Clacton-on-Sea, a traditional seaside resort on the Essex coast, has been named one of the UK's worst coastal towns by consumer champions Which?. The town scored just 48% in the organisation's rankings, placing it at the bottom of the list alongside Skegness.
Which? Survey Highlights Run-Down Seafront
According to Which?, visitors rated Clacton-on-Sea an average of three out of five stars for its beach, but were far less impressed with its seafront, which was described as 'run-down'. The town also received just one star for peace and quiet. Which? stated: 'They were rated an average three out of five stars for their beaches, but visitors were less impressed with their run-down seafronts - with Skegness mustering just one star in this category. Both were also rated just one star for peace and quiet.'
Despite the low ranking, Which? acknowledged that visitors commended the town's 'lovely' seafront gardens and its 'fantastic' annual airshow.
Tripadvisor Reviews Praise Clacton Beach
On Tripadvisor, Clacton-on-Sea's beach holds an impressive 4.3 out of five stars. Many reviewers have complimented the beach for its cleanliness, with some describing it as the 'jewel' of Essex. One reviewer from 2022 wrote: 'Clacton-on-sea has a lovely clean sandy beach with palm trees and is a great place to visit while on holiday or just a day out the kids will love it as there is so much to do.'
Another holidaymaker shared: 'It's sunny, has a sandy beach, there are patrol on hand in [an] emergency. People are coming [from] all over the place. Lots of attractions and places to eat and buy fish and chips and ice cream. The jewel of Essex.'
A third tourist applauded: 'Clacton on sea beach is beautiful clean, lovely bars, resturants, people are also friendly, [I] will definitely recommend to my friends and family and will come back soon.'
Mixed Visitor Experiences
Not all visitors left favourable impressions. One disgruntled reviewer wrote on TripAdvisor: 'Toilets are unbelievably bad. One of the gents closed due to vandalism. And another one saying no toilet paper will be supplied until further notice. Also can not wash hands as soap dispensers have been removed. Do the council just want to drive visitors away!'
Another remarked: '40 years ago we had family in Clacton and enjoyed many visits there, recently we came for a day and couldn't believe what a dump the town had turned into. Everywhere looked deprived, we came for the day in a campervan with no intention of staying overnight, but were banned from parking along the seafront. Went to Jaywick and was pleasantly surprised how much it has changed for the better.'
A third posted: 'Not much to do, I love the amusements but to be honest there is not much down there to do. The whole area is very shabby, tired, and rough, and will not return.'
Positive Reviews Highlight Family Appeal
Nevertheless, many visitors enjoyed their trip. One reviewer said: 'Really great family holiday area. has everything for a great family holiday. Great beaches on each side of a pier filled with amusements and fun rides. Right side of pier the beach is very shallow and great for children. Clacton is full of every kind of shops, countless restaurants and take away meals, delicious ice cream, chips , savoury food, doughnuts and even an old fashioned sea food stall. Very friendly people.'
Another added: 'Love this seaside town, great beaches, pier and a feeling of yesteryear and all the usual seaside fun of amusements, fish and chips and ice cream! The road train and seeing mods of mopeds is fun too ! Very lovely vibe on a sunny day and lots of things to see and do!'
Clacton-on-Sea remains an affordable seaside resort with a pleasure pier, amusement arcades, and a sandy beach, appealing to families seeking a traditional British seaside experience.
