Sidmouth beach is trending - that can only be good news for town traders

Vincent Page, of Antiques on High, celebrates one year in business. Picture: Antiques on High (Image: Archant)

As UK Holiday destinations go, you have to go some way to beat Sidmouth and a recent survey confirms the town as the fifth top trending holiday destination in the country.

Whilst it seems day trippers have been limited by the ever-increasing fuel costs you can only stay at home so much and after the last two years getting out and about is something we have all craved.

In a recent survey 62 per cent of British holiday makers plan to visit beaches in the next few months and with a 203 per cent increase in searches in Sidmouth, Devon, this can only be a good thing and it has to be said that this maybe due to the council and the visit Sidmouth web site and promotion that has assisted in generating the interest, not to mention the plethora of hotels and B& B’s.

Many will remember I commented on how many first-time visitors were venturing to the town after the release of the first lockdown in 2020 with an almost blanket ban on foreign travel enforced.

In Antiques on High, we had many visitors that would tell us they would normally be in Crete or another sun-soaked foreign destination but due to the limitations they faced had decided to venture down to the south west coast and stay in Sidmouth for the first time.

I made mention of the fact back then that encouraging those visitors to return could see a long-term benefit for businesses in general and by November this year we will probably know if the town has benefitted, but if the recent travel survey is anything to go by it certainly looks encouraging and as the tourists flock into the town, we should make them feel welcome.

With several shops being vacated in recent months we can only hope they are snapped up quickly by those keen to capitalize on the potential longevity of a business in the town.