'Beautiful' UK seaside town divides tourists with some branding it 'awful and filthy!'

An iconic UK seaside town is loved by some Brits, but others have been less than impressed by it. Many UK towns will see flocks of staycation-makers visiting their shores as summer continues. Many of these towns are famous for their amusements, theme parks, pubs, restaurants and piers. One of them, beloved by generations of Brits, is Margate. Located in Kent on the east coast of the south of England, Margate attracts huge numbers of visitors who seek seaside fun.

While some people adore Margate, others really did not enjoy their most recent visit there. As summer sets in and the UK enjoys a heatwave, it is time to decide which seaside towns you will visit this summer. Margate is a hard one to choose, with some people applauding it and others tearing it down. Margate is a relatively large town with a population of over 63,000 residents. Even more people are in the town over summer, and not all of them are in love with where they find themselves.

Margate has been a popular UK seaside town for generations. Famous sites here include the beaches, Dreamland, Margate Caves and the many pubs in the town.

The spot has received some rave reviews from those who have visited before. One Tripadvisor reviewer wrote: "Hadn't been to Margate since I was a kid in the 1970s. Loved it then, especially Dreamland Ben Bros back then. Was very rundown like everywhere was back then. What a beautiful surprise it was to visit again. Dreamland was great, not too expensive and the staff friendly and cheery. I highly recommend Charlie's for a decent price and lovely meal. What topped it all was the way 100 or so people were sat near the harbour in the evening. Purely to watch the most lovely sunset."

Another shared: "Good, clean seaside fun on a beautiful and safe beach. Well kept and lots of traditional seaside attractions on the promenade. Easily accessible from the railway station for a day trip."

However, others were less than impressed with their recent trips to Margate. One person said: "Filthy filthy filthy rubbish everywhere in the sea and beach, glass bottles floating in the sea and all over the beach, used nappies, cans, etc....very loud music all over the beach gave us all a headache."

Another said, "I visited here about 10 days ago. The beach was sandy but wasn't especially clean. There was nobody around except for some homeless folk sleeping on it and a gang of kids drinking beer. The sea seemed clean on the day we visited. I have to say that Margate was very underwhelming, and I'm not sure what all the hype is about."

A third commented: "After hearing all the hype about Margate beach front and town, we decided to pay a visit for a day as we were in the area. Don't know why we bothered, the harbour is black with oil and fuel. The beach is littered with rubbish. The town is all run down and covered in graffiti."

Opinions on Margate are clearly split. Despite this, the town is consistently recommended to those looking for a day out at the seaside. Condé Nast Traveller lists it as one of the best seaside towns to visit in the UK.

"Margate's charm has officially won over a new generation of visitors - and re-charmed elderly returnees who gaze upon the amusement fronts and sandy swathe with nostalgia," the publication said.

If the bad reviews have put you off visiting Margate, then there are plenty of other seaside towns in Kent that have plenty on offer. Examples include Broadstairs, Ramsgate, Whitstable and Folkestone.