Famous Welsh beach named one of the worst in the UK and needs millions to fix

Llandudno's rocky North Shore beach has been named the "most disappointing" in the UK. With the help of TripAdvisor reviews, Preply has uncovered the 10 beaches that get the highest amount reviews that fail to score good or excellent.

Wales only had one entry in the list, but some won't be shocked to learn that Llandudno's main beach was the cause of major disappointment.

A decade ago the council dumped tonnes of boulders on the stretch to protect the seaside town from flooding. It may have done its job but it has scarred the seafront - with only a small sandy part left near the pier. The rest is a real ankle breaker for those who want to reach the sea, although for visitors it is worth noting the town does have the sandy West Shore beach, reports North Wales Live.

The Welsh Government has allocated £5.2m to Conwy council for new sea defences in Llandudno, but the flood fund falls short of providing an additional £12m needed to create a 600-metre sandy stretch. A campaign, supported by Aberconwy MS Janet Finch-Saunders, is urging the Welsh Government to cough up the extra cash, while others have suggested applying to the UK Government's Levelling-up fund, a successor to the EU funding for Wales.

Despite these efforts, success has eluded them, leaving the town with a pebble-laden main beach that doesn't quite live up to expectations. Nonetheless, more than 70% of visitors still find the beach satisfactory.

Preply commented: "Summer is just around the corner, and with the sun already starting to peek through the clouds, many of us are gearing up for days on the beach. But before you grab your picnic basket and dig out your deck chair, it's worth taking a look at the beaches that some Brits aren't loving. With the help of TripAdvisor reviews, Preply has uncovered the top 10 that haven't quite hit the mark for some visitors."

"To do this, the team first created a seed list of the nation's top 20 most popular and famous beaches, which were then analysed by the number of 1,2, and 3-star reviews, to reveal which ones might leave you feeling underwhelmed."

North Shore Beach had 223 reviews, with 65 (29%) of those being "disappointing reviews".

They said: "Taking the top spot with nearly 30% disappointing reviews is Llandudno's North Shore Beach. While the majority had positive experiences, some feedback painted a slightly different picture."

"The beach's use of rocky pebbles, chosen by the local council, has supposedly made walking along the shore a bit tricky for both visitors and their pets (which are also only allowed on the beach at certain times of the year)."

"What's more, visitors should also apparently be cautious of jellyfish that occasionally wash up on the coastline. All in all, if you're considering visiting Llandudno's North Shore Beach, you'd be wise to pack a sturdy pair of shoes!"

MS Janet Finch-Saunders said: "It is no surprise at all that North Shore Beach has been ranked as the most disappointing in the United Kingdom. Cllr Ian Turner and I have worked our socks off to secure over 12,000 signatures for the Senedd petition calling for sand to be restored to North Shore, but Welsh Labour and Plaid Cymru will not listen."

"Welsh Labour and Plaid Cymru in Conwy County Borough Council destroyed our beach by dumping those horrendous quarry rocks, and it is Welsh Labour and Plaid Cymru who are perpetuating this punishment of Wales's premier destination, and tourism hub, be refusing to back plans to restore sand."

"As I have explained on countless occasions, making North Shore a sandy beach would be a huge boost to the local, regional, and national economy. The award for the most disappointing beach just proves what a problem Welsh Labour and Plaid Cymru have caused. Shame on them!"

"I will continue to fight for Llandudno and to support Wales's tourism and hospitality sector."