A seaside town dubbed “the worst” in the UK has now been nicknamed “the California of Britain”. Southend-on-Sea in Essex attracts thousands of visitors each year, with crowds flocking from all over during the summer months. 

Nowadays, it's a coastal area loved by many with plenty of family-friendly activities for people to enjoy. But it hasn't always been that way, it was ranked 41st out of 50 in a Which? magazine survey of the UK's best seaside destinations last year. The poll, based on beaches, attractions, scenery, and value for money, saw Southend fall towards the bottom of the list.

Many visitors have been left disappointed with the destination town receiving several negative reviews on TripAdvisor. Tony V posted: "Never seen a beach like this in my whole life. 

“There was no water, you have to walk maybe 3.4km through dirt, shells, dead crabs and oysters, and then maybe reach some water. There’s also no sand, rocks. Absolutely horrible experience, we will never return."

Another person wrote on TripAdvisor: "This is by far the worst seaside town I've ever been in. Smells and not much to do there. Very overrated."

But whilst some are quick to criticise the seaside town, many have been more positive - and one has even left an incredibly glowing review of Southend's Jubilee Beach. The user LGabor even compared Southend's Jubilee Beach to Venice Beach in California, USA. 

They posted on Google: "It's in the UK, but if you are there, you feel like you went to the USA. It is similar to Venice Beach in America and has a very nice pier with a train on it!"

Ian Bell said: "Very clean pebbly beach, in fact the whole place was clean. Toilets were open and fine. Wasn't too busy." Domi Dee added: "Nice long beach. Love the seashells and quiet vibe." Nicola Palmer continued: "Lovely beach, so many great amenities, but ruined by visitors leaving their rubbish even though ample bins are available. Very frustrating."

Akber Ali also said: "Jubilee Beach is a clean, family-friendly spot with a mix of sandy and rocky areas. It offers great views and nearby amenities, perfect for relaxing or enjoying outdoor activities, though it can get crowded on sunny days."

And the seaside town seems to be on the rise with festivals like City Jam, Lazydays Festival, South East Dance Festival, and the Halloween Parade drawing in crowds. 

Southend Pier is one of the main attractions for many people - stretching 1.33 miles into the Thames Estuary as the longest pleasure pier in the world.

Southend is easily accessible from London with multiple railway stations being served by c2c and Greater Anglia routes. It's roughly an hour-long journey from London to Southend.