Exploring the UK's Top Seaside Resort: Home to the Biggest Chippy, Best Pier, and Affordable Family Stays for Just £6!

SITTING on the beach pier with a chippy tea, washed down by a pint of something cold, is what I believe to be the best-of-a-British-day-out.

If that’s what you’re after, there’s a seaside spot that boasts the and smallest boozer within a half-hour walk.

Cleethorpes is home to a huge fish and chip shop on the pier Credit: Alamy Cleethorpes has everything to for a great British break Credit: Alamy

I headed to Cleethorpes on the coast to check out the UK’s biggest fish and chip shop, which takes up the whole of the pier.

The 150-year-old boardwalk itself -won Pier of the Year after and Papa’s Fish and Chips opened in its historic pavilion the same year.

It’s so big the restaurant can feed 500 at a time and now attracts two million diners annually – but was still heaving in the hot weather .

It’s definitely not your average , with mood lighting, plush fixtures and fittings and a bank of windows looking out over the sand and sea.

We decided to use the takeaway and eat alfresco, but even that took an hour before we were tucking into our tasty treats – a testament to Papa’s popularity.

The staff were wonderful, serving everyone with good grace despite the fact that it must have been sweltering behind the counter.

My top tip would be to sign up online for a loyalty card, which not only saves you cash, but also gives you the option to order online to pick up at your chosen timeslot to beat the queues.

I got a £5 off birthday voucher, so feeding my family of four only came to £18.50 – we split an £8.50 Papa’s Combo (a small haddock, sausage, portion of chips and a side of peas, beans, curry or gravy), a £10.50 Papa’s Classic (medium haddock, chips and a side).

That also included a £4.10 portion of cheesy chips and a couple of 20p sauce sachets.

It was well worth the wait, but next time I’ll order in advance or book a table to eat in if it’s cooler .

The Signal Box claims to be the ‘smallest pub on the planet’ Credit: Catherine Lofthouse

Outside of the chippy, there’s a seal sanctuary down the coast at so if the sands aren’t full of holidaymakers and daytrippers, you might even spot a bit of local wildlife bobbing past or basking on the beach.

And just around the corner from the pier is the Coliseum Picture Theatre , now a , boasting a gorgeous 1920s frontage, chandeliers inside and even a rooftop terrace.

Downstairs is very much a typical , but upstairs feels light and airy with a Roman-style fresco as a nod to the building’s past, so if you like a bit of whimsy with your Wetherspoons, I would take a seat up there if you can.

We opted to visit the smallest pub on the planet to wash down our takeaway, with space for just three punters inside the at the town’s heritage railway.

Luckily there’s a big garden to make up for the small inside space.

We ordered two pints and two soft drinks for less than £15, so it’s not too pricey, and it’s a lovely spot to enjoy the comings and goings at .

Trains run down to Humberston, where you’ll find ‘s biggest Haven holiday park Cleethorpes Beach.

Home to 1827 and lodges, it is also home to one of the first Wetherspoons on a Haven site, The Humber Stone, which opened last year.

There are plenty of seals to see at Donna Nook Nature Reserve Credit: Alamy

If you ask me, Cleethorpes’ secret weapon is the location of its mainline railway station, a few steps away from the pier and right by the beach.

I can’t think of many other towns where you hop off the train and straight onto the sand.

At only two hours’ train ride from , this could be a brilliant bet if you want a day at the beach but don’t drive.

I loved the look of the original railway waiting room, now the Mermaid fish and chip shop – it’s had extensive work done recently to its ironmongery, roof, wood and stonework, with a striking paint job in heritage colours ahead of its centenary next year.

It feels like the whole town is undergoing a bit of a makeover, with the currently closed while they are dug over and new planting put in.

The market place is also being pedestrianised so I look forward to returning to see what these redesigns bring to the town.

Near the smallest pub is the historic lake, which celebrates 100 years in 2028, with a project to clean up the waters on the cards.

We can get fish and chips for £18.50 – and that was for the whole family Credit: Catherine Lofthouse

Hopefully the 2020s will end up being as successful for attracting visitors as the 1920s obviously were.

As a Midlander who grew up visiting and just down the coast, I’m not sure why a trip to Cleethorpes hasn’t been on my radar before.

But one thing that I think has made a huge difference is the two holiday parks in being reinvented in recent years.

Away Resorts , where we stayed, took over the Beachcomber caravan park and renamed it Cleethorpes Pearl , while Haven’s site was previously called Thorpe Park, which caused some confusion with the theme park of the same name down near London.

Families of up to six can stay in a Luxury Caravan for as little as £6pppn for a five-night stay in September .

I’m a little bit in love with this location – it’s the Costa del Clee for me if you love a chippy tea and a pint by the sea.