Spot the next best seaside town in UK to move to with this tip

The weather might be a little bit grim, but our fingers are still crossed for sunshine-filled days ahead. Plus it hasn’t stopped us daydreaming about moving to a quaint seaside town, eating fish and chips in a kitchen facing the sea, running along the beach...

It seems we’re not the only ones. The likes of Margate and Deal have both shot up in popularity with buyers, relocating from London in favour of crashing waves and salty air.

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But whether you choose to relocate completely or are lucky enough to buy a second home, you want to make sure your investment pays off.

If you’re keen to get ahead of the crowds and spot the next seaside property hotspot it seems you should be looking at one thing. The pier.

If money has been invested into revamping the pier, you can bet that coastal town is on the up.

Piers have been a visitor attraction since Victorian times when men and women, dolled up in there finest apparel, would parade along it. Piers suffered a blow when seaside resorts dipped in popularity in the 60s, but they've remained at the heart of the seaside town.

‘The pier is the flagship attraction in a seaside town,’ Dr Anya Chapman, a lecturer in tourism management at Bournemouth University told The Telegraph. ‘When it is refurbished, other businesses cluster around it and they form a nucleus of growth.’

Best seaside town in UK

seaside town and swimming costume and rounded cap

Swanage in Dorset and Colwyn Bay in North Wales both saw a boost in the local housing market after their piers received a £4 million investment. That’s not to mention the growth in the local economy.

Penarth near Cardiff is another town that has had the life breathed back into its pier with a £4.2 million revamp. The town has become popular with young families keen to enjoy its boho vibe. A three-bedroom terraced house will currently set you back over £300,000.

Other seaside towns to watch include Weston-super-Mare, Cromer and Bournemouth.

So if you are looking to relocate, make sure you take a walk along the pier first.

Rebecca Knight has been the Editor on the Ideal Home Website since 2025; previously, she was the Deputy Digital Editor from 2022. She has a Master's degree in magazine journalism from City, University of London and has been writing about homes and interiors for 7 years. Her expertise lies in DIY projects, home decor trends and spotting the latest high street homeware buys that are about to go viral. She bought her first home in London last year and is currently renovating it (on a budget).