Nostalgic Britons do like to be beside the seaside!

FORGET fish and chips, candy floss and ‘kiss-me-quick’ hats, when it comes to our favourite seaside attractions, the pier is the UK’s favourite according to new research.

The poll, commissioned ahead of British Beach Week, runs over 23 July to 31 July 2011, by holiday letting agency cottages4you, looked into what we love about the seaside and how nostalgic we are about the traditional British beach holiday.

Nearly half of those questioned (42%) stated piers when asked to name a quintessentially British seaside attraction, beating amusement arcades (21%), donkey rides (15%) and beach huts (14%).

With the numbers of piers reduced by half in the last century, many damaged by fire or neglect, the Victorian structures obviously hold a fond place in British hearts.

Top 5 icons of British seaside:-

1. Pier
2. Amusement arcade
3. Donkey rides
4. Beach huts
5. Theme park

Despite feeling nostalgic for traditional seaside resorts, when it comes to choosing a holiday destination, it seems modern families prioritise sandy beaches (34%) and beautiful views (32%), with only 3% choosing a location because it has a pier.

However, two thirds of those surveyed have made a nostalgic return to a seaside destination they used to visit as a child in the last 5 years.

Almost half (46%) said it was the same on revisiting, whilst a third were pleasantly surprised at the changes.

Nick Rudge at cottages4you said:- "Going to the seaside in the UK has always had a unique appeal and with 80% of our respondents planning a trip this year, British Beach Week is the perfect opportunity to celebrate all the UK coastline has to offer. Whether you want the traditional resort with pier, donkey rides and candy floss, or a relaxing break in a remote bay, there is something for everyone."

Having a family day out was rated as the primary reason for a domestic beach visit but 60% said they would be put off by the weather and 1 in 5 of us are concerned about the cleanliness of the coast.

Richard McIlwain from Keep Britain Tidy, who run the Blue Flag and Quality Coast Award schemes in England, said:- "With so many of us planning a holiday at home this summer, visitors to one of England’s award-winning beaches can be confident they are visiting a clean and safe, well-managed beach. Beaches that fly the Blue Flag or Quality Coast Award offer holiday-makers an assurance that the beach they are visiting is not only one of the best in the country, but the world."

WAG Abbey Clancy and Radio City DJ Rick Vaughan Open New Clinic
Photographs via Vamphire.com

OUR paparazzi photographers have been out and about over the last week on Merseyside and snapped WAG Abbey Clancy and Radio City DJ Rick Vaughan at the opening of a new laser skin treatment clinic in West Derby, Liverpool.