00:00A new survey from the consumer group WITCH has ranked Britain's seaside towns, with Bamberg and Northumberland taking the top spot for the fifth year in a row.
00:09But while some destinations scored highly, others did not fare so well.
00:13To talk us through the findings, I'm joined now by Nick Dee, who's been looking closely at the results.
00:19What is this survey and what does it really say?
00:22Well, nice to see you, John. Yes, it comes from WITCH, the consumer organisation. I've got it right here.
00:26They've spoke to nearly 4,000 people about their trips abroad last year.
00:31They looked at things like beach quality, scenery, attractions, food and drink, accommodation and value for money.
00:38The results give a detailed picture of how visitors are judging coastal destinations across the UK.
00:44As you know, many of our British seaside towns have been struggling.
00:48People since the 70s have been taking cheap package holidays abroad.
00:52But there are still some great places to go and enjoy right here in the UK.
00:57So what places really stood out at the top?
00:59I've got them all here. Bamberg once again came first.
01:01It was praised for its beaches, its scenery and also been a really lovely, peaceful place to go.
01:08Visitors described as a gem with clean, sandy shores and a calm atmosphere.
01:12The Devon village of Beer also impressed, jumping from 18th last year to second place.
01:18And of course, Welsh favourites like Port Merion and St David's are always right there at the top of the list.
01:25So what other destinations are really worth noting?
01:28Well, there's a load on the list. Let's have a look.
01:29We've got Sidmouth in Devon. They scored highly for food, scenery and accommodation.
01:34Tymouth in Tyne and Weir also made the list, along with Temby in Pembrokeshire and Whitby in Yorkshire.
01:40These results show that smaller resorts can compete strongly when they offer great value for money.
01:47Well, you've told us about the nice ones, but what about the ones that are at the bottom of the scale?
01:51Well, some of these might surprise you.
01:53Bognor Regis came last.
01:55I went there last year, had a lovely day there.
01:58So I'm really surprised that it's sort of come so low on the list.
02:02But people criticised its facilities.
02:05The council say investment is underway.
02:08Bangor in North Wales also scored poorly, while Blackpool, Southend and Great Yarmouth had middling results.
02:15But again, all of those, Blackpool, Southend, Great Yarmouth, they're still great places for a day out.
02:21It's just that they're very traditional and maybe tastes have changed a little bit.
02:24But it's a bit of a shame because all those free towns have really made efforts to improve their tourist offer.
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