December 11, 2023

Bosses at Clacton Pier have warmly welcomed new reports which promote positive vibes about the town and the health of tourism in the area.

Clacton has been hailed as one of the happiest places to live in Great Britain by Rightmove and Visit Essex has revealed that day trips to the county were up by more than a third last year.

The UK’s largest online real estate property portal placed the town in 13^th place in its latest Happy at Home Index which surveyed 26,000 people.

The only other Essex town to feature in the top 20 was Leigh which came in two places higher.

And Visit Essex said there were 50.3 million day trips in Essex compared to 37.1 million in 2021, bringing in just over £2billion.

Pier director Billy Ball said he is delighted to see what he already knew confirmed in the reports.

“Clacton is a happy place to live and has a lot going for it, “ he said. “Both the private and public sectors have worked hard in partnership in recent years to improve the offer for residents and visitors alike.

“The news from Rightmove and Visit Essex backs that, and shows that we must be doing something right.

“Of course nowhere is perfect but it is all too easy to dwell on any negative aspects rather than celebrate the positive and good things about a place.

“There have been several negative reports earlier this year and it is good to see things turning around with these upbeat findings.”

Mr Ball confirmed that the pier had seen footfall return to pre-pandemic levels, as stated by Visit Essex.

“I am pleased to learn that the picture is bright across Essex as a whole and hopefully many in the leisure and hospitality sector are benefitting,” he added.

“We as a business are confident about the future and continue to invest to keep the offer fresh and exciting.”

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PHOTO BY KEVIN JAY