Tacky, faded, but still bags of fun – why this Yorkshire seaside town is ready for a comeback

Bridlington – or Brid – is the big bag-for-life of fun. The whole package. Especially when the Yorkshire weather starts warming up and everyone’s suddenly out. Fairground rides are creaking back to life, and gulls are perched, ready in waiting for the new season’s offering of vinegar-soaked chips and bubblegum-flavour ice cream. If you were brought up on seasides as a child, this is the nostalgia you’ve been craving.

As I walk down South Beach, I gaze at a very British postcard of families huddled behind windbreaks, serious sandcastles abandoned among brightly coloured buckets and spades, couples canoodling on the rocks and kites bobbing in the air.

The wind still has that spring nip but there is an air of expectation for the summer ahead. If it’s not the fish and chip cafés (chippies abound here) vying for attention with huge plastic canvases depicting all manner of spurious awards splashed across their fronts, it’s the olde worlde sweet shops stacked with multicoloured piles of rock, and ice cream parlours reminiscent of the Fifties. In fact, every era seems to have made its mark here.

Bridlington started life as two towns: the Old Town, a mile inland, and the Quay. At the centre of two long beaches (North and South, which have earned two Seaside Awards for cleanliness and facilities) is the bustling harbour.

I stroll towards it, past the dazzling white facade of Bridlington Spa (theatre, ballroom and conference centre), Edwardian tenement buildings and terraced houses, towards the masts of the sailing boats. Active for over 900 years, it has developed from a humble wooden pier to a thriving tourist attraction for visitors who come to walk its length or even set sail.

Boats still take people round the bays as they used to centuries ago – although now they take the form of a themed pirate ships, or bright orange speedboats – and commercial fishing vessels return with their daily catch. The Harbour Heritage Museum is also found here. All those chippies are a result of both fishing and tourism, the town’s two main industries.

Every single fish and chip outlet seems to claim the accolade of the best in town, but if you ask a local, Fish and Chips at 149 (further inland) and Audrey’s usually top the list.

A slow meander down the promenade feels like walking back in time. Arcades hum with the whizzing, flashing and clicking of games machines and coin spinners and touts beckon prospective thrill-seekers to the fairground rides, with the Ferris wheel an iconic feature of the townscape.

Amplified beats of the Eighties and the cries of the gulls circling overhead chime against the bell of the land train, ferrying people right across the South and North Beach promenades.

I continue on foot to North Beach and the smooth sand slowly turns to shingle. The path, flanked by bright green grass, leads up towards the mottled cliffs of Flamborough Head, and as I gradually ascend the crowds thin and suddenly there’s a wonderful, almost-uninterrupted panoramic view of the town below.

My journey takes me to Sewerby Hall, a Grade I-listed Edwardian manor house with 50 acres of parkland encompassing flower-filled gardens, a zoo and an adventure playground (sewerbyhall.co.uk; adults £8.40; child £6.20). If you just want to have a nosey and a cup of tea in the Clock Tower Café, pop in after 4pm to avoid being charged. Alongside feeding the animals, costume days and house tours, plenty of events take place here throughout the year such as medieval jousting and car rallies.

Bridlington has changed over the decades. Many buildings (think heyday hotels, town halls, schools and churches) were destroyed during the Second World War, while some have simply been demolished or have fallen into disrepair, but the Old Town still retains plenty of historic landmarks that reference its heritage.

The Priory, once one of England’s leading monasteries, dates back to 1113 and is one of the town’s oldest churches, displaying some striking stained glass windows. Its original gatehouse from the 14th century is now the Bayle Museum, whose interactive displays take you through Bridlington’s history. Stop by the Tourist Information Centre on North Promenade for a pocket guide. Other useful guides for self-tours include the Maritime Trail which offers a nautical journey through the town’s streets.

Another vintage side to the town – which you may recognise as Walmington-on-Sea from the film remake of Dad’s Army (2016) – is Bridlington High Street. This is a hub for bagging quintessential oddities like antique furniture, handcrafted jewellery and locally made ceramics. Old school tea rooms, pubs and cafés complete the picture.

There is no doubt that some serious investment is needed to keep this characterful seaside town in the pink. Bridlington doesn’t have the transport links that other successful coastal resorts like Brighton and Bournemouth enjoy. But things are looking up for British coastal towns in general with the Government’s pledge to invest £200 million in the Great British Coast by 2020 and £1.6 billion towards supporting them to grow and prosper through the Stronger Towns Fund.

Yes, Bridlington is riotously tacky – but that is just part of what makes it fun. And although Which? recently named it one of the worst seaside towns in the UK, the faded frontier is a fighter that has survived the boom and bust of seaside tourism over the ages. Come rain or shine, summer or winter, Brid is an asset to the east coast.

By the looks of things, it’s gearing up for a pretty busy summer – kicked off on a national scale by its recent role in the Tour de Yorkshire – so get over there and experience the charm of this underrated town for yourself.

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