Britain’s Struggling Seaside Town Hits Rock Bottom as Shopping Centre Goes Up for Sale

In another setback for Britain’s ‘least appealing coastal town’—labeled as ‘dreary’ and ‘dilapidated’—the region is facing severe disinterest. The primary shopping center is now being sold at only one-fourth of what it originally cost to construct.

Earlier this month, the historic Welsh resort of Bangor found itself at the top of the Which? list as the poorest seaside town in Britain, receiving only 42 percent in their assessment. The town was awarded a single star rating across various categories including dining options, retail experiences, and sightseeing opportunities.

Furthermore, indicating the decline of the erstwhile Victorian holiday destination, its prime retail hub – the Menai Centre – is now on the market for merely a portion of what it originally cost to construct.

In a survey conducted by Which? in early May, Bangor fared the poorest compared to other seaside towns, scoring lower than half the approval rating of Britain’s top coastal destination, Bamburgh Castle in Northumbria, which garnered an 86 percent satisfaction rate.

Other locales bearing the reputation as some of the least ideal spots for a seaside vacation in Britain encompass Southend-on-Sea, Skegness, and Clacton-on-Sea.

Nonetheless, Bangor received acclaim as an excellent starting point for exploring the 'spectacular' landscapes and coastline of North Wales.

Photos from the town show virtually no footfall outside of the summer season, with the town's main shopping centre now being offloaded too.

This stands out notably because the town boasts the longest high street in Wales and holds the distinction of being the country’s oldest city.

The label highlights how much Bangor has declined from its prime, featuring historical pictures depicting throngs of people attending the pier’s opening ceremony back in 1896 during the Victorian era.

As recent as just 30 years back, this place remained a cherished destination for visitors and vacationers alike. It even made an appearance in a well-loved tune titled "Day Trip to Bangor (Didn't We Have a Lovely Time)" performed by the folksy band Fiddler's Dream in 1979.

The song made it to number three in the charts and secured the band's place in history as a one hit wonder.

The situation became complicated later when it was suggested that the inspiration for the song came from a visit to Rhyl instead. However, Bangor remained in the title because it had an additional syllable.

However, its 'shopping dream' complex — which was developed in 2007 at a construction cost of £18.5 million — is currently being put up for auction with an estimated price of only £4.2 million.

The centre previously accommodated popular clothing stores like Debenhams and H&M along High Street, however, these shops departed during the pandemic, leaving the centre with an 80 percent vacancy rate today.

The remaining stores encompass a Greggs, The Original Factory Shop, and Hays Travel, along with a cocktail bar.

A healthcare facility is scheduled to launch inside the old Debenhams location, financed by the Welsh Government, with hopes this will draw more people to the area — though that particular section isn’t included in the sale.

The 130,000 square foot structure was acquired by Bearmont Capital, under the leadership of Rob Lloyd, in 2023 and is currently up for auction through the prominent real estate company Savills via a two-part bidding procedure.

Savills stated: "This property spans across the ground level and one upper story, divided into 19 individual units. It encompasses a total area of 64,321 square feet dedicated to retail and leisure purposes."

'Leaseholders at the location include JD Sport, Cafe Nero, Hays Travel, 3 mobile, Superdrug, and Greggs among several others.'

'Separate shops each enjoy their own storefront. The shopping center lacks a shared atrium, which reduces the public areas. At the back, there’s a service courtyard.'

Savills say the current annual rents paid by tenants add up to £508,000.

Describing the bidding procedure, a representative stated: "During phase one, prospective buyers will have an opportunity to submit their bids by a specified due date. Following this, the client will review these proposals, and top bidders might be asked for their final and most competitive offers."

If an offer aligns with the client’s criteria, a winning bidder will be chosen and a purchase will occur through an auction agreement, to be executed promptly alongside payment of a 10 percent deposit. In this case, the property will be considered ‘sold prior to auction’.

In the event that no outstanding offers are made or if the submitted bids are roughly equal in value, a reserve price will be established for the property and it will subsequently be put up for sale through a live online auction (the specific date to be confirmed following Phase 1 of this procedure).

Stage one bidding will conclude on June 10.

Following being crowned the worst seaside town in Britain, Bangor City Council commented: "We're disheartened to learn that Bangor City has been labeled among the UK’s least favorable coastal towns. These types of ratings frequently overlook the complete story and distinctive attractions that render Bangor City truly remarkable."

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