Morecambe named among most thriving seaside towns in UK

Seaside resports have thrived since the pandemic while city centres have thinned out as working patterns have changed for good, new mobile phone data has suggested.

People have flocked to small towns and suburbs and enjoyed flexible commutes into their offices, according to anonymised phone activity by analytics platforms Placemake.io and Visitor Insights.

It covers more than 500 high streets from January 2019 to December 2022, and is based on 8 million mobile devices across the UK.

Morecambe saw activity shoot up by 70% between 2019 and 2022, while Bognor Regis in West Sussex surged by 40%.

The study also suggests a pattern of shrinking visitors to large city centres over the past three years, with London, Birmingham and Sheffield showing the biggest drops.

Morecambe's proximity to the M6 as well as exposure in TV programmes such as The Bay has helped, according to Morecambe BID manager John O'Neill.

He said: "We have seen a steady increase in visitor activity since the opening of the Bay Gateway in 2016 making Morecambe the closest seaside resort to any major motorway in the country.

"This has been followed by continued positive exposure in the press and on TV with 'The Bay' TV series and the ongoing development of the Eden Project North in Morecambe so it's not surprising.

"Whilst I haven't seen the data myself I was informed last year that Morecambe promenade was the eighth busiest place in the country during lockdown as people were able to experience the beauty of the bay on walks whilst social distancing."

Coun Tricia Heath, cabinet member with responsibility for economic recovery, said the survey results shouldn't come as a surprise.

“Following the end of the Covid lockdowns many of us have wanted to head to the seaside to embrace the great outdoors and the benefits it brings to our health and wellbeing," she said.

“The results of this survey shouldn’t come as a surprise. Morecambe enjoys one of the finest coastlines of any seaside town in England and its natural beauty attracts people from all over the country.

“We also all have our fingers crossed for a successful outcome on the funding bid for Eden Project North, which will make a great town even better.”