Locals left furious after pretty seaside village branded UK’s ‘mini-Benidorm'

Holly Kintuka & Lynn Love
·2-min read
Abersoch is on the North Wales coastline
-Credit:Getty


If Spain is your favourite holiday spot but you can't travel abroad, then this destination might be perfect for you.

According to travellers, a gorgeous seaside village in Wales is on track to becoming a 'mini Benidorm', which has left locals furious. Abersoch residents believe their village is more like the French Riveria and are now hitting out at critics.

Developers are currently building a new luxury development in the area. It's a multi-million pound complex that will include a hotel, spa, and apartments in Gwynedd's Llyn Penisula. Critics have compared the development, which is believed to be costing around £34 million, to buildings you'd find in Benidorm.

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The new development was compared to Benidorm in Spain
The new development was compared to Benidorm in Spain -Credit:Getty

One businessman told The Sun Online: "Abersoch is chic and the area has more beauty of the south of France than a grotty Spanish resort. The hotel isn't finished yet, so it's too early to pass judgement on how it will finally look, but it's much better than leaving the site an eyesore."

Benidorm might be loved by Brits, but it doesn't have the best reputation. Tourists on a Reddit travel forum branded it one of the "trashiest" places worldwide. This is very different from the Welsh village that has multi-million-pound properties and has seen the likes of A-list celebrities, including Bradley Cooper and Bear Grylls, visit the area, reports the Express.

"It's getting more like Monaco with the multi-million-pound houses," a woman told The Sun.

The complex is being developed on the Lleyn Peninsula of Gwynedd
The complex is being developed on the Lleyn Peninsula of Gwynedd -Credit:Getty

The village is a hotspot during the holiday season as it experiences better weather than other places in Britain. Many people travel to stay in their second homes while enjoying some watersports or a little drink on their beach hut terraces.

However, when the warm season is over, Abersoch's streets are much quieter, so some locals hope the hotel will benefit the village by attracting more visitors.

Others, though, are not entirely happy with the new complex. They mention that the village was "struggling" as a result of controls introduced on new second homes and holiday lets, stating that "it will be interesting to see how the hotel survives."

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