As its resorts fail to make the highest 20, are Brits achieved with Cornwall?

It was once a gem of the English south-west – easily accessible by rail and renowned for its dramatic coastlines as well as its legendary pasties.

But amid overcrowding rows and a backlash against second home-owners, Cornwall appears to have fallen out of favour with British holidaymakers seeking a staycation – with no Cornish towns making the top 20 of an influential tourism survey.

Which? Magazine’s annual poll of the UK’s best seaside towns ranks scenic resorts such as Bamburgh, the studious St Andrews and the surfer town of Portstewart in Northern Ireland as some of the best places to visit by the sea.

But despite its historical reputation as a prime getaway spot for Brits, Cornwall appears to have fallen out of favour – with the top entry for the region, St Mawes, arriving at 23rd in the survey.

But other, trendy seaside getaway towns in Kent such as independent shop hub Whitstable (61st) and Margate (116th) – aka ‘Shoreditch-on-Sea’, after the hip corner of East London – failed to make even the top 50.

But what’s going wrong for these once-bulletproof seaside escapes – and why have other towns, like tourist trap Portmeirion (2nd) and northern darling Tynemouth (3rd) made the cut?

To find out, MailOnline journeyed to St Mawes and to Whitstable to quiz locals on what they think has changed in the minds of Britain’s staycationers.

St Mawes was voted the best seaside town in the UK in 2020 – but has since fallen out of the top 20 based on a number of scores given by over 4,700 Which? subscribers.

Each town was rated on the quality of its beaches, seafronts, piers, food and drink, tourist attractions, scenery, shopping, parking and value for money – and, crucially, whether it offered a true escape in the form of ‘peace and quiet’.

Many of the top-ranking towns and villages, including table topper Bamburgh, Crail in Fife and Frinton-on-Sea in Essex, score highly across the board on all fronts.

As for St Mawes, visitors rated it poorly for value for money, its tourist attractions and its shops – while food and drink and parking were only rated as so-so. 

Locals believe rising costs and the difficulty of local people getting on the property ladder may be responsible for the result. 

Cornwall accounted for a fifth of all second-home purchases in the last decade, according to estate agent Hamptons – something the county council is fighting against with a 100 per cent second homes council tax levy.

But there is also the small matter of Cornwall begging tourists to stay away during the coronavirus pandemic – a hostile-looking call that has somewhat overshadowed the region, in some residents’ eyes. 

In the picturesque harbour Oliver Curtis, 24, was working in the traditional Cornish pasty shop his family has run for five generations since 1912.

He said: ‘St Mawes has got a lot quieter in recent years, I wonder if people just see it as too expensive now. We have seen a decline in families coming down because they can’t afford it. 

‘It is a pretty place but maybe it’s lost its exclusivity and its allure, when it was previously ranked top it went from the best kept secret to the worst kept secret.

‘Cornwall got a bit of a reputation just after Covid, a lot of businesses were complaining about visitors and maybe it gave the impression we don’t want them here or don’t want their money. 

I don’t know whether it’s created an unwelcoming atmosphere. It’s a shame that price-wise we can’t be more accessible.’

Oliver’s sister Olivia, 20, added: ‘We happen to have a lot of people who have a lot of money and want it to be discovered so their property prices go up.

‘The people here are absolutely gorgeous, there are so many lovely families and on the whole we have a thriving high street.’

Lucinda Cundy, who was born in Cornwall and moved back 18 years ago, said: ‘I am shocked to hear it – St Mawes hasn’t changed. 

‘If anything there have been improvements. There have been no major developments or closures.

‘I know it’s expensive to come to Cornwall but it’s expensive to go elsewhere in the UK. To go from being the top to 23rd is ridiculous.

‘I don’t see how 22 towns have overtaken us. St Mawes is still special, it’s still exquisitely beautiful and a very, very desirable location for so many people.

‘I’ve been coming to St Mawes on holiday since I was a child when I lived in Truro, it still has a wonder and a holiday feel for me.’

St Mawes has long been a popular destination for wealthy holidaymakers. It is home to a trio of high-end hotels and was previously voted one of the UK’s hippest communities by website TravelSupermarket.

Former F1 team owner Frank Williams had a home there and the place is a favourite of royalty and politicians.

And in 2021 the tiny community of around 800 residents was named as one of Britain’s property hotspots after prices rose 48% in a single year.

Immy Leach, 26, who has lived in the area for eight years said: ‘It’s so weird because there are so many great seaside towns, Cornwall is the beach capital of the UK.

