As millions of Brits head to popular beach spots to beat the heat this summer, drivers are being urged to think twice before hopping in the car for a cheap day out.
Experts at CritiqueJeu have revealed the least and most expensive seaside towns to park your car – and the results might surprise you.
Using data from Parkopedia, their research considered costs over an 8-hour period, and specifically focused on parking facilities located within a 30-minute or less walking distance from the centre of thirty prominent UK seaside towns.
Emerging as the location with the most affordable parking is St Andrews by-the-Sea, Scotland, with an average cost of just £1.90 for an eight-hour stay.
This was closely followed by Hornsea, situated in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England, priced at a budget-friendly £1.98.
In third place is Portrush, Northern Ireland, where eight-hour parking costs a cool £3.47.
On the flip side, Brighton takes the crown as the seaside town with the most expensive parking – costing drivers an eye-watering £24.21 for an eight-hour stay.
The iconic beach destination is known for its pier, bustling seafront and vibrant nightlife, but drivers are warned to brace themselves for sky-high prices should they wish to park in spaces close to the town centre.
Experts at online casino, CritiqueJeu, has revealed in a study the least and most expensive seaside towns to park your car – and the results might surprise you
Emerging as the location with the most affordable parking is St Andrews by-the-Sea, Scotland, with an average cost of just £1.90 for an eight-hour stay
This was closely followed by Hornsea, situated in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England, priced at a budget-friendly £1.98
Brighton’s parking cost is almost double the price of the popular Cornish runner-up, Newquay, where the average eight-hour rate stands at £12.32.
Claiming the third spot is another cherished Cornish spot, Falmouth, with a marginal difference of just £0.20, totalling £12.12 over the same period.
Southend-on-Sea ranks fourth with an average cost of £11.50, while popular Dorset destination, Bournemouth, follows closely behind in fifth place with an average of £10.42 for eight hours.
Paul Lenglet, co-founder and editor of CritiqueJeu, said: ‘With temperatures set to soar yet again in the coming days, the UK’s beaches will be busier than ever. But for drivers, the cost of parking could be as scorching as the weather itself.
‘When fuel costs and refreshment prices now push many day-trip totals past £60 per family, the parking bill can be a real tipping point for many.
‘Parking might not be the most glamorous part of a seaside trip, but our research shows it can make a surprising dent in your budget. Picking the right town could mean more for fish and chips, and less for the parking meter.’
It comes as Bognor, one of the sunniest spots in England, finished in last place in Which?’s poll of the UK’s best and worst seaside towns.
The survey asked 3,800 participants about their experience of 118 British coastal spots.
On the flip side, Brighton takes the crown as the seaside town with the most expensive parking – costing drivers an eye-watering £24.21 for an eight-hour stay
Brighton’s parking cost is almost double the price of the popular Cornish runner-up, Newquay, where the average eight-hour rate stands at £12.32
| Seaside destination | Average cost for eight hours |
|---|---|
| 1. Brighton | £24.21 |
| 2. Newquay | £12.32 |
| 3. Falmouth | £12.12 |
| 4. Southend-on-Sea | £11.50 |
| 5. Bournemouth | £10.42 |
| 6. St Ives | £10.33 |
| 7. Ilfracombe | £10.00 |
| 8. Eastbourne | £9.06 |
| 9. Portsmouth | £8.63 |
| 10. Whitby | £8.30 |
| 11. Torquay | £7.95 |
| 12. Padstow | £7.83 |
| 13. Margate | £7.60 |
| 14. Blackpool | £7.59 |
| 15. Weston Super-Mare | £7.11 |
| 16. Scarborough | £7.08 |
| 17. Deal | £7.05 |
| 18. Perranporth | £6.83 |
| 19. Llandudno | £6.35 |
| 20. Staithes | £6.10 |
| 21. Filey | £6.00 |
| 22. Colwyn Bay | £5.84 |
| 23. Tenby | £5.75 |
| 24. Dover | £5.55 |
| 25. Burnham-on-Sea | £5.33 |
| 26. Bridlington | £4.60 |
| 27. Morecambe | £4.33 |
| 28. Portrush | £3.47 |
| 29. Hornsea | £1.98 |
| 30. St Andrews | £1.90 |
The resort earned a paltry one-star rating in most categories, including ‘Food and drink’, ‘Value for money’ and ‘Scenery’.
It was described by one visitor as being simply: ‘a run-down seaside town’ and received a destination score of just 36 per cent.
Just ahead of Bognor was Bangor in Gwynedd – up one spot from its bottom place result in 2024’s survey.
Perhaps on account of its lack of proper beach, Bangor earned a destination score of only 38 per cent and was described as ‘shabby’ by one visitor.
