Sussex town among UK’s best seaside destinations

But the research from Which? wasn’t good reading for all of the county’s resorts

Rye is among the best seaside holiday destinations in the UK, according to research from consumer group Which?

The East Sussex town finished seventh of the 126 locations surveyed, and fourth out of all resorts in England, with a score of 79%.

It took four stars out of a possible five for its value for money, food and drink, tourist attractions and scenery, and three stars for its shopping, parking and peace and quiet.

Rye was the only Sussex destination in the top 20, with the report making less pleasant reading for other places in the county.

Bognor Regis placed fourth-from-bottom with a total score of just 47%, down from 54% last year.

Those questioned as part of the survey gave Bognor Regis just one star of a possible five for its seafront and shopping opportunities.

It got two stars for its beaches, value for money, food and drink, tourist attractions, scenery and peace and quiet, and three stars for its parking.

Brighton took a score of 63%, while Worthing was the best-rated place in West Sussex with a score of 62%.

The Northumberland seaside village of Bamburgh topped the poll for the fourth consecutive year, scoring 86% and receiving the maximum 5 stars for its beaches, seafront, peace and quiet, tourist attractions and scenery.

It was followed by Portmeirion in Gwynedd, St Andrews, Tynemouth, Fife and Derry/Londonderry in Northern Ireland.

Bangor in Gwynedd took last place with a destination score of 42 per cent, followed by Mablethorpe in Lincolnshire with a score of 46 per cent.

Though they received lower scores than their competitors, travellers nonetheless found plenty to recommend in these seaside resorts.

Multiple visitors remarked on Bangor’s “wonderful pier” and noted that while the town has suffered from shop closures in the town centre, it has some “really good restaurants” and “excellent amenities”.

They also recommended it as a base for exploring the local area, including Snowdonia National Park.

Rory Boland, editor of magazine Which? Travel, said:

“From wild, unspoilt stretches of remote coastline to charming traditional bucket and spade resorts, the UK’s seaside towns offer something for everyone.

“While you may have your own favourite coastal spot, this year’s survey shows that it’s worth looking beyond the most famous resorts this summer, to the lesser-visited hidden gems in every corner of the UK.”

Here’s how resorts across Sussex fared:

79% – Rye

67% – Eastbourne

63% – Brighton

62% – Worthing

55% – Littlehampton

47% – Bognor Regis

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