‘St Mawes is beautiful and the community here is wonderful and that makes it so special. It has a big sailing community.

‘It is expensive and when you think about the living wage, it doesn’t match up.’

Beaches in Cornwall and across the South West have been a topic of controversy over the amount of raw sewage dumped into the water by South West water. In 2023, sewage was released for 530,000 hours in the region.

St Mawes’ beaches did not receive enough ratings from Which? readers to be given an authoritative rating. 

Immy, manager at clothing shop Bridie & Bert, said: ‘The water is a real problem and the water company has a lot to answer for. I’ve had friends who have got such bad infections they’ve needed medical treatment.

‘I don’t swim in the sea but I don’t think it’s affecting people coming here. I doubt it’s the water.’

Which? Travel’s annual survey rated Bamburgh in Northumberland has triumphed again, with Bangor in Wales last on the list.

But Cornwall isn’t the only area suffering the wrath of Which?’s subscribers. Seaside darlings on the Kent coast such as Margate and Whitstable finish far down the list despite establishing themselves as hipster-friendly hotspots.

People in Whitstable – dubbed Hampstead-on-Sea due to the celebs who live and flock to the resort – were shocked at the snub for a town which boasts great seafood, beautiful pups and lots of independent shops on its high street.

The shingle beach was packed on Friday as holiday makers and locals alike were out in force enjoying the mini-heatwave.

Whitstable is famed for its oysters and was home to actor Peter Cushing but locals have also been left fuming by sewage being dumped into the sea from outflow pipes by Southern Water. Its beaches were rated just two-star by Which? readers.

Its value for money, seafront, tourist attractions, parking and peace and quiet were scored identically – with food and drink the best-rated aspect of visiting.

Sarah Thurston, 39, who has been to the town many times herself but was visiting with her family for the first time, said: ‘Who’s doing the list?

‘I’ve just brought these guys down here because one of my very good friends went to university over in Canterbury and then never left, basically, so I’ve come down here in rain and shine to visit him.

‘It’s got a beautiful harbour, it’s got everything you need for a short stay visit. I know the sewage is a big drawback, and I know that because it’s an estuary it means it’s tidal, but most places are tidal.

‘We grew up near Portsmouth, so a shingle beach is very much a home from home, and it’s got the added bonus of a little bit of history and it’s still quaint.

She added: ‘Maybe it’s just a marketing ploy, and they know Whitstable is well known and well established and we don’t want people coming here, so send them out to Deal and Margate.

‘It’s super accessible in terms of the beach, it’s not as if you have to get in your car and then drive there, unload and walk half a mile. I’m surprised it’s not in the top 50.’

Mum Karen Stoker-Buckle, 65, said: ‘I just don’t know why it hasn’t made the top 50, I wouldn’t think there are 50 resorts that would be able to go into a 50.

The family have been very lucky with the weather, with Karen adding: ‘Obviously the weather has a big impact on it, but we’ve enjoyed it.’

Julie Stoker-Buckle, 68, said: ‘There are loads of places to eat, we’ve just been swimming, it is lovely to swim off. People swimming from post to post, in dinghies and paddleboarding.’

Friends Jess Smith, 30 and Lorraine Newman, 30, were both visiting the beach from their home in Faversham.

Jess said: ‘There are loads of other towns that are more up and coming now, like Margate, so maybe it’s just because they have taken a higher spot than them.

‘Whitstable hasn’t changed, it is exactly the same. It is so expensive. I guess in Margate, you’ve got sandy beaches and it’s half the price.’

While Margate isn’t bottom of the list, with a score of 53 per cent, it is not quite as high as Whitstable, which has a score of 68 per cent.

Taking a look at the list, and spotting a favourite beach, Jess said: ‘Oh, Rye! We love Rye!’

When asked why Whitstable wasn’t as highly rated, Jess said: ‘There is a lot of underaged drinking, they’ve cancelled the oyster festival now because it’s too much trouble. It’s much smaller now.’

Whitstable, like many places across the country, has had issues with sewage discharges in the sea.

Jess said: ‘My dog got sick. I went to Herne Bay which is just a little further along and she went in the sea and she was really sick, she had to go to the vet.

‘I prefer Margate, more to do, a lot more going on really.’

Lorraine said: ‘It’s a little overrated now, because of tourism I think. It’s way too busy, and nothing’s changed, whereas Margate has changed a lot.’

She added: ‘It’s also London prices, but in Kent. I am quite shocked at that really.

