Bridlington: I went to ‘Yorkshire’s worst coastal resort’ - it wasn’t what I expected

The once sought after spa town is a historic sea fishing port which remains the lobster capital of Yorkshire with over 300 tonnes of crustaceans landing there each year.

Sadly tourists are often put off by images of “boarded up Bridlington” shared online with shops, cafes and pubs having closed down.

Fewer tourists are now spending their time visiting the resort, so we sent our reporter Sophie Mei Lan Malin to check out whether Bridlington deserves a second chance.

‘Brid’ as it is fondly known received the title nobody wants as one of the “worst” in 2023 but with Skegness claiming the title this year as the UK’s worst, is that good news for Bridlington? Or is Skegness just that bad?

Like many, as a child, a trip to the seaside meant a choice between Bridlington, Scarborough or Skegness. While Scarborough is still a highly rated resort along with Filey, sadly Bridlington has been forgotten.

I fear Brid and Skeggy have been overshadowed by more affluent staycation hot spots. The problem becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy: the worse it is, the less people go and the worse it becomes.

With the summer approaching I thought I’d return to Bridlington to discover if it really is one to avoid.

I love the British seaside. They're locations which transcend time: from sweet shops to amusement arcades and of course fish and chips.

My summer would be split between visiting family in Malaysia and camping or staying in a cottage by the sea here in the UK.

Come rain or shine, you’d find me in the icey cold sea. We would save 2ps all year around to last us on the slots, and just enough for a lemon top ice cream.

When taking my own children to the seaside they would associate a coach trip with Scarborough, staying in a caravan with Bridlington and Butlins with Skegness.

The last time we visited Bridlington, it was wet and windy which never makes for a positive coastal day out.

The only change seems to be the prices rising, people cutting back, a lack of pennies as we use card all

the time and once popular places being forced to close down.

It looked bleak and sad but we still enjoyed a trip to the chippy, amusements and a wander while we breathed in the fresh sea air. It’s not as dog friendly as Scarborough, which we noticed as we couldn’t go in most places.

We were wet but that didn’t dampen our spirits because we hadn’t come for the shopping, it was only to absorb the atmosphere. It still felt special by the coast.

With temperatures soaring at the weekend, my daughters suggested a day trip to the seaside. I jumped at the opportunity for a day by the coast. Knowing that many others would have had the same idea, I managed to persuade the girls to go to the underdog of Scarborough and Whitby, Bridlington.

While there’s more to see in Scarborough and Whitby for a day out, I like that Bridlington’s strip of activity is spread out slightly away from its best beach on the South Bay by the Spa. I didn’t fancy taking three children and a baby to a jam packed beach.

We parked up by the north pier where, being a frugal mama, I spotted 10 minute rides on the pirate ship in the sea for £3 and the free harbour museum.

The kids however were more enthusiastic about the bright lights of the fun fair and arcades.

I had bought a picnic, hoping to save money but sadly my warm sandwiches and healthy snacks couldn’t compete with the aroma of fish and chips and deep fried doughnuts.

There weren’t many options however to eat on the seafront with Papa’s Fish & Chips being closed. We opted for Jerome’s which overlooks the seafront and serves up old school pub grub.

After fueling the kids with basic but expensive burgers and chips, it was time to head back into the sun.

Everywhere was moderately busy but still not as packed out as Scarborough would have been on a sunny Saturday.

Bridlington is slightly more run down than its Yorkshire seaside counterparts but nonetheless the working class magic of the coastal resort remains.

People wander slowly, many of them enjoying fish and chips in cones and chatting as they breathe in the sea air while attempting to compete with the sound of the arcades.

The bright lights and repetitive sounds coming from the arcades drew my children in. I was chuffed to see the Donkey Derby was a first choice for my kids as it had been me along with the 2p machines.

There were several more elaborate games but Brid is the place for some good old fashioned fun.

After scraping every bit of shrapnel out of my bag for the kids to have one more “last go,” it was finally time for the beach.

We walked through town to South Bay popping into some newly opened independent shops. Like most impoverished seaside resorts Bridlington is run down but it doesn’t have the same bohemian arty vibe that Scarborough does - nor as many options of places to go.

While it’s sad that so many of the once loved retailers have disappeared, there is however a lot of promise here.

Bridlington is slowly being breathed back to life.

The main area could do with a gentle facelift but I wouldn't want it to change too much because there’s an important story behind each wrinkle.

https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/people/step-into-history-with-the-bridlington-shop-still-frozen-in-time-since-1901-after-the-death-of-technophobe-owner-ann-clough-4612528

I know economically it’s not always good for a city centre to be filled with charity shops and bargain stores but I'm thankful for them because I've got a big family who want to fuel up every hour or need entertaining with a cheap toy.

It was an easy short walk to South Bay as Bridlington has a lot more of a flat spacious landscape compared to Scarborough which makes it easier for people with additional needs, wheelchairs and pushchairs.

South Beach is nestled just outside the town centre with Bridlington Spa at its helm. It truly is breathtaking with a wide accessible promenade and stunning golden sand.

The kids enjoyed paddling and building sand castles and experiencing childhood through play rather than a screen, just as it should be.

I love Bridlington, it is worthy of a clean up and investment to restore some of its former glory but in my mind it’s perfectly imperfect.

It's easy to criticise forgotten impoverished northern towns from afar but I can see that this community is fighting to keep Brid alive, let’s not let only seagulls enjoy this unpolished gem.

Let’s give generations to come, a taste of nostalgia.