I did a pub crawl round the UK’S warmest seaside town that banned boozers until just 26 years ago
If enjoying a tipple in a sunny beer garden is top of the list for your seaside trip, there’s one English beach resort that wouldn’t have been your cup of tea before this century.
I visited Frinton-on-Sea, a quaint little town on the Essex Sunshine Coast where boozers were banned until 2000.
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Nowadays you can prop up the bar at the town’s first pub, the Lock and Barrel, or enjoy a drink in the sun outside.
There are a couple of small courtyard areas with picnic tables out back, plus tables in front of the pub’s huge double-fronted picture windows overlooking the high street.
It’s all a far cry from the Frinton of years gone by, when industrialist Richard Powell Cooper developed the golf course and land around it in the 1890s, stipulating that no drinking holes would be welcome.
In fact, there wasn’t even a fish and chip shop until the 1990s.
So heading back 30 years after the sea change, I was interested to see if lifting the ban on takeaways and pubs has made much difference to the sleepy seaside chic I remember from my youth.
Now pubs are permitted, Frinton’s main claim to fame is being named by Which? as the warmest and driest coastal town in its most recent survey of best UK seaside spots, as well as scoring five stars from visitors for peace and quiet.
It got just one star for tourist attractions, as it’s not got a pier, arcades or any of the other seaside staples you might expect.
It’s the polar opposite of the party vibe of its coastal cousin Clacton, just five miles down the seafront.
With a family-friendly sandy beach overlooked by the wide lawns and heritage sea shelters of the greensward, there’s something a little bit special about this secluded seaside spot, and the introduction of a pub hasn’t done anything to change that.
It’s still got a village vibe, with only one road in and out over the railway line.
Its high street Connaught Avenue remains packed full of independent shops – a glimpse out of the pub window revealed a toy shop, butcher, bookshop and fishmonger.
Although, Frinton hasn’t avoided the inevitable Turkish barber, charity shop and nail salon that seem to have sprung up in every town centre.
Even a chain like Poundstretcher has toned down its brightly coloured exterior and signage to fit in with the conservation area.
Here are more of our favourite UK seaside towns…
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Sidmouth, Devon
Take a trip to Sidmouth on the Jurassic Coast and wander down Jacob’s Ladder to its pretty shingle beach. Make sure to walk along the promenade and check out the independent shops and boutiques. Stay at the four-star Harbour Hotel for sea views and traditional afternoon tea from £135 per room.
Whitby, North Yorkshire
With a history of sailors and vampires, a dramatic coastal path, and the very best in pints and scampi, it takes a lot to beat Whitby. Pop in the amusements, eat award-winning fish and chips, and board the all-singing Captain Cook boat tour on the harbour. The Royal Hotel overlooks the harbour with stays from just £68 per room.
Old Hunstanton, Norfolk
This town has some of the best beach walks beside striped limestone cliffs, a Victorian lighthouse and 13th century ruins. The beach has golden sands with rolling dunes and colourful beach huts, backed by a pretty pinewood forest. Stay at a beachfront hotel from £100 per room.
Seahouses, Northumberland
This is an authentic British seaside break, with fishing boats bobbing on its pretty harbour and fresh catches of the day to enjoy in local restaurants. There’s no flashing arcades here, but there’s a great beach with rockpools, boat trips, and you may even spot a grey seal, too. Treat yourself to a stay at the Bamburgh Castle Inn from £129 per room.
We popped in for a pint at the Lock and Barrel, paying £30 for a round of two beers, a glass of wine and three soft drinks.
I liked the pub name’s nod to the previous ironmonger incarnation of the building, with Blowers and Cooper storefront lettering preserved on the ceiling above the bar to remember the shop based here for 75 years.
And the lovely green tiled pillar at the entrance preserves part of the pub’s predecessor for posterity.
It all seems very much in keeping with the genteel feel that attracted the likes of Winston Churchill and the Prince of Wales here in the first half of the 20th century.
And while Frinton is never going to be prime pub crawl territory, strolling a mile inland while window shopping along Connaught Avenue brings you to the Essex Skipper on an estate towards the outskirts of the town.
We loved the beach hut seating areas in the beer garden and the big word cloud backdrop that commemorates many of the special places, food and experiences that make this stretch of the Essex coast unique.
This pub has a fresh, modern feel, quite a contrast to the olde world charm of its high street counterpart.
With August average highs of 21C, sea temperatures of around 18C and rainfall just 45mm, Frinton combines the best of British summertime with a town that’s stayed true to its traditions.
And it’s easily accessible, with trains from London Liverpool Street taking just 90 minutes.
If you do like to be beside the seaside and all you need for your bucket-and-spade break is a beach and a bit of sunshine, Frinton could become a firm family favourite for you.
For more inspiration, here are all the trendy UK seaside towns with huge makeovers and enough to do for a WEEK – and you can stay from £35.
And here’s the coastal English town becoming the next big thing – and there’s loads of celebs there too.