All the Great fun of the fair
A trip down memory lane was a hit for Tim Merry as he enjoyed Norfolk seaside delights with the kids in tow
The last time I went to Great Yarmouth I was five years old. The photos may have been black and white, but I remember the neon lights of the seafront being dazzling.
Going back a few years later with my own family, I was keen to see if the Norfolk resort still had what it takes to impress.
And the smiles on my kids’ faces as they drank in all the seaside classics, and crammed in a few more modern thrills, said it all.
The Golden Mile certainly hasn’t changed very much. Named after a sweeping stretch of sandy beach that flanks the busy main Marine Parade strip, it provides a natural contrast to the vast amusement arcades that light up the promenade like a mini Vegas. My primary school brain was not exaggerating – everything in Great Yarmouth still seems huge!
I also remembered rides, lots of them. And with three daredevil children aged between five and 15, I was keen to check them out, so we headed for the Pleasure Beach.
Again, it did not disappoint. For £12 a head you get unlimited rides that left the whole family screaming – with the 1932 wooden Roller Coaster, Log Flume and Sky Drop firm favourites. The older ones did
Yarmouth not want to leave, sprinting off for one last ride before closing and buzzing with adrenalin afterwards (pleasure-beach.co.uk).
My youngest made the most of the family rides, but was in his element when we visited Joyland the next day, a smaller fun park on the pier where child-friendly rides cost £1.50 each.
I was amazed to see a couple of the classic rides I remembered as a child still going strong, and we enjoyed testing them out alongside the new additions. My exhilarated son would definitely recommend the Spook Express Kiddie Coaster (joyland.org.uk).
After all that excitement we retreated to Joyland’s next door American Diner where the hearty portions and flamboyant milkshakes revived us all (burgers from £8.50).
The neon lights of the friendly diner provide another atmospheric slice of Americana, while overlooking the Golden
Mile, and it’s the perfect place to take in the views on a blustery British autumn day.
The nearby Hippodrome was another shining example of traditional seaside fun.
We took in the Spooktacular Halloween show at the impressive Victorian circus-style indoor arena, with more specials running throughout the year (hippodrome circus.co.uk, from £18 adult/
£12 child).
A cross between a pantomime and a circus – with the best gags, deathdefying stunts and dance routines from both – it’s a top family night out.
We were staying a few minutes away from all the action, in the Haven Seashore park, stretched out further along the extra-long beach, with a handy road train to give you a lift to town.
There we encountered another flashback to my youth – classic seaside weather. But while it may have poured down when we visited in October, our caravan kept us all cosy while we explored – unlike the leaks being caught in buckets I recall from a different site as a child!
Despite being spoilt for choice for amusements in Great Yarmouth, the kids also loved the on-site arcade at Seashore and tried their hand at some of the more lively activities on offer.
The climbing wall (£12 a session) and archery (£10) were both a hit despite the drizzle, as were the burgers at the Coast House Bar and Grill (£5.99 for a bigger kids’ meal).
The on-site Papa John’s was also a godsend when we struggled to find fish and chips in town.
Be warned, out of the main summer season much of Great Yarmouth seems to be shut by 8pm.
We were staying on a “Haven Hideaway” break, introduced in response to Covid-19 to limit the numbers using some facilities.
That meant we did not have access to the fun-looking swimming pool and slides, which, with the weather too bracing for the beach or playgrounds – and the indoor play areas also still closed – was the one downside.
But after a tumultuous 2020 we enjoyed what was on offer, and in warmer weather may hardly have noticed with the vast beach on our