A seaside town that was a family favourite during the 1960s has now been described as the worst in the UK with locals saying they make no money during winter.
Skegness, which is perhaps best known for being the birthplace of Butlins, was named the “worst seaside town in Britain” by Which? in a survey of 3,000 British holidaymakers.
Locals call the town ‘Skegvegas’ due to its lines of illuminated amusements, bars, and bingo halls, with Skegness still having all the attractions that made it popular during its heyday.
Visitors can still take donkey rides across the beach, tuck into candy floss, and stay in a caravan park but thanks to cheap overseas holidays more than two-thirds of its tourist base has abandoned it.
One man living in the town told the Telegraph he had “no idea” why any tourism still remained in Skegness.
He said: “I’ve no idea why people come here. Me and my mates are all trying to leave. None of us make any money off-season, though, so it’s impossible to save enough to get a place elsewhere. I’ll say one thing for Skegness: it’s cheap.”
Three holiday camps still remain in the town including the first ever Butlins, which opened in 1936, day tickets cost just £7 and that includes its water park and new Skypark outdoor adventure playground which claims to have the UK’s longest interactive see-saw.
The holiday park is one of the town’s biggest employers and is one of only three Butlins branches that remain open in the UK alongside Bognor Regis and Minehead.
One visitor to the resort said on Tripadvisor: “First time for me and my family visiting Skegness Butlins but I must say we will definitely be back it was amazing.
“There was so much going on every day, the swimming pool is amazing, the entertainment was amazing, we all absolutely loved every second of it and will definitely be booking again.
“The apartments had everything you needed and I also thought the beds were comfy and lovely and clean thank you for making our stay amazing.”
The towns other attractions can be found on its recognisable strip, which features a range of cheap and cheerful bars and pubs such as Busters which describes itself as an “80s fun pub”.
Visitors can also enjoy a blast from the past and settle in for a game of bingo in one of Skegness’s many halls, with the North Parade Bingo Club highly rated among seasoned players.