Victorian English seaside town with no arcades and one of the UK’s best beaches to get £21million seafront upgrade
DEVON has lots of beautiful seaside towns, but when it comes to finding one that is more peaceful than most, it can feel tricky.
Sidmouth in East Devon is home to one of the most beautiful beaches in the UK and, surprisingly, has no arcades or rides.
And soon the spot will be getting a £21million glow-up.
The multi-million pound project will focus on protecting Sidmouth’s seafront.
There will be new offshore breakwaters, a 120 metre beach groyne, flood gates and a number of repairs to existing sea walls.
Ultimately, the upgrades will help to not only protect the seafront, but homes and businesses in the area too.
Read more on travel inspo
When visiting the Victorian seaside town, make sure to head to the Blue Flag-awarded beach, which is known for being one of the cleanest beaches in the UK.
Have a look at the cliffs as well, which form part of England‘s only natural UNESCO World Heritage Site.
As for the town, instead of amusement arcades, loud sports bars and dodgy street food vendors, you’ll find galleries, antiques shops, independent boutiques and tearooms.
Travel reporter Cyann Fielding has previously visited the town and said: “Growing up, I always associated Sidmouth with ‘that place that had donkeys’.
“This is due to Sidmouth being home to the free-to-visit Donkey Sanctuary that has over 100 donkeys that they have improved the lives of.
“Away from the sanctuary, I also visited the beach on occasions growing up.
“Sidmouth is pretty, but I often think people also forget how impressive it is with the dramatic cliffs dating back 200million years.
“They are part of the Jurassic Coast – which is made of vibrant reed sandstone cliffs from the Triassic period.
“They are a wonder to see and within the area, there are many places to go and things to do where families can learn more about the Jurassic Coast.”