After the culmination of the Second World War, Britain’s beaches probably let out a huge sigh of relief, after constantly being used as minefields and combat zones to contend with the continuous threat of enemy ships and soldiers reaching the shoreline. They weren’t given a moments rest however, as a new menace began to attack soon after, burdening coasts in their millions, armed with deckchairs and windbreakers instead of machine guns and grenades.
This new hazard of course, came in the form of holidaymakers, who flocked to the sea to escape the hustle and bustle of city life. Yet, if they were hoping to find a less claustrophobic lifestyle to what they’re used to with urban living, then they were sadly mistaken, as finding a spare square of sand proved to be a mission in itself. Space was only limited due to the sheer popularity of holidays by the sea back in the 1950s and 60s. The glistening sands and sparkling seas provided a thought to drool over, leading 30 million people vacating to the British seaside year upon year.
Punch and Judy were performing to sell out crowds, piers were creaking under the weight of tourists admiring the coastal view from them, and donkeys were visiting chiropractors after a long hard day of carrying children round on the unforgiving sands. The sea was aplenty with people in bathing suits more reminiscent of the deckchairs they were lounging on only moments earlier. Even the traffic jam en route to the beach was seen as part of the experience, yet it amazes me how they didn’t run out of things to use for I Spy...
Towards the end of the 1960s though this fashion started to crumble, and with the combination of poor weather and deteriorating facilities people started to cast the net out further and go abroad for their summer holidays. This trend has since grown right up to the present day, with package deals and low-cost airlines making international travel more accessible and affordable than ever before.
In 2004 alone, we Brits made 64 million trips abroad, compared to just 4 million in 1961, leaving many beaches across the country empty. I noticed this first hand when I was in Bournemouth on the Saturday of the August bank holiday weekend this year, where there was nobody to be seen. Granted it was an overcast day, but even so it was plain to see how much of a hit Britain’s beaches have taken in terms of popularity. Attractions and amusement arcades were shut many hours earlier than advertised, with Bournemouth more evocative of a ghost town that evening, only the dim lights from the pier suggesting any signs of life.
By the end of the 20th century and at the start of the 21st, this miserable sight was shared amongst most coastal towns. Although, the fact that a trip abroad is no longer seen as a luxury treat but as something that could possibly be enjoyed more than once a year, has started to strangely work in their favour. With everyone finding trips abroad more and more affordable, people are being able to part with some spare cash to enjoy a weekend break on one of Britain’s beaches. This is typically across the Bank Holiday weekends, or fitted into the school holidays, although elder couples are seemingly indulging in a few days by the shore around Autumn time.
Resorts have realised that they are no longer unable to pull in the conventional sunbather or beach lover, so have started to diversify their entertainment in the form of theatre shows and cinema, while also strengthening the nightlife in order to attract younger people and students. This has proved popular with stag and hen dos, and being by the sea no doubt provides people with a bonus activity after a drunken night out, in the form of skinny dipping.
As well as this, seaside towns are also successfully trying to stress the uniqueness of their area in a bid to win more visitors, hoping their character shines through above other rival resorts. For example, Newquay in Cornwall is promoting itself as the “surfing capital of Britain”, as it holds numerous international surfing events throughout the year, actively inviting water sports enthusiasts to test out its mammoth waves. Torbay has also followed suit, making the most of its sandy beaches and coves by building upon its nickname of the “English Riviera”. Meanwhile, Weymouth has been busy underlining its status as Britain’s only natural World Heritage Site, by labelling itself as “the gateway to the Jurassic Coast”.
Do some of you consider holidays a time to just relax and recharge those batteries? I thought so. It’s a good thing that Southwold in Suffolk provides the answer then doesn’t it? With its quiet countryside, love of jazz and peaceful nature, Southwold provides people with an option much less energetic than most.
So while most people would still much prefer to jet off somewhere with guaranteed sunshine, Britain’s coastal resorts are experiencing somewhat of a mini-resurgence through their successful rebranding techniques. Even though some people may not be primarily there to catch a few rays, it is safe to say that the UK has attracted a new breed of tourist.
Who knows, with Britain’s summers getting hotter by the year, some of the holidaymakers who left in the first place might be convinced to tighten their purse strings and stay closer to home in future. I bet if you asked the beaches themselves even they would say they miss the constant blitz of tourists they experienced 60 years ago...
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