Britain's 'worst' seaside town getting £23 million upgrade
- The Lincolnshire town has been described as a 'vulgar hellhole' with 'brown sea'
- READ MORE: We live in Britain's worst seaside town and here's why it's so awful
A Lincolnshire town - once labelled the 'worst' seaside hotspot in the UK - is set for a major transformation as part of a £23 million investment aimed at drawing in more tourists.
Skegness, which has been described as a 'vulgar hellhole' with a 'brown sea,' ranked bottom in Which? Magazine's 2023 poll of seaside resorts in Britain.
The following year, the once-popular holiday destination placed fifth in the survey which featured 120 UK seaside towns.
Visitors gave Skegness just one star for its scenery and noise levels, and two stars for its food, drink, shopping and attractions.
Despite its low scores in a number of categories, one area where Skegness consistently rated well was parking - an unlikely silver lining for visiting drivers.
Skegness, which has been described as a 'vulgar hellhole' with a 'brown sea,' ranked bottom in Which? Magazine's 2023 poll of seaside resorts in Britain
In recent decades, a lack of investment in tourism services and infrastructure in Skegness has seen its appeal decline
Aerial photo of the town centre of Skegness showing the pier, beach and fairground rides
Visitors gave Skegness just one star for its scenery and noise levels, and two stars for its food, drink, shopping and attractions
EMR unveiled its first fully refurbished Class 170 train, part of a wider £60 million investment into its fleet, which is set to increase travel to Skegness on the Nottingham to Skegness via Grantham line
The refurbished trains come with a range of modern features, including brand-new seating, updated flooring and refurbished toilets
In addition to the new trains, the town's own railway station is receiving a £3.3 million redevelopment, due to be completed by May 25
Pictured: Fair ground rides on a sea front in Skegness in 2022
The town once thrived in the 19th century when railways first made it a popular escape for working-class families - but in recent decades, a lack of investment in tourism services and infrastructure has seen its appeal decline.
However, the town's luck might be about to change, as a new rail upgrade by East Midlands Railway (EMR) is expected to bring a wave of improvements to the area.
On April 15, EMR unveiled its first fully refurbished Class 170 train, part of a wider £60 million investment into its fleet, according to Lincolnshire World.
These upgrades are set to enhance and increase travel to Skegness on the Nottingham to Skegness via Grantham line - a journey that takes just under two hours and can cost as little as £4.05 if booked in advance.
The refurbished trains come with a range of modern features, including brand-new seating, updated flooring and refurbished toilets.
The picture above shows Skegness Pier in 1900. It was built in 1881 and was England's fourth longest at the time, stretching to 1,844ft/562m. Skegness Town Council explains: 'It was not until the railway reached Skegness in 1873 that visitors began arriving in large numbers'
This image captured Skegness Parade seafront in 1900. Skegness Town Council reveals: 'Work began in the late 1870s building wide, tree-lined streets, promenades and gardens.' It adds that the town's population had swelled to over 2,000 in 1900, growing from just over 400 in 1850
Young women are photographed playing cricket on the beach in 1926. Seasidehistory.co.uk reveals that 'there was a huge jump in the number of people able to take a holiday by the sea' in the 1920s
Bathers are captured using parasols to shade themselves from the sun at Skegness beach in 1926. Cotswold Outdoor explains: 'One of the most striking features of Skegness Beach is its expansive stretch of soft, golden sand'
Three elephants from the renowned Power's Dancing Elephants troupe entertain holidaymakers in 1936 with a game of cricket on Skegness Beach. The elephants performed at the now-demolished Hippodrome Theater in New York from 1905 to 1923 and came to Skegness as part of an 11-year European tour
The Butlin's in Skegness was the first of Billy Butlin's iconic holiday camps. It opened in 1936 - and pictured above is its open-air pool. An advertisement from the time says tourists could 'meet the sun on the east coast' at the 'luxury' camp
This image depicts beauty queens from nine countries arriving at Butlin's for a carnival event in 1937. They travelled on a special train dubbed the 'Beauty Queen Express'
In this photo, taken in 1938, a Butlin's worker delivers a cup of morning tea to a chalet guest. The morning tea service was an optional paid extra for guests. An advert for Butlin's describes the chalets as 'cosy' with 'electric light, carpeted floors, running water, bath and first-class sanitary arrangements'
Each carriage also includes a mix of 230V power sockets, Type-C and dual USB charging points, plus a dedicated bike storage area.
The interiors have been redesigned to match the sleek aesthetic of EMR's upcoming Aurora trains, which are expected to enter service later this year.
The Class 170 trains were formerly operated by West Midlands Railway and are now managed by the UK's leading rolling stock financier, Porterbrook.
Will Rogers, managing director of EMR, called the upgrades 'just the beginning,' adding that visitors should expect to see more noticeable improvements across the network over the coming year.
Holidaymakers are captured enjoying the Butlin's boating pond in 1939 in this image. The camp was marketed as being affordable for working people
Butlins Holiday Camp at Skegness showing holidaymakers and Redcoats in 1970
One of the famous old London & North Eastern Railway posters advertising trains to Skegness
An aerial view of Butlins Holiday Camp at Skegness in 1970
The famous poster featuring the jolly fisherman, encouraging tourists to travel to Skegness
Butlins Holiday Camp at Skegness showing children at the start of a wheel-barrow race in 1970
In addition to the new trains, the town's own railway station is receiving a £3.3 million redevelopment, due to be completed by May 25.
Editor of Which? travel, Rory Boland, said following the 2023 poll: 'Clacton, Skegness, and Southend all received one star from visitors for the lack of peace and quiet, and some visitors complain that the boisterous atmosphere can tip into feeling unsafe.
'That's a shame, because what Clacton, Skegness, and Southend offer is exactly the sort of seaside break many of us want.
'Big beaches, big entertainment, and small prices. More should be done to help them level up and become first-class holiday resorts.'
In 2023, locals in Skegness defended their hometown, although families said a day out had rocketed in price.
