WASHED UP
Our ‘horrific’ seaside town was dubbed WORST Britain has to offer – but there’s a key reason why critics have it wrong
View the other destinations the survey rated poorly below
BANGOR has been voted the UK's worst seaside town, but locals believe it is crucially misunderstood.
A Which? survey of nearly 5,000 members gave the Welsh town Bangor an overall destination score of just 42%.
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It received one-star ratings in the food and drink, tourist attractions, and shopping categories. Receiving two stars in the remainder of the categories, it was characterised as 'drab' and 'run down'.
Despite being located on the mainland side of the beautiful Menai Strait, the town has few amenities for people desiring a seaside holiday.
Other than its Grade II listed Victorian pier, the seafront is not geared towards tourism, even lacking a proper beach.
As well as this, the main high street has struggled in recent years, not helped by the competition of the local retail park located just out of town. The pandemic only exacerbated these difficulties, exemplified by the closure of Debenhams in 2021.
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The economic distress has resulted in reports of high street vacancies being appropriated as secret cannabis factories, leading to complaints of drug dealing around the city centre.
However, locals maintain that the survey is unfairly harsh on Bangor, especially since its characterisation as a seaside town is disputed.
With no beach or promenade - they think the critics have it all wrong.
Café owner Oliver Yates stated: "I wouldn’t call Bangor a seaside town. There’s no promenade."
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Local resident Jan Underwood agreed, telling the BBC: "I thought Bangor was getting a hard time again. We don't really consider it to be a seaside town. It's on the Straits, there isn't really a beach, but Bangor has lots of other things to offer."
"It's a university town. It's the hub for Anglesey, for Snowdonia, for the Llŷn Peninsula - it just isn't really a seaside town."
Bangor's ranking may therefore be a reflection more of the inaccuracy of categorising it as a seaside town than its actual merit as a holiday destination.
Indeed, the Which? survey itself acknowledges Bangor is a great base to explore the 'fabulous' North Wales scenery and coast. Just 35 miles away, fellow Gwynedd town Portmeirion scored 83% in the same survey to rank as the second best seaside town in the UK.
As well as its picturesque location so close to Eryri (Snowdonia National Park), Bangor has a number of sites of cultural and historical significance, including its Victorian pier.
Set to celebrate its 1,500-year anniversary in 2025, Bangor is the oldest city in Wales. The impressive Grade I listed St Deiniol’s Cathedral is nearly as old, having been founded in around 530.
Today, Bangor continues to act as a regional hub with the Storiel Gallery and Museum focusing on the preservation of knowledge about the impressive heritage of Gwynedd.
Further modern attractions include the Pontio Arts and Innovation Centre. Opened in 2015 by Bangor University, the venue includes both a theatre and a cinema, as well as other facilities.
The presence of the university means that the town always has a number of events taking place, despite only having a population of around 16,000.
Local resident Alwen Gwyn said to the BBC: "There's always something going on, but you have to look for it. It's not just the pier. It's all over Bangor. Music going on in the small venues, so there's definitely a community here that's trying to make a difference."
The combination of its idyllic setting and the university's invigorating social scene means that there is a sense of frustration around the town centre's failure to capitalise on these advantages.
Retired NHS manager Stephen Jones noted: "It seems run down. There’s nothing here. To think it’s a university city, you’d expect there would be more commerce here."
"The upside is the university is a fantastic building, the history, and there are the mountains of Snowdonia and Penrhyn castle just down the road. The centre is just abysmal really."
Mum-of-one Rachel Roberts agreed, stating: "There’s nothing here. There are nice walks and the pier but shop-wise there’s nothing. It’s drab and run down and generally dead on the high street."
There is reason for optimism, however. The ten-year agreement signed by the bakery Greggs for a unit at the Menai Centre potentially indicates a revival for the high street.
This is just the latest sign that the food scene is not as dire as the survey's one-star rating would suggest. Situated at the end of the pier, the Whistlestop cafe won in the traditional restaurant of the year category at the 2019 Welsh Food Awards.
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Bangor City Council said in a statement to the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "It’s disappointing to see Bangor City named as one of the UK's worst seaside towns. Such rankings often fail to capture the full picture and the unique charms that make Bangor City so special."
They did however admit the survey's results revealed areas in need of improvement and served as an opportunity to address these areas.
Which? survey's best and worst UK seaside towns
The best seaside towns in the UK:
- Bamburgh, Northumberland (86%)
- Portmeirion, Gwynedd (83%)
- St Andrews, Fife (82%)
- Tynemouth, North Tyneside (81%)
- St David's, Pembrokeshire (80%)
The worst seaside towns in the UK:
- Bangor, Gwynedd (42%)
- Mablethorpe, Lincolnshire (46%)
- Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset (47%)
- Bognor Regis, Sussex (47%)
- Skegness, Lincolnshire (48%)
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