UK’s cheapest seaside town with beautiful sandy beach named but some locals hate it

Ayrshire’s Saltcoats is the most affordable seaside location in Britain, according to a study by Rightmove, with an average property asking price of just £114,365

A small town on the coast of Scotland has been revealed as the cheapest seaside location in Britain.

Saltcoats in Ayrshire has been identified as the cheapest seaside location in a study by Rightmove, boasting an average property asking price of just £114,365.

The historic town dates back to the 1500s, when King James V dipped into his own pocket to establish the salt panning industry in Saltcoats, from which the town takes its name.

The town’s small harbour originates from the late 17th century and at low tide, visitors are able to see fossilised trees on the harbour floor. Many of those who explore the harbour note the amazing views across the water to the Isle of Arran.

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Notably, the only woman ever to have become a registered ship’s captain, Betsy Miller, was born in Saltcoats in 1793.

In addition to its fascinating heritage, Saltcoats is home to a bowling alley, cinema and Town Trail, where you can learn about the location’s history. Visitors can further delve into the history of the small town at the North Ayrshire Museum, housed in a church, reports the Express.

Throughout the town there are also a number of restaurants and cafes, perfect for day visitors enjoying the golden sandy beach. Oscar’s Café Bar Restaurant sits next to the water and offers a range of pub classics that are all generously sized portions.

While the town may be cheap, a lot of people who live there love it. “I have lived in Saltcoats for the last 16 years and I think it’s a lovely town! House prices are perfect for a larger home and I haven’t had a single issue with other locals! It’s just great living by the beach and my favourite cafe is Del Grecos in the town. Always worth a visit for a cheap bowl of soup and coffee,” one happy local wrote on Reddit.

Others, however, are less convinced. One wrote: “Aye honestly as someone who lives here, I don’t think there’s much to write home about. Quiet enough place to live, but there’s not really much to see or do. Nice beach for a walk, but that’s sort of it.”

Another added: “An absolute s***hole! The Main Street is like a scene from the 70’s.”

At the other end of the spectrum, Sandbanks in Poole, Dorset has been named as the most expensive seaside location to buy a home out of over 200 locations surveyed. With average house prices hitting nearly £1.6 million, these properties certainly don’t come cheap.

Rightmove reports suggest that you could purchase almost 14 homes in Saltcoats for the typical asking price of just one in Sandbanks. There is no surprise then, that the wealthy neighbourhood on England’s south coast is home to several celebrities, including Harry Redknapp, Liam Gallagher, Rick Stein and Karl Pilkington.

Sandbanks, a picturesque spot famed for its golden sands and stunning views, has long been a magnet for the rich and famous, with John Lennon and J. R.R. Tolkien once owning homes there simultaneously. The area’s beauty is undeniable all year round.

Recently, Sandbanks hit the headlines when locals overwhelmingly voted to put a stop to overdevelopment. In an unprecedented referendum, 96.6 percent of Sandbanks residents backed measures to limit new building projects in their coastal haven.

The move was orchestrated by the Sandbanks Neighbourhood Forum, aiming to curb the surge of new waterfront properties popping up along Poole Harbour. These developments were starting to impinge on the sea views enjoyed by older homes.

Thanks to the referendum’s outcome, the community group will now have a significant voice in local planning matters. Norman Allenby Smith, chair of the Sandbanks Community Group, shared his delight with the BBC: “The result is very pleasing.

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“It shows that the plan has the full support of the community and we can move forward with a strategy for Sandbanks that will make it an even more enjoyable place to live and visit. I think the reason the vote was so overwhelming was that there was a very thorough consultation process to determine what the community wanted.”

“This now means that all future planning applications for Sandbanks will be decided in consultation with this plan, which is a legally binding document,” said Norman.