The little UK seaside town locals reckon might just be Britain's friendliest

Locals in a seaside town ranked among the worst in the UK have hit back at the critics. They have defended their home, describing it as a "traditional" seaside resort with a gorgeous beach and friendly people.

Fleetwood, in Lancashire, was recently named the fifth worst seaside town in the nation by Which?. It gained an overall score of 46%, which took into account its beach, seafront, scenery, food and drink offerings, accomodation, tourist attractions and value for money. However, residents in the town, which is located seven miles north of Blackpool, say the ratings are unfair and unjustified.

"Unfortunately, we get a lot of bad press," Debbie Gray, the owner of Lords Deli, on Lord Street, tells the Daily Express. "We get called 'deprived' and 'degenerate' and all sorts of things. It's a bit sad as people in Fleetwood are lovely and friendly."

The 62-year-old has been operating the deli for 19 years, and has seen the suspension of the town's heritage tram service, two recessions and the Covid-19 pandemic during that time. "We've managed to muster through," she says. "We're still here as we pride ourselves on good and friendly service. We like to know our customers.

"If we didn't have the local people, we wouldn't be here. We've been very well supported by the local people over the years. We have a very loyal customer base."

Mrs Gray says Fleetwood has plenty to be proud of. As well as traditional seaside attractions, the town boasts a market, a thriving private school and a highly rated golf course.

"We've got a great market, a good private school, a golf course, a boating lake and a beautiful promenade," she says. "There's amusements, kids can do crabbing, there's an estuary walk. It's a lovely, lovely town for families to visit."

However, she blames the town's challenges on people coming from outside areas who lack "respect" for Fleetwood and its people. Mrs Gray explains: "We've got a lot of multiple occupancy housing, with people coming from Manchester and Liverpool because we've got the space.

"But they've got no respect for the town, no respect for the people and that's why we get a bad name. But Fleetwood itself is a lovely and nice place to live and visit."

Further up Lord Street is the Amore Cafe, a family-run Italian eatery that is particularly popular amongst locals. It's run by Eduardo and Aileen Albero who pride their business on quality local produce.

"We cook everything fresh and have special boards every week," Mrs Albero, 66, says. "The people here are so supportive. Everyone is so friendly and lovely around Fleetwood."

Like Mrs Gray at Lords Deli, Mrs Albero believes the bad press is unfair. "We've got a great market here with coaches of people coming from all over.

"The promenade is lovely too. I think the bad press is unjustified, we don't get any trouble here."

She adds that the local businesses in Fleetwood help each other to survive. They often make recommendations to those unfamiliar with the area.

Fleetwood Market is held on Adelaide Street every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. It consists of over 250 stalls, selling everything from local produce, clothing and homeware to gifts and collectables.

Like other seaside towns, Fleetwood has an esplanade boasting stunning views of the coast. Perched on The Esplanade, opposite the 28-metre-high sandstone Pharos Lighthouse, is Mary, Tom and Friends.

The shop sells Fleetwood-themes gifts and trinkets. It started as a stall on local market in 2014 before opening on The Esplanade in 2019.

"There's so much more to do in Fleetwood than people think," the owner Katherine Platt says. "We've got a lovely promenade to walk along, a boating lake, a new pitch n' putt course. We're also the only town in the UK to have three lighthouses - two that are working and one that isn't."

Mrs Platt also commends the local people who support the businesses in the town. She claims you "can't find nicer people" than those in Fleetwood.

"They support us so much. You can't find nicer people than the locals in Fleetwood," Mrs Platt explains. "We came here from Yorkshire and were accepted straight away.

"It's just a really nice seaside town. We all help each other and there's a real community. The market here is lovely but doesn't get the love it deserves."

Next door to Mary, Tom and Friends on The Esplanade is The Ferry Cafe which has been operating for aroud 70 years. It sells traditional fish and chips and ice creams.

According to owner Steve Chandler, the cafe has become a "hub" in the town over recent years. It's a popular spot for locals to go for a hot drink or meal to socialise with other members of the community.

"We've got amazing views of the sea here," the 56-year-old says. "Fleetwood is a pretty quiet and nice town. Blackpool get all the drunks but I think it's much nicer here.

"The cafe is a bit of a hub in the town. We get a lot of locals pop in every day for a drink or some food. The same people come every day. They might just come in for a cup of tea but they like the community. Then the tourists are just extras for us."

He also believes the latest Which? rankings are unfair on Fleetwood. Whilst accepting some parts of the town are "run-down", he insists that the "majority of it is nice".

"We keep going and that's all we can do. We will keep providing a place for the locals to come and enjoy."

The Fleetwood Model Yacht and Power Boat Club is well-known in the town for a range of activities such as racing and social sailing. It is located on the seafront and attracts people who want to enjoy the sweeping coastal views.

The lake is also popular for crabbing, bringing in young families throughout the year. Lynn Park, 64, was at the lake with her grandson, Layson, and his friend, Coby.

"It's just so peaceful here. There's lots of nice walks and obviously the great beach," Mrs Parks says. "It's great for the kids and it's also really clean. The beach is gorgeous and great for picking shells - it's a proper seaside town.

"It's an old seaside town and it's stayed like that. It's not commercialised and it's exactly what I remember as a kid. There's loads of parks for the children too. They can ride bikes up and down the coast too. It's great. Everyone goes to Blackpool but it always gets so busy. It's so much quieter here which we love."

However, like other towns up and down the UK, Fleetwood has suffered from increasing costs and reduced footfall in recent years. Back at Lords Deli, Mrs Gray says she has been forced to up her prices to survive.

"There is a lack of footfall in the town as people don't have a reason to come in," she explains. "We're on delivery services now because that's what people want.

"It's getting harder and harder with prices. Obviously we've been hit by the National Insurance rises so have had to put our prices up a bit. Everything else has gone up so unfortunately we had to do it to survive."

Meanwhile, Mrs Platt agrees: "Tourism is hit and miss here really. It can be really busy but we also sometimes struggle for footfall.

"I think in recent times people haven't had as much money to spend which is an issue. But when they do visit they do tend to spend."