Seaside Towns

THERE is nothing better than realising you are cool before it was actually cool, after my old road was named one of the world’s trendiest.

My learning I was a trendsetter comes from the latest revealing of the World’s Coolest Streets by Time Out.

The new Time Out list named the top 31 streets that they deem the coolest in the world.

Taking the top spot was much further afield, with Rio’s Rua do Senado in no.1.

But just squeezing into the top 31 (at no.31) was Northdown Road in Margate.

Calling it the “one-time fashionable hotel quarter,” its credited with making a comeback that is “not unlike a street you’d find in East London“.

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I left the big city of London during the pandemic to move to the seaside, choosing the town of Margate.

It has since been named one of the UK’s trendiest seaside towns, having seen a surge in popularity with ex-Londoners.

And one of the areas where this was most noticeable was said Northdown Road – a road I lived on.

Part of the Cliftonville area (named a cool neighbourhood back in 2022) the main high street is forever seeing new shops and bars crop up.

While the road is slightly out of the main Old Town which attracts most of the tourists, I rarely ventured into the centre – because I didn’t need to.

One of my favourite stops for coffee was Cliffs, a coffee-co-working-hair-dress-vinyl shop.

I would often grab a flat white in the morning to go, or spend a few hours in the quieter upstairs with a book or my laptop.

New coffee shops are always cropping up too – there is Lowlife, which feels like a grown up teenage boy decorated it with graffiti art, skateboards and oversized tees for sale.

Or there is High Tide, more popular with families thanks to their kid-friendly menu and small play area, and the fun Doubloons for more unusual tasting lattes.

If you want the best pastries, you must go to Batchelor’s Pattisserie – open since 1967, its here you’ll find the best traditional sweet treats

It’s so easy to spend the entire day on Northdown – for dinner there is the Japanese Mori Mori; Picnic Deli, a wine bar that has live music and small menu options, or some casual pizza at Casa.

Even for shopping, you can grab a vinyl at Ghost Papa, or some handmade earrings at Reo Jewels, as well as some amazing vintage interiors at Lost Property and plants at The Potting Shed.

And then into the night, the award-winning wine bar Sete is cosy but friendly, along with the newly opened The Last Light pub.

You’ll always spot a fun crowd outside LGBTQ+ bar CAMP which is a great night out too.

See what I mean? For such a small road that is barely a mile long, it ticks all the boxes.

Of course it isn’t without its problems – while Margate is often named an up-and-coming area, there are still issues with fly tipping and antisocialism.

And with the current climate, many of my favourite spots have already been forced to close in recent years, meaning many businesses struggle to stay open (I’ll forever miss the huge bagels of The Skinny Dip).

It’s also missing any good hotels, despite its claim to once be a hotel quarter.

There are a few good B&B options, including Doghouse Margate and Cliftonville Townhouse.

Instead, a short walk away are some of the more popular in town such as Fort Road Hotel and No.42 Guesthouse (or the Premier Inn by the station if you’re on a budget).

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But even the road itself is right by the pretty Old Town as well as Walpole Bay, home to Europe‘s biggest lido.

I can finally say – I knew it all before it was cool.

A UK beach town that was named a trending destination for next year was previously named one of the country’s worst seaside towns.

It stated the reason as to why the seaside town is making a comeback is “thanks to a renewed love for quintessential British beach breaks.”

Flixbus has found the top trending destinations for 2026, one of which is Weston-super-Mare in Somerset.

It added: “Travellers are craving the simple pleasure of a day by the sea, with bookings for Weston rising as people seek out wide sands and retro charms.”

Weston-super-Mare is pretty retro as it was a popular Victorian seaside resort back in the 18th century.

The railway lines connecting it to Bath, Bristol and South Wales opened in 1841, which saw a huge tourism boost.

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It fell into decline in the 1960s when cheap package holidays tempted Brits to holiday abroad.

The town hasn’t always had a good reputation in recent years either, having been named as one of the country’s worst seaside towns in 2023 by Which? and the Telegraph.

However a huge rejuvenation project taking place is probably another reason Brits are looking into visiting Weston-super-Mare.

The seaside town is going through a huge rejuvenation as part of its £20million Weston Placemaking Strategy which will regenerate the town as part of a 10-year plan.

Weston-super-Mare’s Tropicana is being transformed into a venue for culture, arts, and entertainment.

It will undergo work like having its 1930s facade repaired while the venue’s outdoor capacity will be increased, and it’s due to reopen in 2026.

After closing as a lido in 2000, the Tropicana stood vacant for years until Banksy used it as the venue for his Dismaland bemusement park in 2015.

There are also plans to revitalise Birnbeck Pier which was open between 1867 and 1994.

It had a range of attractions like a Pavilion, a Switchback Railway, mini fairground, a water chute and a roller rink.

The pier is the only one in the UK which links to the mainland to an island, with access to Birnbeck Island.

Old Town Quarry, also currently closed, could be turned into an event space.

The town council’s Tourism and Information Services Manager, Warren Parker-Mills said: “We could have an opera there, we could have a ballet there, we could have things that are not necessarily associated with Weston-Super-Mare.”

There are also plans for a weekly market at the Italian Gardens.

Other popular attractions include the Weston Museum and The Helicopter Museum, the Playhouse and Winter Gardens.

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The Northern county that made the Airbnb list of top trending beach destinations in the world…

Airbnb has revealed the trending beach destinations around the world, with the Northumberland coastline making the cut.

The northern county of Northumberland has been getting lots of attention over the summer, with plenty of pretty beaches that are usually less busy than those in the south.

Airbnb said: “Northumberland is drawing more summer visitors, with searches up over 50 per cent this summer, thanks to its pristine North Atlantic beaches.”

One beach that’s been highlighted as a must-see is Embleton Bay. It sits on the edge of the North Sea to the east of the village of Embleton.

The bay has a long stretch of golden sands, cool water and it’s overlooked by the ruins of Dunstanburgh Castle.

Near Embleton Bay is a pub that has previously held the title of ‘best beach bar in the UK’ – it’s called the Ship Inn in Low Newton-by-the-Sea.

It once claimed top spot in a list of the best beach pubs in the country put together by Conde Nast Traveller.

For more trending destinations, check out the holiday destinations our travel team predicts will be HUGE in 2026 – thanks to cheap hotels, flights and pints.

Plus, here are our favourite seaside towns that are less than 90 minutes from London.