Rhyl beach in north Wales continues to hold its place as the worst-rated beach in the British Isles, with recent TripAdvisor reviews echoing criticisms first levelled in 2023 and urging visitors to choose other destinations.
Ongoing Criticism of Rhyl's Seafront
In 2023, locals reacted with anger after The Telegraph's seaside gentrification index placed Rhyl beach at the bottom of its rankings for the British Isles. The index, the only one produced since that year, scored beaches out of 100, and Rhyl managed just 5 percent.
The resort's pier was demolished in 1973, a significant setback, and British coastal destinations have struggled against competition from budget flights and all-inclusive holidays abroad in recent years.
Visitors Describe Deterioration
Recent reviews on TripAdvisor show little improvement. One visitor wrote: "The town itself is of a dump, a lot of boarded up shops. More happy to go in one of the pubs or arcade. Would rather go back into Towyn and spend my money than this place. Marine lake was an absolute eyesore overgrown and run down."
Another reviewer commented: "The whole place is scruffy. Trip advisor shows lovely resteraunts and cafes but these pictures are misleading. One street back from the high street the bins are over flowing and buildings are very run down/in disrepair. There must be a refuse collection problem because most business bins are on display and over flowing. I saw my first dedicated rat in the middle of the high street just outside KFC."
Mixed Feedback on the Beach Itself
A third reviewer expressed disbelief: "People go here on holiday or day trips? For what? Honestly shocked this is even rated as a seaside destination! There is nothing there. Two arcades and about three shops on the seafront, the beach was lovely and clean but that’s about the only positive. Left after an hour and paying £5 parking! The car park stunk of wee and was in a shocking state."
Earlier reviews were equally harsh. One from earlier this month stated: "We went to Rhyl last Sunday. What a dump of a place with sand over the promenade making it impassable for able-bodied persons so disabled people have no chance." Another remarked: "The public toilets are permanently closed and have been so since the summer of 2023. This is disgraceful. Many empty shops and boarded-up premises. Don't bother going it is not worth it."
One review, headlined "Filthy place," declared: "Took the kids there and left after 20 minutes, disgusting, dirty place, I felt like I wanted to sanitise my hands with acid after going there and have felt nauseous since I got home. I can't fathom why anyone would go there on holiday it's the worst place I have ever been and being from Wales I'm ashamed that it is a part of Wales, the whole place needs knocking down and rebuilding, the cafes I wouldn't risk my health eating at and the carpets in the arcade looked like something out of the 50s my feet were sticking to them. Absolutely vile."
A review from April last year claimed the sea was full of "effluent," while another called it the "last place you want to visit." These latest reviews suggest the resort's reputation has not recovered in the three years since the index was published.
