4<\/p>\n Skegness in Lincolnshire was previously ranked among the UK’s ‘worst’ seaside towns (stock image)Credit: Getty 4<\/p>\n Visitors criticised the town’s seafront as well as its noise levels in a recent survey (stock image)Credit: Getty – Contributor<\/p>\n The Lincolnshire<\/a> town has been described as a “terrible place” with a “brown sea”, even ranking among Britain’s “worst” seaside towns.<\/p>\n Which? Magazine<\/a> readers voted it bottom of the poll of seaside resorts in 2023.\u00a0<\/p>\n The following year Skegness placed fifth, with only Bangor<\/a> ranking lower.<\/p>\n As part of the survey, 120 UK seaside towns were rated on various features such as the seafront, noise levels, food and drink<\/a>, and shopping<\/a>.<\/p>\n Read More On Seaside Towns<\/p>\n Skegness scored just one star for its scenery and noise levels in both 2023 and 2024.<\/p>\n It achieved a slightly higher two stars for its food and drink, shopping, and tourist<\/a> attractions.<\/p>\n And now with a recent rail upgrade announced by East Midlands Railway (EMR), high-end transport<\/a> is sure to become a draw for the area.<\/p>\n Passengers will be set to travel in comfort after EMR unveiled its first fully refurbished Class 170 train on Tuesday, April 15.<\/p>\n The move marks a significant upgrade in comfort and convenience for regional customers.<\/p>\n Enhancements include brand-new seats and tables, as well as modern power and charging facilities, including 230V, Type-C, and dual USB sockets.<\/p>\n Inside the seaside town named on of the WORST places to live in Britain<\/p>\n The upgrades will also see refurbished toilets, upgraded flooring, and a newly installed passenger information system on-board.<\/p>\n A dedicated bike storage area will also be added to the new and improved carriages.<\/p>\n The redesigned interiors echo the sleek aesthetic of EMR\u2019s new Aurora trains, which are set to enter service later this year.<\/p>\n These refurbished Class 170 trains were previously operated by West Midlands Railway.<\/p>\n They are now owned by the UK\u2019s leading rolling stock financier and asset management company Porterbrook.<\/p>\n I went on holiday to Skeggy – my kids loved it<\/p>\n By Catherine Lofthouse<\/p>\n WHEN I heard that Clacton-on-Sea and Skegness had been voted the worst UK seaside resorts in a Which? survey, I rolled my eyes.<\/strong><\/p>\n Do these two east-coast towns deserve such stick or do they actually rock?<\/p>\n Sure, there\u2019s nothing fancy about either place, but if you love heading to the beach with a bucket and spade, paddling in the sea or tucking into fish and chips on the prom, you can\u2019t really go wrong.<\/p>\n Plus, if you\u2019re on a budget, you can enjoy a day or two of\u00a0no-frills fun in the sun<\/a>\u00a0without breaking the bank.<\/p>\n And if it happens to rain, there are plenty of arcades and indoor attractions to keep everyone entertained too.<\/p>\n The Upside Down House in the\u00a0Essex<\/a>\u00a0resort of\u00a0Clacton<\/a>\u00a0was a big hit with all the\u00a0family<\/a>\u00a0when I visited last year and a new dinosaur attraction Jurassic Pier opened this year.<\/p>\n Last August, we also had a day trip to\u00a0Skegness<\/a>\u00a0on the\u00a0Lincolnshire<\/a>\u00a0coast \u2014 which included a dip in the sea, some pub grub and a few rides at the fair. What more can you want from a visit to the seaside?<\/p>\n Looking at Which? you wouldn\u2019t think much of the seaside resorts. It rated Skeggy and Clacton joint bottom of more than 100 towns and villages on our coastline.<\/p>\n But here\u2019s why I disagree. Firstly, one of Which?\u2019s nine categories for ranking the beaches is \u201cpeace and quiet\u201d.<\/p>\n Now, Skegness isn\u2019t nicknamed\u00a0Skeg Vegas<\/a>\u00a0for nothing and it\u2019s never been renowned for offering silence and solitude, and nor has Clacton.<\/p>\n So it\u2019s really no surprise they were both given just one star out of five.<\/p>\n Both these resorts unashamedly thrive on being bright, brash and bustling.<\/p>\n Another category in the survey focuses on accommodation but neither Skegness nor Clacton got a rating in this section, meaning not enough respondents had an opinion.<\/p>\n Either everyone who voted went on a day trip or, like us, stayed just outside of the towns.<\/p>\n The\u00a0beaches<\/a>\u00a0at both resorts were given three stars out of five \u2014 and I think more people consider the beach to be a deciding factor when it comes to visiting the seaside than where to stay or how quiet it is.<\/p>\n We all have different ideas of what we want from a day at the coast, but what\u2019s great about the UK is that you can always find what you like, given how varied the seaside communities are.<\/p>\n Viva Skeg Vegas, I say and crack on Clacton!<\/p>\n The Nottingham<\/a> to Skegness via Grantham is one of the lucky lines to see the new trains.<\/p>\n This route takes approximately one hour and 55 minutes, with trains typically departing every hour.<\/p>\n When booked in advance, tickets can cost you as little as \u00a34.05 with everyday prices averaging around \u00a312.40.<\/p>\n The upgraded fleet is part of a wider \u00a360 million programme, which will also include the refurbishment of EMR\u2019s Class 360 and Class 158 trains, reports Lincolnshire World<\/a>.<\/p>\n “We\u2019ve focused on creating an environment that is comfortable and functional \u2013 and it\u2019s just the beginning,” said Will Rogers, Managing Director of\u00a0East Midlands Railway.<\/p>\n “Over the next year, customers will start to see real, tangible improvements across our network.”<\/p>\n Skegness peaked in popularity in the 19th century when a new rail line made the seaside area more accessible to British holidaymakers.<\/p>\n However, until recently public transport appeared to be an afterthought for the area, which scored highest in one area: parking.<\/p>\n But this recent upgrade to the local railway line could prove to be exactly what the town needs.<\/p>\n 4<\/p>\n East Midlands Railway invested \u00a323 million into upgrading trains in the area, including a line which runs between Nottingham and SkegnessCredit: East Midlands Railway<\/p>\n After the town placed last in 2023, editor of Which? travel, Rory Boland spoke about the importance of investment in raising rankings.<\/p>\n “Clacton, Skegness, and Southend all received one star from visitors for the lack of peace and quiet, and some visitors complain that the boisterous atmosphere can tip into feeling unsafe,” he said.<\/p>\n “That’s a shame, because what Clacton, Skegness, and Southend offer is exactly the sort of seaside break many of us want. <\/p>\n “Big beaches, big entertainment, and small prices. More should be done to help them level up and become first-class holiday resorts.”<\/p>\n A \u00a33.3 million redevelopment of Skegness railway station was also set to be completed on May 25.<\/p>\n However, EMR are currently looking for a new partner after confirming Taziker Ltd had stopped work on the scheme, which is funded by the government’s Town Deal programme.<\/p>\n “We remain fully committed to the redevelopment of Skegness station and are very excited about the customer and wider community benefits this project will deliver,” an EMR spokesperson told the BBC<\/a>.<\/p>\n The project has been undertaken to reconfigure the layout of the station to improve passenger flow.<\/p>\n![\"Aerial](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/aerial-photo-british-seaside-town-813336033.jpg\")
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