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A little known seaside town is bracing itself for an influx of visitors after Tripadvisor named its beach as being the best in the UK and the 12th best in Europe.
Local residents insisted today that they were not at all surprised by the accolade for the huge expanse of sand in Gorleston-on-Sea, Norfolk.
Mother-of-two Emma Flaxman-Taylor, a Conservative borough councillor in the town, said: ‘The beach is like our hidden gem. It is just fantastic.
‘More people have become aware of it in the last couple of years, in part due to the rise in staycations caused by Covid.
‘A lot of visitors have clearly been impressed and left favourable reviews on Tripadvisor because it is such a gorgeous beach.
Tripadvisor named Norfolk beach Gorleston-on-Sea, as being the best in the UK and the 12th best in Europe
The Pier Hotel at Gorleston-on-Sea. A councilor has said that people have been referring to Gorleston as ‘the new Southwold’
Denis Great and son Dylan on the beach at Gorleston-on-Sea. They say they were ‘not all surprised that the beach won the Tripadvisor title’
Dan Hall, partner Louise Barker and her father Ron Francis. They had travelled from their home in Norwich with her father Ron Francis as a treat on his 86th birthday
‘Now that it has come out in the press, I am sure we are going to get more visitors. It is great for business, and great for the town.
‘I call it a pure beach because it is just sand with no stones. We have got a cliff and a lovely promenade beneath it, and then this huge expanse of sand.
‘It is not over-commercialised although there are lovely pubs, restaurants, shops and places to get ice cream.
‘There are also lovely community spaces including a kids’ fun park, and lots of boutique style shops and facilities just five minutes walk away from the beach.’
Fellow councillor Paul Wells, 36, added: ‘It’s an absolutely fantastic beach. We have got the same gorgeous sand as Great Yarmouth, but it is a lot quieter.
‘Gorleston is a very nice and tasteful town. It is fair to say that it up and coming. We have our share of problems like anywhere else, but there is a great sense of community and the town is very welcoming.
‘People either don’t know about Gorleston, or if they do know about it, then they love it. Loads more people have been cottoning on to the beach in recent years, especially since Covid.
‘I live behind Marine Parade, and I judge how busy the town is by how easy it is to park in my road. Five-years-ago it would be blocked a couple of times a year, but now it is up to 15 days every summer.
‘Now we are going to get even more visitors, but the beach is so large that it can absorb huge numbers.’
Liz and Bill Carass and their granddaughter. They say that their local beach is ‘gaining sand’
Local councillors Emma Flaxman-Taylor and Paul Wells. Mother-of-two Emma Flaxman-Taylor, a Conservative borough councillor in the town, said: ‘The beach is like our hidden gem’
The bandstand next to the beach. The number of visitors to the town also increased after it featured widely in Dany Boyle’s 2019 film Yesterday
Catering outlets next to the beach. Shania Howard, 23, the manager of The Fig bar and grill on the beachfront said they walk by the sea everyday
Mr Wells said that some people had even been referring to Gorleston as ‘the new Southwold’ in reference to the prosperous Georgian seaside town in nearby Suffolk which has long been a celebrity haunt and popular with well-heeled Londoners.
The town’s beach has soared in popularity in recent years after apparently increasing in size due to its proximity to the new outer harbour in neighbouring Great Yarmouth.
While millions of tons of sand have been stripped from the nearby beach at Hopton-on-Sea as a result of coastal erosion, the opposite has happened in Gorleston.
Locals believe that the outer harbour has acted as a barrier, effectively trapping millions of tonnes of extra sand in the town’s sweeping bay.
The number of visitors to the town also increased after it featured widely in Dany Boyle’s 2019 film Yesterday, starring Ed Sheeran who lives across the border in Suffolk.
Liz Carass, 65, who was on the beach today with husband Bill and two-year-old granddaughter Margo Clark, said: ‘There used to be rock sea defences all along the wall of the promenade.
‘But they have now been covered up by all the sand. We are gaining sand while Hopton is losing theirs.’
Denis Gray, 49, who was with son Dylan, 13, and their husky Nanook, said: ‘I was not all surprised that the beach won the Tripadvisor title.
Shania Howard, 23, with golden retriever Harper. The manager of The Fig bar and grill on the beachfront, said: ‘This is just a lovely town and the people are so nice’
The model boat pond. Locals say that there is ‘a real kind of vibe’ at the town and the beachfront
‘It is a lovely, quiet place and I recommend it to anyone. It is always clean and I come down her most days. It is rammed with people and families in the summer.’
Other dog walkers stopping for £3 coffees at Jay Jay’s café on the promenade, also praised the beach.
Dan Hall, 56, and his partner Louise Barker had travelled from their home in Norwich with her father Ron Francis as a treat on his 86th birthday while he was visiting with his seven-year-old Salouki dog Lidi.
Recruitment manager Louise, 56, said: ‘Look at the beach. It’s just gorgeous, lovely sand. It is well deserved for it to be named the best in the UK.
‘The sand is incredibly fine and the dog loves running around on it. The sand near my Dad’s place in Devon is almost red in colour and makes the dog filthy.’
She jokingly added: ‘We don’t want to promote it too much, otherwise we won’t be able to park so easily next time we come.’
Asset manager Dan added: ‘There are plenty of other beaches we could go to, but Gorleston is the best. The town has a lovely oldy, world feel to it.’
Shania Howard, 23, the manager of The Fig bar and grill on the beachfront, said: ‘This is just a lovely town and the people are so nice.
‘I walk on the beach every single day. It is the best part of the town. It is so busy in the summer, and quieter in the winter which makes a nice atmosphere.’
Charlotte Youngson, 43, said: ‘I am only surprised that the beach was not voted to be the best in the country before now.
‘I came down here at 5am one day in the summer to see the sunrise and there was a whole family with kids having a swim.’
A Grand Designs house being built overlooking the seafront. Ella Look, 65, from Blofield near Norwich says she moved to the town from Surrey
Mother-of-three Siobhan Humphries and mother-in-law Joy Blinkhorn. The 32-year-old that she feels ‘safe’ every time she comes down to the beach
Metal detecting fan Geoff Lewis. He said that he can ‘understand why it is one of the top beaches in Europe’
Her friend Gabby Williams, 43, added: ‘Gorleston has such a friendly, family atmosphere. It feels like a quaint seaside town.
‘People are respectful and the beach is always clean. There is a real kind of vibe.’
Ella Look, 65, from Blofield near Norwich, who was enjoying a coffee with daughter Robyn, 35, said: ‘I moved up here from Surrey in 1994 and this was the first beach we came to.
‘I have been coming back ever since. My kids loved it when they were growing up. You have the arcades, and places to buy ice cream and chips in the summer. Now my grandchildren love it as well. It is easy to get here and the parking is always free.’
Retired painter and decorator Geoff Lewis, 66, of Hopton who was metal detecting on the beach said: ‘I normally get on the bus to Great Yarmouth, but I decided to stop off here for the first time.
‘The sand is just beautiful. You can understand why it is one of the top beaches in Europe. I found two pennies and a pound coin today, so that’s a bonus.’
Siobhan Humphries, 32, of Downham Market, Norfolk, who was visiting with her three children, and mother-in-law Joy Blinkhorn, 67, said: ‘We love walking up and down here.
‘My boys can ride their bikes on the promenade and the sand is brilliant. It is a friendly town and I feel safe.’
Retired restaurant boss Graham Plant, 66, who is the current mayor for Great Yarmouth and Gorleston, said: ‘Gorleston has a fantastic beach and always has done.
‘There are lots of beach activities and wonderful places to eat. It is great that the rest of the world is now being told about it.’
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