Historic Folkestone a Feature Says Poll

The Government should invest more to preserve what is good about coastal resorts, a survey from English Heritage found.

Based on responses from 1,003 people, the survey found that 77% agreed that the historic character of seaside towns was what made them beautiful and enjoyable.

Two in three agreed that seaside towns held a special place in their hearts and that seaside holidays and coastal resorts were "at the centre of our national identity".

The survey results were published ahead of a two-day conference on England's seaside resorts to be held next week at Hastings.

English Heritage has also just published a report showing how heritage can be "a dynamic resource for regeneration".

The report highlighted 15 coastal towns where historic assets have acted as a catalyst for successful regeneration and economic diversification.

The 15 towns, including some that have been paired with neighbouring resorts, were Margate, Whitstable, Hastings, Folkestone, Whitehaven, Morecambe, St Anne's On Sea, Seaham and Hartlepool, Whitby and Scarborough, Great Yarmouth, Lowestoft, Southend-on-Sea, Weymouth, Falmouth, and Hayle.

English Heritage chief executive Simon Thurley said: "Investing in the historic core of seaside towns is the essential first step in revitalising communities and giving residents a home with a soul.

"From fishing alleys to Victorian boulevards, from old docks and harbours to historic spas, we have lots of evidence to show that people and businesses flourish in places where local character and distinctiveness are being revived, often through physical renewal and reuse of historic buildings."