Are there any decent, liveable seaside towns in UK which aren’t silly expensive or horribly rundown?

[Moidershewrote]

Basically that - DH and I would really like to relocate with our 2 primary aged kids to live by the sea (near a sandy beach) in either England or Wales - ideally we’d like a half decent primary / secondary schools, friendly community feel with clubs / kids activities etc and not run down/full of pound shops etc and access to train station within approx 5 miles and local buses would be great. We’d love to live somewhere that is walking distance of a beach.

It feels like we’ve looked into so many places and for one reason or another we end up discounting it - usually because either schools seem crap or no train station or no community feel.

Places we’ve immediately rejected are:

• Kent (grammar schools / Kent test)


• Brighton (too expensive / pebble beach)


• Portsmouth/S’ton/Plymouth (too big / towny feel)


• Essex/Somerset coastline (not the right vibe for us)


• E/W Sussex (not sandy😆)

Would love to hear any personal recommendations from people who have moved to another coastal town with kids / or live in one and think it’s brilliant (and why)🙏 We do love Devon, Dorset, Anglia.. Would consider Wales, or NW/NE England.

Adding name to the North East suggestion. Northumberland has some beautiful places.

We absolutely love it here. Don't live right on the coast but only about a 10 min drive to nearest but there are miles and miles of coastline up here.

We recently did this move and it has been the best thing we’ve done. Good luck with your search!

Leigh-on-sea fits all of your criteria.

Sheringham in Norfolk. Lovely beach with lifeguards, train station and a great new skate park 🙂

The beach is mixed...pebbles very close to shore but sandy very quickly as well. We love it there.

Bournemouth, Christchurch, Barton-on Sea, Southbourne. All along a huge stretch of sandy beach.

@watermelonlipbalm I spent loads of time in Lancaster as a child. As an adult I can't understand why Morcambe isnt doing better - amazing view if the lakes, lovely architecture, beach. I hope the Eden project lifts it.

Has anyone mentioned the Wirral? Meols/Hoylake, Leasowe, Wallasey at the end of the peninsular are lovely. There are regular trains to Liverpool and Chester.

True, this is possible in some locations. I knew someone where she had a private path from her own property right on to a beautiful stretch of beach.

Ah well nevermind. Scotland has been discounted🤷

It’s like the house from Friday Night Dinner!

Scarborough or Lytham St Anne’s

I grew up in Southend, but I do recommend Leigh-on-Sea.

josephjohnson, Bournemouth and Poole are a grammar/secondary modern system. Bournemouth town centre is quite run down. There is also a pretty substantial problem with homelessness.
There are big drugs issues but also county line problems too.
And that's before you look at the horrendous traffic congestion and the fact that BCP council are likely the most corrupt in the UK. Oh and housing is pretty expensive...... otherwise it's okay.

westcountryvoices.co.uk/is-bcp-the-most-corruptible-council-in-england/

www.google.com/amp/s/uk.news.yahoo.com/amphtml/bournemouth-named-one-worlds-most-074816009.html

www.itv.com/news/meridian/2022-04-21/large-amount-of-class-a-drugs-seized-as-police-target-drug-gangs

I was going to suggest Gorleston! Love the beach there.
Also, Suffolk coast is lovely - Aldeburgh and Southwold perhaps?

I live in Sidmouth but have a car so the public transport is rarely an issue for me. I live within walking distance of the beach and spent the day there yesterday, a lovely free day out. We moved here a few years ago, from another seaside town in Devon which has also been mentioned on this thread. What I like about Sidmouth is that there is lots to do within the town so I don't have to use my car much.

Was going to suggest Ainsdale, but I think Crosby/Formby would be better as closer to Liverpool

We occasionally paddle boards on that creek. Agree its a great area.

We are in Locksheath. We can be on a beach in 10/15 mins. Not touristy areas, so all the benefits of being near the cost but without the cons that come with being in an actual seaside town.

I grew up in the area and believe me, Southport (the town centre) is a sad shadow of what it used to be. I go back regularly and while I can see that, yes, efforts are being made now to halt the decline, it’s very upsetting to see.

Sorry, this will mean something only to locals but I remember when Chapel Street was a proper road, not a hideous shabby pedestrianised wasteland; when Tulketh St had proper shops instead of being cut off and forced to die; when the market hall was a proper market with great local food suppliers and fantastic fruit, veg, meat, cheese etc. All blighted by terrible planning decisions. Yes, Covid and Brexit have done their bit but it’s been driven into the ground for years and years.

If they’d decided to promote Southport as an elegant Victorian heritage seaside resort and cared properly for eg Lord Street, which has some truly stunning architecture, then its nickname of ‘the Paris of the North’ could have been worn as a badge of pride.

Rant over, and apologies to you, OP! There are however some beautiful houses outside the town centre eg by Hesketh Park.

Swanage

www.timeout.com/uk/news/these-are-the-hottest-seaside-destinations-in-the-uk-for-2022-according-to-airbnb-080822?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&cid=%7Elondon%7Enatsoc%7Efacebook%7Eechobox#Echobox=1660050528

I might be wrong OP but I suspect you actually want 'the vibe ' of the silly expensive places (and I don't blame you) but without the price tag and there really are very very few places, especially if you add in a sandy beach - unless you are prepared to go to wales, Scotland , north west or north east --

Kent is now known as Brexit land.

By whom?
I would guess Leave voters calling it that now think they're living in the sunlit uplands and everything is wonderful.

Withernsea in Yorkshire is the most affordable sea side location in the UK apparently (just Googled it) quick squint on Rightmove...you can get four bed houses for £180k and detached and semi's for similar amount. The most affordable homes are in the north....Scotland has some beauts for far less than you would pay in England.

Lots of fresh air in Scotland too. I personally would love to live in the East Neuk of Fife but never going to happen as it's just too expensive for property there.

Another vote for the Gower. We've just come back and it's even more bloody gorgeous than I remember. Mumbles side of Swansea is particularly great and IMO, Swansea has improved a lot in the last 5-10 years (I lived there for four years in the 1990s and have been back intermittently since then). The new Swansea uni campus seems to have boosted that side of the town too.

Whoever mentioned Scotland - you’re right, it’s gorgeous and a lot cheaper, if family wasn’t in the south I would definitely consider it seriously. Perhaps for retirement!