Five British seaside towns to watch

PORTHCAWL

Home to the annual Elvis Festival, the Victorian resort enjoys a prime location on the South Wales coast between Swansea and Cardiff, with Kenfig Nature Reserve’s dunes on its doorstep. elvies.co.uk

WEYMOUTH

A decade after hosting the London 2012 Olympic Games’ sailing, Weymouth’s Georgian seafront and Blue Flag beach has potential. Much is planned, from a remodelling of the harbour to the restoration of historical quay buildings. visit-dorset.com

NORTH BERWICK

One of the best places to live in Scotland in 2022 according to The Times, this East Lothian seaside resort, half an hour by train from Edinburgh is home to handsome beaches and hip coffee shops. Home to one of the world’s oldest golf courses, it has bags of holiday heritage. visiteastlothian.org

FOLKESTONE

Ninety buildings were restored to create Folkestone’s Creative Quarter, ‘an urban village of designers, filmmakers, musicians, web developers and artists’. The Kent resort is about an hour from London and its restored Harbour Arm promenade is turning into a hub for independent businesses. visitkent.co.uk

NORTH SHIELDS

This Tyneside town, just eight miles from Newcastle, has drawn headlines for the rebirth of its 13th-century Fish Quay, which has evolved from an industrial quarter into a lively area of pubs, restaurants and creative venues.

More redevelopments are in the works. visitnorthtyneside.com