The Pembrokeshire town of Fishguard has been named among the UK's worst seaside towns in a national survey conducted by consumer group Which?, appearing 26th from the bottom of the list of 135 towns, villages and resorts.
How Fishguard fared in the national survey
Which? compiled the rankings from feedback by thousands of panel members who rated destinations on a range of factors including scenery, tourist attractions, food and drink, shopping, beaches and seafront. Fishguard received an overall destination score of 56%.
| Category | Fishguard score |
|---|---|
| Scenery | 4/5 |
| Beach | 1/5 |
| Seafront | 2/5 |
| Food and drink | 2/5 |
| Tourist attractions | 2/5 |
| Shopping | 2/5 |
Context for the town and response from local tourism
Despite the unfavourable placement in the Which? list, voices promoting the town highlight attributes that the survey also recognised: Fishguard scored well for scenery and sits on the renowned Pembrokeshire Coast Path, within Britain’s only Coastal National Park.
"It blends 'the allure of the sea, towering cliffs, and delightfully mysterious valleys', making it an 'ideal' spot to visit,"
The quote is from Visit Fishguard, which also points to the town's collection of family-owned shops, galleries, a weekly market, and a mix of cafés, pubs and restaurants. These features form part of a local offer that the attractions sector says appeals to both day visitors and longer stays.
Possible local implications
Rankings by national consumer groups can influence visitor perceptions and, in turn, local business confidence and investment decisions. For Fishguard this ranking highlights both strengths and areas for potential improvement:
- Strength: strong natural scenery and location on the Pembrokeshire Coast Path.
- Weaknesses noted: low ratings for the beach, seafront and visitor amenities such as food, shopping and attractions.
- Opportunity: local traders and tourism bodies may use the findings to prioritise improvements or marketing emphasising what scored well.
Where Fishguard sits among Welsh towns
Which?’s list also included other Welsh seaside locations among the less highly regarded: Bangor (ranked 6th worst), Barry Island (19th) and Colwyn Bay (22nd). By contrast, the top-ranked seaside town in the survey was Bamburgh with an overall score of 84%.
For Pembrokeshire residents and those involved in local tourism, the Which? results offer a snapshot of external perceptions. While Fishguard’s coastal scenery and position within a national park remain notable assets, the low ratings in other visitor categories point to areas that could be targeted by local authorities and business groups to strengthen the town’s appeal.
