Can a £23,000,000 train upgrade save Britain's 'SkegVegas?'
These are core elements of any trip to a British seaside resort, and the town of Skegness on the Lincolnshire coast is no exception.
It's also no exception to the trend of decline over decades, as air travel became more accessible and holidaymakers started going abroad instead of staying at home.
More recently, the tourism industry was hit by the coronavirus pandemic and resulting lockdowns, followed not long after by the cost of living crisis and rising inflation.
Despite that, staycations are having a bit of a moment, and coastal towns like Skegness will no doubt want to make the most of it – but years of decline have taken a toll on Britain's seaside hotspots.
Millions of pounds have been pledged to fund various developments in the town, the latest of which is a £23 million project by East Midlands Railway to improve its trains.
These new Class 170 trains should provide a more comfortable way to travel to and from Skegness – but will holidaymakers enjoy what they find once they arrive?
Justin Tai moved to Skegness not long after the Covid-19 lockdown, and currently works as an entertainer at the town's aquarium.
Before that he worked at Disneyland Paris for 20 years, meaning he knows a thing or two about keeping the kids happy while on holiday.
While he hasn't lived in the area long enough to have witnessed long-term changes, he said there are 'lots of little projects' on the go right now which are improving the town.
A new Travelodge is being built right by the aquarium, and the Embassy Theatre, which has been open since 1926, is getting a major makeover due to be completed this month.
Justin, 43, told Metro: 'Skegness definitely needs a lot more trains bringing people in, and the train station is quite small, so we definitely want more people coming in.
'A lot of the accommodation needs to be a bit better. There are some lovely places, the Savoy is very nice, but I think we need nice places for people to stay in.'
One of the major drawbacks for Skegness is that it is very seasonal, with most of its businesses and attractions winding down considerably or closing completely outside of the summer months.
'Living here is very difficult off-season, wages go down but rents are going up,' Justin said.
'If only there were enough going on during the rest of the year to keep it open – people here are astonished when I tell them Disneyland Paris doesn't close for winter, it's open every day of the year.
'Maybe the people who have lived here for so long think that's the way to do things and they won't change, but I think more people coming in and more stuff going on would improve things.
'I think it's on the up because they're doing work towards making things better. A lot of places struggled after Covid but there seems to be a positive attitude.'
One thing Justin would like to see in Skegness is a gay bar, after the area's first pride event, East Coast Pride, was held last year – and would prefer to see more live entertainment over arcades.
It doesn't help that Skegness has a bit of a rubbish reputation, being ranked bottom in Which? Magazine's 2023 poll of Britain's seaside resorts.
The town was given low scores for its scenery and noise levels, and two stars for its food and drink, shopping and attractions.
But there is now more for families to do along the seafront, with the Fairy Dell paddling pool providing a safe place for young children to explore the water, for example. It's free to visit and was refurbished last year, Justin said.
Other free attractions include The Village Church Farm, which is Lincolnshire's only open air museum and takes visitors back in time to see agricultural life through the ages.
The water quality at Skegness is classified by the Environment Agency as excellent, the highest possible rating, and has been since 2021 – if you're brave enough to get in the chilly English sea.
But what does Justin really think of Skegness – and what would he say to convince someone to visit? More Trending
'I honestly think it's a lovely seaside town,' he said.
'It's got a very lovely sandy beach, there's lots of stuff to do even if it's raining, and there are lots of places to visit like the nature reserve for walks.
'There are plenty of nice drinking holes with live music and entertainment.
'I would say give it a go and have some cocktails in Olivia's with me.'
Growing up in the middle of rural Lincolnshire there weren't many options for entertainment, so as soon as I was old enough I would take the rickety train to Skegness with friends.
The ticket was cheap, and I've always loved the seaside, even if I'd never swim in the sea – too cold for me!
I have fond, sweaty memories of being crammed onto the train, standing room early, on one of the rare British summer days where we actually had sunshine.
It would be so busy the ticket inspector couldn't make their rounds through the carriages – let's hope I'm no longer on the hook for fare evasion.
But while Skegvegas offered a change of scenery, there wasn't actually all that much to do if you were a skint teenager.
