A seaside town boasts Britain’s smallest pier – but found itself the subject of controversy when the mayor fought back against its rating as the third worst beach in the UK.
A Which? Magazine survey ranked 118 seaside towns around the country and gave Burnham-On-Sea, Somerset, a 49 percent customer score.
But the town’s mayor pointed out that this was based on the feedback of just 62 people, compared with the “thousands” who visit every year.
The town boasts an unusual attraction in the smallest pier in Britain – which outside resembles just a model of the real thing but inside has a fully functioning amusement arcade and bingo hall.
The pier is just 37 metres long and was built between 1911 – 1914, and was the first concrete structure of its time in Europe.
The pier is made to look even smaller by the huge, uncluttered beach next to Burnham-On-Sea, which has the second-highest tidal range in the world (after the Bay of Fundy in Nova Scotia), with the sea being a mile and a half away at low tide.
Its original purpose is not entirely known, and it has been suggested it was simply an experiment that was never meant to be used commercially.
It also features a series of small outlets selling refreshments.
However, the pier apparently failed to convince the respondents to Which?’s survey of British beaches.
Only Skegness and Clacton scored lower than Burnham-On-Sea, with each hitting 48 percent.
Burnham-On-Sea scored three out five for its beach as a whole, but just one out of five for the seafront, the tiny pier, and the food and drink.
Burnham and Highbridge Mayor Cllr Lesley Millard shot back at the survey, telling Burnham-On-Sea.com: “Burnham’s beach and town centre welcomes thousands of visitors each year, drawn to its variety of attractions and one of the longest sandy beaches in Europe.
“They come to enjoy our wide range of independent shops, food outlets, amusements and water sports, as well as the natural features of sand dunes, important wildlife habitats and coastal walks.
“What really counts is the opinion of those who return year after year to enjoy our seaside town. This is more important than the views of just 62 people in a flawed survey.”
Rory Boland, Editor of Which? Travel, told the outlet: “This is our largest ever annual survey of the UK’s best-loved seaside resorts, with over 3,000 people sharing their views on their favourite coastal towns.
“62 visitors shared their impressions of Burnham-On-Sea, and while it wasn’t among the highest-scoring resorts, visitors still found plenty to praise, including the ‘glorious’ walks on offer and the ‘fantastic stretch of beach’.
“While some visitors told us the town felt ‘run down’ and ‘tired’ compared to some other coastal towns, it’s clear this traditional seaside resort still has plenty to offer families seeking a fun day out at the seaside, from its fantastic beach to traditional wooden lighthouse.”
But Ian Jefferies at Burnham’s tourist information centre added that in a larger survey of 400 visitors over a month, the beach received 96 percent positive feedback.
And it appears reviewers on TripAdvisor also saw more in Burnham-On-Sea, giving the beach four and a half stars out of five. One person wrote: “Aside from the stunning beach (dogs welcome all year!) and wonderful hilltop walk with glorious views – there is also the National Trust visitor centre and cafe. We visit several times a month – the cafe has the best pasties for mikes around.”
Another wrote: “Lucky with the weather, a nice walk in the fresh air, a very beautiful part of the world. If with a dog, be mindful, animals can be out and about on the hills.”
