Brits Flock to Seaside Towns to Beat the Heat and Airport Chaos

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Britons hoped this summer would mark the return of cheap flights to continental Europe. Many are choosing to head to seaside towns because of the chaos at airports and the hot weather.

Footfall in UK coastal towns grew by an average of almost 10% from Sunday to Wednesday, compared with a week earlier, and fell in London as city dwellers fled the capital. The same will happen over the next few days with a forecast of 40 degrees Celsius.

As air travel became more affordable, a surge in "staycations" occurred, revitalizing seaside resorts that had struggled in the past. The trend looks like it will stay, with flight delays or cancellation keeping some people away from the beach. Forgoing paella and Mediterranean sand in favor of fish and chips and a pebbly beach helps consumers save on travel and accommodations as they deal with the highest inflation in four decades.

Diane Wehrle said that before Covid, staycations were more expensive than traveling abroad. With the increased cost of flights and travel and the risk of those being canceled, losing money and not being able to claim it back, it's making staycations an even more attractive prospect for a lot of people.

More people are visiting popular coastal locations this year. The Springboard data shows that visitor numbers were up in seaside towns from a year earlier. Springboard has an index of 30 coastal towns in the British Isles.

Many people working from home near the coast choose not to sit on packed commuter trains because of the high temperatures. People are taking day trips to get away from it all.

The airport is chaotic. British Airways canceled another 10,300 flights this month, bringing the total to almost 30,000, after it scrapped hundreds of flights over the summer.

The hot weather is having an impact on shopping baskets as consumers stock up for vacations. Paddling pools and electric fans were the most searched for items on the Argos website in the week of July 9. Sales of sandals were up at Marks & Spencer Group Plc on July 10, compared to a year ago. There have been a lot of searches for swimwear, shorts and linen dresses.

The London hit with a dangerous heat wave could get worse.

Rockwater, a boutique bar and restaurant on the south coast of England, has had to purchase more ice, coffee and beer to meet demand from customers. The business had its busiest week of the year so far, with a 25% increase in sales in the week ending July 10 and a 20% increase on Thursday.

The weather is making a difference. Whether it is a weekend or a few days away, people are open to staying at home more. Hopefully, the seaside towns will return.

Irina Anghel helped with the project.