We'd hang out on the beach and play tinny music on our phones, yes, spending our meagre cash on dinky doughnuts or a cone of chips.
But I never had the money to go to the amusement arcades or theme parks – although I do have fond memories of visiting the seal sanctuary many times.
I understand I wasn't the target market for Skeg back then – they were focusing on families with young kids, or older nostalgia-driven day-trippers, with a bit more cash in their pockets.
But I could clearly see that the town was looking rough around the edges back in the late 2000s and early 2010s. I fear things haven't got much better since then.
Getting people to Skegness on a more pleasant train journey will no doubt be a boost for the local economy – but if cash isn't spent bringing the town up to date, visitors will have no reason to return.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.
MORE: Huge lorry fire forces major motorway to close before weekend rush
MORE: Jet2 slashes £100 off trips to European 'paradise' after UK travel company folds
MORE: Major UK travel company forced to shut immediately with all future holidays cancelled
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Wales Online
3 hours ago
- Wales Online
The beautiful corner of Wales that's now a 'densely crowded theme park' where everyone suffers
The beautiful corner of Wales that's now a 'densely crowded theme park' where everyone suffers Overtourism has become a problem in several parts of Wales and there are fears things could get worse There's a beautiful corner of Wales that's now being described as a 'densely crowded theme park' where everyone suffers (Image: Fly-Tipping Action Wales ) At weekends, Andy McTaggart knows better than to venture out in his car. Although he loves exploring the national park where he lives, he's not willing to battle the hordes of tourists who clog the roads and take up all the parking spaces. Even during the week, in high season, outings can be tricky. "We know what times to go out and when not to go out," he said. "So when we went to Cardigan Bay last week, we didn't head out until after 5pm. Social media has turned parts of the national park into a densely crowded theme park." It's a claim that will chime with others across north-west Wales. At weekends the A55 and A494 roads are often bumper-to-bumper, while other roads are chocked, trapping people in villages like Llanbedr and Abergwyngregyn, where a waterfall has gained widespread fame thanks to social media. Another overtourism hotspot is Newborough on Anglesey, where beach parking prices have been doubled in a bid to cut the tailbacks that regularly turned the village into a car park. Communities around Yr Wyddfa and Dyffryn Ogwen have long been blighted by illicit parking Streams of holiday vehicles heading for Aber Falls can be a nightmare for residents in the Gwynedd village of Abergwyngregyn Yet few places typify the challenges of overtourism more than Andy's hometown of Bala. As one of Eryri's gateways, it offers dramatic scenery as soon as visitors enter the National Park, centred around the largest natural lake in Wales. Article continues below Since the Covid lockdowns Bala has firmly joined the list of Eryri's honeypot sites. The area has long been popular, especially with watersports enthusiasts, but in recent years things have moved to a whole different level. Parking data from 2021 gave a taste of things to come. That year, car park usage climbed 70.5% on the pre-Covid year of 2019. Since then, the town's visitor surge has continued to grow, along with local tensions. In some respects, it's been good news for the local economy. Llyn Tegid is now ringed with campsites and caravan parks. Many are high quality, all luxuriate in the spectacular scenery. Yet day trips are hugely popular too, and here the benefits are much smaller. "The lake attracts hundreds of cars and visitors every day," Andy, a senior partner at relocation firm ALS World Movers, told North Wales Live. "We're left with huge mounds of litter. Benches are vandalised – one was set on fire – and access for locals becomes almost impossible for part of the year. Campervans park illegally and empty out their chemical toilets - and no one ever does anything about it. "Tegid is only an hour-and-a-half from places like Manchester, Liverpool and Birmingham, so within easy reach. I can understand the attraction: life is tough for many people in the cities, so the idea of travelling to the hills of north Wales is appealing. "Yet these visitors park up, fire up a BBQ, admire the scenery, then go home. Even many of the campsite visitors bring their own food, or place deliveries with Tesco and Sainsbury's. Occasionally they come into the town and strip the shelves bare. Otherwise there are few benefits for the local area." Bala is not alone in feeling the strain of tourism he said. Places like Dolgellau and Barmouth are "under siege" during the summer, often grappling with inadequate facilities. Nor