay elsewhere." He made comparisons with other popular coastal towns, noting: "When you compare our prices to Margate or Scarborough, or any of the other major places, it's very cheap to visit. There's a lot of nice bars and you can still buy a pint up here for £3 which you can't elsewhere." Mr Tebbutt also highlights the variety of dining options available: "We've got two great Italian restaurants, Chinese food, and your traditional fish and chip places. We've got something for everybody really." He acknowledged that tourists often contribute to the litter problem in Mablethorpe but praises the efforts of local volunteers in keeping the area tidy. "We have a really good volunteer organisation called Sutton Beach Care who pick up five or six bags of litter in a day. And I don't mean carrier bags, I'm talking about bin bags. It's the people that come to Mablethorpe and don't really care about the town," he added. Local Karen Ball is also full of praise for Mablethorpe, claiming it boasts the "best beach in the country". She lauds additional local gems such as the Sandilands Nature Reserve. Mrs Ball remarked: "Mablethorpe may be a bit run down in places and like most places in need of investment. But we have the best beach in the country. The town has many small businesses and has escaped the mass influx of fast food chains and multinational shops. "There has been a large investment in building the new sports hall and swimming pool, plus the nature reserve at Sandilands and the completion of the coastal path, along with other local projects." Mr Tebbutt believes the National Trust reserve is a magnet for visitors to Mablethorpe. The coastal path, known for its breathtaking sea views, also draws numerous tourists. "I've lived here 50 years and we've changed our offer a lot recently," he said. "Over the years we've changed and we've now got a National Trust nature reserve. We also attract a lot of walkers to the amazing coastal path." Residents Paula Share and Sandra Cant are both Mablethorpe enthusiasts. Mrs Share is fond of the town's "traditional features", while Mrs Cant expresses she has "never been so happy" as when living in Mablethorpe. "We live in Mablethorpe and we love it," Mrs Share said. "We have the best beautiful beach all year round, love having the holiday makers and seeing our beach busy. Mablethorpe has kept many old-fashioned features, which is also lovely for young and old. The best memories are made here for many past and present". Mrs Cant added: "We moved here a year ago and we absolutely love it. We have never been so happy. We have visited Mablethope for over 20 years. This town is doing far better then many many others. We love it here." Former visitors have also alleged that Mablethorpe suffers from antisocial behaviour problems. One visitor complained about "smashed glass" and "tissues galore" littering the town, whilst another declared "the people there made me ashamed to be British." Nevertheless, Mr Tebbutt maintains that Mablethorpe faces similar challenges to other coastal resorts nationwide. He praised the local constabulary for their efforts in tackling criminal activity. "I think every seaside resort has issues. But I don't think we suffer any worse than anywhere else in the UK," he said. "We've had problems here in the past but it's not as noticeable as other places like Blackpool. "The police do a great job here. They have a real presence in the town and cope with areas of anti-social behaviour." Edith Humphreys, another local resident, encourages tourists to experience Mablethorpe for themselves. She guarantees they won't regret their visit. "Why don't you just come to Mablethorpe yourself and spend the day? You won't be disappointed." She further stated: "I live here and after living all over the UK it is a lovely place to live."
