Move to…Cleethorpes

Head south along the Humber shoreline and you’ll see why people fall in love with Cleethorpes. On one side of the path, there are grassy dunes, on the other, the rollercoaster loops of Pleasure Island’s theme park rides. There are rows of little brick beach huts. And when the tide’s out, the views are epic: the sea a distant glimmer beyond a stretch of sandbars and saltmarshes. On the horizon, the Humber forts appear to be floating in mid-air. 

‘I love stepping over the dunes and on to the beach, especially on a chilly morning,’ says Liz Pinchbeck whose affection for Cleethorpes led to the purchase of a holiday home in Humberston, to the south of the town. ‘Searching for shells and driftwood while the ships slip in and out of the Humber estuary, is my idea of heaven.’ 

CHANGES AFOOT

Cleethorpes is not everyone’s idea of heaven but it’s certainly got a lot to offer. The south end of the seafront is more residential; the north prom is all arcades and donkeys on the beach. Beyond, the town merges with Grimsby – the busy Humberside port which processes fish on an industrial scale. Both places are surrounded by Lincolnshire Wolds farmland. 

Liz began her relationship with Cleethorpes after meeting her husband, Peter – a Grimsby fish merchant – while working as a Cordon Bleu cook in London. Along with their children, Jemima and James, they now divide their time between Austria and Cleethorpes. Their seaside home is one of the town’s classic ‘Humberston Fitties’, a curious community of vintage beach chalets.

According to Liz, Cleethorpes is a great place for children. Property is cheap and bijou shops and cafés are popping up. ‘The place is changing,’ says Liz. ‘It’s getting to be quite cool these days.’

WHERE TO BUY

One of the most sought-after areas is in the heart of Cleethorpes where attractive Edwardian houses line a grid of streets (Queen’s Parade, Bradford Avenue, Cromwell Road) just off the seafront. A four-bedroom house is offered at £485,000. For Humber views, look at The Point, a glassy apartment block at the entrance to Seaview Street (prices from £200,000). Small terraced townhouses, start from £60,000. Or, for a similar price, there are the Humberston Fitties (licensed for use 10 months of the year). For older properties, head for one of the surrounding Wolds villages (Tetney, Laceby, Great Coates). 

TIME OUT

Lakeside park – Cleethorpe’s pride and joy – has a boating lake, Discovery Centre, play areas, a nature reserve and a small zoo. Around the area, there are facilities for golfing, sailing, bowling and go-carting. Grimsby has the Auditorium (for big live shows) and Freshney Place (for high-street shopping) but stay in Cleethorpes for the Parkway Cinema and Theatre or the shops on Seaview Street – all boutiques and cafés. 

Try Figs on the seafront, a small, vibrant restaurant with a quirky menu. North Lincolnshire is home to the Red Arrows and one of Cleethorpes’ premier events is Armed Forces Day in June

JOBS AND COMMUTING

Although Cleethorpes is a traditional tourist town, the economy is driven by neighbouring Grimsby. Today, it’s a key player in the emerging renewable energies industry. The closest commutable city is Hull – 38 miles away via the Humber Bridge. London by car takes just under four hours, or three hours by rail (via Doncaster). The nearest airport is Humberside International. For details see visitlincolnshire.com.

SCHOOLS

Cleethorpe Academy for 11-16 year olds is rated Good by Ofsted, while The Tollbar Academy and Sixth Form College at New Waltham (to the south of Humberston) is rated as Outstanding. 

REALITY CHECK

House prices in the Grimsby-Cleethorpes area are nearly half the national average – a bonus if you are buying on a budget but not so good if you are looking at capital gain (some properties have come down in value over the last year or so, though there are signs of imminent recovery). Thanks to sea defences (at Humberston, for example) and the nature of the estuary, there are very few houses with sea views. Best bet is an apartment on Cleethorpes’ seafront.

For more coastal living inspiration, head to our Property section or pick up a copy of the magazine