is northeast Wales immune. A new national park is planned in the region, centred on the Dee Valley, and Flintshire Council is developing its coastal offer, still an under-the-radar resource for visitors. Meanwhile, tourist numbers in Wrexham have climbed 20% year-on-year since the Hollywood take over of its football club in 2021. According to Andy, a lack of infrastructure to meet these pressures is short-changing both locals and visitors. Having moved to Bala from West Sussex seven years ago, he can see both sides of the equation. "Some places, like Bala and Barmouth, have relatively large car parks, but elsewhere parking is either small or non-existent, like in Capel Curig. I don't think many visitors realise that Eryri is just mountains, lakes and bogs, with small communities and very little else. "The signage is poor and the pubs are all shutting. Toilet provision is awful. The few facilities are poorly policed, so it becomes a free for all. If you're not into walking, there's little to do: you see people descending on Bala at 11am-12pm and wandering around before realising there's nothing for them there. "And it's very expensive – £4 for an icecream, £15 for fish and chips. For families, it becomes unaffordable. Visitors themselves deserve much better, never mind the locals." Mountain rescue teams say their volunteers are being stretched to the limit (Image: OVMRO ) Even in spring, with Yr Wyddfa still covered in snow, huge queues can stretch down the mountain as walkers wait for their summit photos (Image: Steph Scott ) Despite rising staycation costs, and weather that doesn't always match social media depictions, some experts believe regions like north Wales should brace for more tourism. According to Trainline data, rail bookings to the UK's 12 most popular seaside towns surged 25% this month. One explanation is the settled UK weather, another are the heatwaves raging over contininental Europe. Data firm Place Informatics believes the traditional appeal of destinations like Spain, Italy and Greece is starting to waver, particularly among families and older travellers, as hotter summers make life more uncomfortable, unsafe or impractical. According to 2024 research by Mintel, more than half of UK holidaymakers say they're likely to choose a staycation for climate-related reasons, with 28% saying warmer UK summers are making domestic breaks more appealing. Demand is also predicted to rise from from European travellers looking to escape the heat. Place Informatics is already seeing impacts across Britain's tourist hotspots. It said people are exploring alternative and less traditional destinations – lesser-known towns and countryside locations, or eco-retreats away from coastal hotspots. Clive Hall, CEO of Place Informatics, said UK destinations will need to adapt by managing capacity in busy hotspots or adding infrastructure to quieter, under-visited locations. "We're witnessing a climate-driven shift in how and where people choose to holiday," he said. "The UK is no longer simply a backup option – it's fast becoming a destination of choice." Vehicles parked on double yellow lines at popular Horseshoe Falls near Llangollen (Image: Llan-Advocate ) As yet, however, there are few signs of an obvious downturn in continental tourism. Across southern Europe, locals are up in arms against the visitor hordes. In recent weeks, anti-mass tourism protests have taken place across Spain, Italy, and Portugal. At some, people were urged to bring their own water pistols. "Tourism steals our bread, our roof and our future," read the placards of demonstrators in Barcelona, a city with 1.7m residents that hosted 15.5m visitors last year. Protests were also held in Venice, a city built for just 250,000 people that sees around 30m visitors every year. Tourists told to "go home" might be coming to the UK instead. With the spread of Airbnbs a target of demonstrators, a new register was last week introduced in Spain that will require all hotels and short-term holiday rentals to have a mandatory registration code to operate legally. Cars parked inconsiderately in Nant Peris at the foot of Yr Wyddfa, partly blocking two-way traffic and blocking driveways (Image: Chris Fawcett ) Thousands of properties could be pulled from the short-term rental market. This, warn experts, could push up prices for holidaymakers by up to 20%, making overseas travel more costly. Harry Goodliffe, director at HTG Mortgages, said Spain's ruling could lead to a "domino effect" across the EU, with Italy next in line. "The combination of overtourism and local housing pressures is pushing governments to act, and short-term lets are the obvious target," he said. "If Italy tightens the rules, expect thousands of listings to vanish, hitting both owner profits and tourist affordability. For landlords banking on Airbnb income, this should be a loud wake-up call to diversify. The golden days of 'easy Airbnb money' are fading fast." Airbnb entrepreneur Kundan