‘There has been a lot of crime here recently as well, knife crime and stuff.’

Lorraine has also heard there are problems with sewage being let out into the sea, she said: ‘My friend swims in the sea and she says she wouldn’t touch the beach here anymore. I still come here, but I’ll probably stick to Faversham more.’

Whitstable does boast a cohort of famous fans. Harry Hill, Alan Davies and Janet Street-Porter are reported to call it home, while Breaking Bad megastar Aaron Paul made a trip here in 2022. 

Chris Gillott, 55, was staying in a beachfront property while visiting from Derbyshire. This was his fourth trip to the town, and he was shocked it hadn’t made the top 50.

He said: ‘It’s a bit different really, it has a character to it. I hasn’t got the naff seaside scene that you get in a lot of places, it’s laidback, nice high street with independent shops, just got a really nice vibe to it.

‘We love it, we come down every year from Derbyshire so it’s a bit of a way but it’s worth it, so I am a bit surprised.’

Chris does have one concern – sewage. 

He added: ‘I keep an eye open for discharge points, and be wary when we go in the sea, but we have been swimming every day this week.

‘We are always checking there’s not been any discharges and things like that.’

Sian Fitzgerald, 37 and Sam Eyers, 26, were visiting the town from Shropshire, along with their two children, as part of a trip to visit family in Kent.

Sam said: ‘Parking is quite expensive, compared to other places we’ve been, parking is quite dear.

He added: ‘I like the seafood, the beer. The reason people don’t come is probably because of the beach, it’s quite a stoney beach.

‘We’ve been staying in Herne Bay down the road and for little ones playing, having a sandy beach more than a stoney beach is a big one as well.

‘We’ve travelled up and down the coast, because obviously we’re landlocked where we live, so we try and go down the coast and have a look at different places.

‘It’s all the food I think, isn’t it, that’s what we come for.’

Sian said: ‘There’s also not a lot of availability to stay in the area as well, it goes quite fast. It is a beautiful town. It is one of the prettiest seasides that we’ve seen around Kent.’

‘Everytime we come down to Kent to see family we always come to Whitstable, and we bring the family now we’ve expanded it.’

Local Gracie Gregory, 19, who works in her family sweet shop, Sweet Treats, said: ‘It has gone down a little bit in tourism, so it’s not as busy, but by summer time it should be.

‘It could be the weather and the football this year has put a lot of people off.

‘(But there is a) sense of community, the small businesses, there are coastal attractions down on the beach, a really nice beach.’

However, the spectre of parking looms large, Gracie added.

‘The price of the parking and the car parks, but also the street parking, obviously the residents need it, but there is no parking for tourists when tourists come.’

She added: ‘Trains would be better to come on, but it is really nice here.’

Matt Whit, 38, was using a spare day to visit the sunny seafront from his home in Dartford, Kent, he said: ‘I’ve been here before and I like it.

‘I came down here with my missus a few weeks ago, I’ve just got a spare day and the sun was out so I thought, I only live up in Dartford, so good road routes, why not.

‘(It’s got a) nice beach, nice water. I’ve never really liked the seaside but recently I’ve started enjoying swimming in it and stuff, so I think warmish sort of water, it’s not cold here, so that brings me back.

‘Not the parking, £7.80 for two hours parking in the harbour. If you go a little bit further down it’s free but I couldn’t be bothered today.’

He added: ‘I saw a newsflash earlier saying top 5 beaches, and I didn’t read it because you had to subscribe, but I remember thinking “I hope Whitstable is up there.”

‘I don’t know why it wouldn’t make it, it’s not sandy enough? I wouldn’t want anyone to change it.’

Darren Wilton, 54, who will have owned The Neptune pub on the sea front for 20 years in August, said: ‘I really can’t understand how it hasn’t made the top 50, because in my view it’s one of the best around, it’s unspoilt.

‘I know it gets busy down here, but it’s beautiful down here, Thames Estuary, oysters, great pubs, great entertainment at weekends, I really don’t understand how it’s not made the top 50.

On why he thinks that is the case, he added: ‘It could have something to do with Southern Water, who have had a negative effect on it, but you don’t actually have to get in the sea at Whitstable. I think they are doing something about it as well.’

That being said, Darren has no plans to return to London, from where he came more than two decades ago. 

Of Whitstable, he said: ‘It’s full of artists, actors, that sort.

‘I’ve been here 20 years, I’m not going back to London, I’m staying here next to the sea.’