Enough of the Bognor bashing – I think the seaside town is one of the UK's best
BASKING in the sunshine on Bognor's pebbly beach, watching my boys skim stones into the sea, I found myself wondering if there could be a more picture-perfect snapshot of a trip to the British seaside.
I've been visiting this south coast resort since I was tiny and now my boys love heading to the Sussex seaside just as much as I do.
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So I couldn't believe my eyes when Bognor was named the worst seaside town in this year's Which? survey, with some visitors branding it dirty and rundown.
It only scored 36 per cent overall, with visitors rating its beach two stars out of five.
Its seafront, food and drink, tourist attractions, scenery, shopping, parking, peace and quiet and value for money only received one star each.
Despite this depressing result, it's nonsense to suggest that Bognor is bottom of British beach breaks, as far as I'm concerned.
There's a reason why it's been a family favourite for generations and why British holiday institution Butlin's has had a presence in the town for almost a century, despite closing lots of other locations around the country.
For a start, the Met Office records show that Bognor averages around 1900 hours of sunshine a year, making it a good choice if you want to turn your great British staycay into a raycay.
Maybe the shingle shoreline isn't everyone's cup of tea, but paddling on pebbles does mean you're not finding sand in all your nooks and crannies for weeks after your trip to the coast.
We usually stay at Butlin's and it's just a short walk along the prom to get to the town, passing the pier and the greenery of Waterloo Square before heading further on to Marine Park Gardens.
Or you can catch the little land train that ferries visitors along the shoreline, costing £1.50 for adults and £1 for children.
We like to stroll along, admiring the seaside architecture glinting white in the sunlight as we go.
I tried the new Gladiators event at Butlin's with some of the TV stars… and my kids were obsessed
And there's the Play on the Beach playground for little visitors on this stretch of the esplanade too.
Another highlight of any trip to Bognor is a visit to Hotham Park, where I remember taking a trip on the miniature railway as a child.
It's still a lovely place to visit and now my boys can take a turn around the tracks while I get nostalgic about childhood summers and fun in the sun.
For me, I love going back to the town to see what has stayed the same and what is new and exciting. I can't wait for the £15million transformation of the Alexandra Theatre when it is unveiled next year.
And there's a new £13million Premier Inn due to open nearby later this year.
Butlin's has also had plenty of investment in recent times, with a £40million pool opening in 2019 and the £15million Playxperience offering digital versions of family favourites like darts and crazy golf.
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Even better, you can just pop in for the day if you're staying elsewhere in Bognor, with day passes from as little as £1 for children during term-time.
With all this money being spent on accommodation and attractions, it would be a mistake to write off this seaside spot as not worth a visit when it feels like it's on the up and being brought bang into the 21st century with all these new openings.
Every year, when Which? releases the results from surveying its 4000 members on seaside trips they've taken the previous summer, I shake my head with a wry smile at whichever much-loved traditional seaside resort has ended up being named and shamed this time.
It's been Skegness, Clacton, Mablethorpe and Bangor in recent years, but none of those deserved to be bottom either.
You can't really compare a resort that focuses on family fun and lots of laughs, with arcades, pubs, chippies and ice cream stalls aplenty, with somewhere like Bamburgh in Northumberland, which consistently comes top of the list.
Its amazing castle and unspoilt beach are definitely a winning combination, but you can't beat the bustle of Bognor or Bangor for offering budget-friendly best-of-British breaks with something to keep all ages happy.
It's almost 100 years since King George V visited Bognor to convalesce and gave it the royal seal of approval by allowing the town to add Regis to its name.
As far as I'm concerned, it's still a jewel in the crown of the South Coast, sparkling in the sunlight for all to see.
It should be basking in its title of sunniest seaside spot, instead of being bashed for its beach or buildings.
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