Bhaduri, of The Kushman Group, said hosts are being painted as "moustache-twirling villains". But he understands the concern. "This is not really about national security," he said. "It is really about political survival in countries where locals are priced out of the very postcodes they were born in. In Florence, over 30% of flats are listed on Airbnb. In Rome a staggering 35mn tourists arrived last year occupying a huge swathe of the housing stock. "The backlash is brewing and it is property owners that are in the stockpot. Spain's move to demand a national registry for short-term lets is just the opening salvo. Italy is clearly next. France, Portugal and even the balmy Balearics have all flirted with similar measures." Residents in Bala have complained of littering, noise and disrespectful behaviour by wild campers and motorhome owners around Llyn Tegid Following last week's final approval of Wales' new visitor levy, the country will start compiling its own register of accommodation providers from October 2026. The Wales Tourism Alliance (WTA) is alarmed at the potential cost involved but sees the register as a necessary precursor to the visitor levy (comonly referred to as a "tourist tax" even though Welsh residents will be affected too). It believes the levy should be delayed until national registration is completed so its benefits or otherwise can be properly assessed WTA chair Rowland Rees-Evans estimates the levy could add more than £35 per week to the price for family of four staying in Wales. He said: "The winners will be civil servants employed to process and administer the scheme at a cost to the taxpayer, whilst the losers will be locals employed in the tourist sector. "There is also no guarantee that local authorities will receive any of the levy once administration costs are taken into account." Despite these concerns, there is plenty of support for the levy in areas worst hit by overtourism. With tourist taxes now commonplace around the world, fears that Wales will be disadvantaged are dismissed. In the current warm spell, few holidaymakers are complaining about the prospect of an extra £1.30 per night in hotels and Airbnbs, and for over 18s, 80p at campsites. The big worry is where the money will go. 'Charge £10 to drive into Eryri' Andy McTaggart "100%" backs the idea - providing the benefits are felt, saying Eryri is in desperate need of infrastructure improvements that will improve life for locals and tourists alike. Not just car parks and roads but also footpaths, beaches, visitor centres and activities. The need to improve parking in places like Bala – already better provisioned than most – has been acknowledged by Eryri National Park Authority (NPA). Late last month it approved plans to improve the Llyn Tegid car park, and to increase the capacity of the east shore Llangower car park from about 60 to 90 spaces. It follows problem parking on the lakeside B4403 by large numbers of cars and campervans, blocking emergency vehicles. To tackle the issue, the B4403 has also been designated a clearway, raising the prospect of fines or towing. Andy is sceptical the roads around Bala will be policed, but in any case he has a more radical solution. "As a small business partner, it upsets me to see the revenue being lost at the town's car parks through lack of enforcement. On a low visitor day, it might be £500, on a good day £3,000. "Perhaps we should be looking at a gantry entry system on gateway roads such as the A5 and A494, like they have on the Queen Elizabeth 11 Bridge (a toll bridge carrying the M25 motorway over the River Thames)? Or even a permit system for residents. "Charging £10 for entering the National Park would raise significant funds for reinvestment. I accept there are flaws with the idea but we need to start a conversation. Wales is always short-changed when it comes to investment – the Welsh tend to be non-confrontational and settle for too little." As it happens, Eryri NPA is planning to install APNR cameras and new gates at its lakeside car parks in Bala. More revenue is likely - and it may put a small dent in the issues of overtourism that are plaguing the lives of many local people. Eryri NPA has already done much to address overtourism concerns, both in the wider park and on Yr Wyddfa specifically, with an updated management plan for the mountain being released on Tuesday. Sign up for the North Wales Live newsletter sent twice daily to your inbox Its expanded fleet of Sherpa buses, offering public transport around Yr Wyddfa and Eryri, has been a much-heralded tick for sustainable travel, helping to ease local traffic and parking stresses. Plastic waste has been another major target. Article continues below With Cyngor Gwynedd and Conwy Council, the NPA is also driving the Gwynedd and Eryri 2035 strategy, which is committed to developing a sustainable visitor economy in the region. As well as transport, this will address issues such as housing and environmental protection.
