Fascinating historic photos show one of the UK's 'worst' seaside towns in its heyday - packed with daytrippers Clacton-on-Sea was developed on farmland by a railway engineer and was first reached by steamboat Photos show the popularity of Butlin's holiday camp when it first opened and the development of the pier READ MORE: Historic photos uncover Margate's past as one of the UK's first ever seaside resorts By ESTHER MARSHALL Published: 07:58 GMT, 10 November 2024 | Updated: 08:00 GMT, 10 November 2024 e-mail 8 View comments Advertisement Clacton-on-Sea was named one of the UK's worst seaside towns in a recent Which? survey - but the town was once a leading British beach destination. The seaside resort was first created on undeveloped farmland by railway engineer Peter Bruff in 1865. Its pier was finished in 1871 and the majority of tourists reached Clacton-on-Sea by steamboat until the development of the railways in the 1880s.
Clacton-on-Sea was extremely popular with East End Londoners, who could easily reach the resort from the city for a daytrip or a short break. Butlin's opened a holiday camp in the town in 1938. However, the rise of cheap package holidays abroad saw a decline in popularity, with Butlin's closing in Clacton-on-Sea in 1983.
The Clacton & District Local History Society says the closure 'destroyed' the 'reputation' of Clacton as a 'one-time leading British holiday resort'. Despite this - and surveys by Which? - Clacton-on-Sea remains popular with daytrippers.