Locals living in a seaside resort recently branded the worst in the UK are fighting back and claim their home has "lots to offer". Which? surveyed 4,700 people about their experiences of seaside towns in the UK. The result of the survey said that Bangor was "drab and run down".
The city, which is based in Gwynedd, fell to the bottom of the 100 places. It received a 42 per cent satisfaction rate, compared to Wales's best seaside town, Portmeirion - which received an 83 per cent rating. Another town, Llandudno, in Conwy, was rated at 78 per cent.
But residents of the town believe Bangor's just been getting "a hard time" . Jan Underwood, who lives outside the historic city, wrote: "I thought Bangor was getting a hard time again. We don't really consider it to be a seaside town.
It's on the Straits, there isn't really a beach, but Bangor has lots of other things to offer. "It's a university town. It's the hub for Anglesey, for Snowdonia, for the Llŷn Peninsula - it just isn't really a seaside town.
" She told the BBC : "Bangor could be promoted as more of a holiday destination, but I don't think anybody would ever promote it as a seaside town." Food and drink, tourist attractions and shopping all received a single star rating, while everything else earned two stars. One of those surveyed, Ray Mills, branded the high street "absolutely horrific".
He noted that the area is not geared towards tourism like other towns along the same coast. "It's probably the safest city in Britain and it's beautiful," said Ray. "People don't find the right places.
People need to find the right places to enjoy Bangor." Speaking outside her Georgian home near Bangor's pier, with views stretching out to the Irish Sea, Alwen Gwyn said the town was blessed with a great community spirit. "There's always something going on, but you have to look for it".
"It's not just the pier. It's all over Bangor. Music going on in the small venues, so there's definitely a community here that's trying to make a difference.
So when you read really negative press, 'dissing' the place, it's just disheartening. It's a really, really nice place to live." In a statement to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Bangor City Council said: "It’s disappointing to see Bangor City named as one of the UK's worst seaside towns.
Such rankings often fail to capture the full picture and the unique charms that make Bangor City so special." The council added that Bangor has breathtaking views of the Menai Strait, and pointed out that it's the gateway to Snowdonia National Park. The ratings highlight that there are several areas in need of improvement, which will give the council an opportunity to address them, it said.
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