Daily Record
6 hours ago
- Daily Record
Smoking passengers start fight on TUI flight forcing an emergency landing
The TUI flight from Cancun, Mexico, was forced to make an emergency landing after two passengers were caught smoking in the toilet British holidaymakers returning from a sunny break in Cancun, Mexico, were unexpectedly diverted to the chillier climes of Maine, USA, after two unruly passengers sparked chaos by refusing to extinguish their cigarettes and beginning in a brawl. The captain of the transatlantic TUI service bound for London Gatwick had no choice but to execute an emergency landing on Tuesday when two individuals were caught "smoking in the toilet." Despite a strict no-smoking policy on UK flights for over 30 years, the defiant duo continued to flout the rules, ignoring the pilot's ultimatum to land the aircraft if they persisted. Frustrated travellers aboard the Boeing 787 Dreamliner told the New York Post how the disruptive smokers, believed to be a couple, escalated their antics into a physical confrontation. "They were obviously drunk, and he basically assaulted his partner," one passenger recounted. Consequently, all 267 passengers from Cancun found themselves making an unplanned stop in Bangor, Maine. The flight's audio captures the pilot informing air traffic control: "Cockpit is secure, and there's two passengers fighting, and the crew has pretty much gotten them under control." In a matter of minutes, the flight was rerouted, and by 9.30pm, the TUI aircraft was grounded in Maine, with local authorities promptly removing the troublesome pair from the plane. However, the ordeal was far from over for their fellow travellers, who were left stranded in Bangor for an unplanned overnight stay before they could secure another flight back home. The transatlantic leg of their journey didn't commence until 3pm on Wednesday, with passengers finally touching down at Gatwick later that day. Remarkably, the two disruptive passengers managed to evade charges from US Customs and Border Protection officials, who opted to send them home on separate flights. A representative for the border force explained: "This incident involved a foreign-to-foreign flight that was diverted due to an in-flight altercation between two passengers. "Upon arrival, CBP officers removed both individuals from the aircraft. Although no criminal charges were filed, CBP processed the two subjects for expedited removal."
Daily Mirror
6 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
TUI passengers' flight home ruined after couple caught smoking in toilet
TUI passengers on a flight home from Mexico faced chaos after a couple on board the plane started smoking in the toilet and then began fighting British holidaymakers returning from a sun-soaked break in Cancun, Mexico, found themselves unexpectedly stranded in the considerably chillier US state of Maine, after two passengers on their flight refused to quit smoking and sparked a brawl. The pilot of the TUI transatlantic flight bound for London Gatwick was compelled to make an emergency landing on Tuesday, following the discovery of two passengers "smoking in the toilet." Despite UK airlines having enforced a smoking ban for the past thirty years, the duo stubbornly continued to light up, even when the pilot threatened to land the plane if they persisted. Irate passengers aboard the Boeing 787 Dreamliner flight informed the New York Post that the unidentified smokers seemed to be a couple, whose in-flight chaos subsequently spiralled into a fight. "They were obviously drunk, and he basically assaulted his partner," one fellow passenger revealed. All 267 passengers from Cancun were then subjected to an unplanned stopover in Bangor, Maine. Flight recordings disclose the pilot communicating with air traffic controllers, stating: "Cockpit is secure, and there's two passengers fighting, and the crew has pretty much gotten them under control." Within moments, air traffic controllers had rerouted the flight and by 9.30pm, the TUI flight was grounded in Maine with airport officials escorting the pair of smokers off the aircraft. The travel chaos only intensified for their fellow passengers, who endured an unplanned overnight stay in Bangor before catching another flight home. They would be waiting until 3pm on Wednesday to recommence their transatlantic trip, eventually touching down safely at Gatwick later the same day. The two troublemakers who sparked the chaos dodged any charges by US Customs and Border Protection officials, who resolved to send them back on separate flights. An official from the border agency commented: "This incident involved a foreign-to-foreign flight that was diverted due to an in-flight altercation between two passengers. "Upon arrival, CBP officers removed both individuals from the aircraft. Although no criminal charges were filed, CBP processed the two subjects for expedited removal."
