It was after an impromptu trip to Brighton Pier that I considered the allure of the seaside and the importance of it to our culture.
Seagulls, flake 99s, parasols: as a country surrounded by coast, it comes as no surprise that traditional seaside imagery has been propagated for decades, with seafront holidays providing quick and affordable family getaways.
The seaside offers both rejuvenating and thrilling experiences. Whether proven, the salty sea breeze has so often been lauded for its health benefits, alongside the tranquil lapping of the rarely tempestuous waters against the shore. The seaside also proves a picturesque setting for dog walks, whilst hosting a whole range of other marine inhabitants. This idea of the natural world is really juxtaposed with the commercialisation of the seaside, with shelves of seaside stalls adorned with plastic sand buckets and sunglasses, as well as the visitors’ highlight, Brighton Pier.
It can be hard to imagine the seaside not teeming with people. But what of seaside towns without tourists? It seems that they can only be described as ghost towns, wherein residence is becoming unaffordable for residents given the cost of living and takeover of housing by those in the city after a second home. Further, when the waves do not foam gently at the shore, they thrash the coastline, exacerbating flooding in the height of unpleasant weather. The rise in advertising for other countries certainly does not favour the British coastline either, given the tantalising nature of sprawling white sands.
It seems that, for whatever reason, beaches will always be popular, and as soon as the next warm day appears you will indubitably find hundreds flocking to the coastline. For this reason, it seems that the seaside can be considered an enjoyable yet short term pleasure.
