Sussex beach crowned among the UK's best by The Sunday Times
The Times and The Sunday Times has revealed its best UK beaches list for 2025. It is described as the "definitive and most comprehensive list of the UK's 50 best beaches". Best UK Beaches for 2025 according to Tripadvisor RankingsSussex beach crowned among UK's best by The Sunday TimesThe Times and The Sunday Times Best UK Beaches list showcases the "unrivalled beauty of the UK seaside". Seven out of the 50 best were in South England, and one of these was Selsey in West Sussex. Recommended reading:It adds: "The wide-open expanse of Normans Bay beach is popular with fishermen, ramblers, and windsurfers.
Source:The Times
July 07, 2025 13:49 UTC
'Magnificent' beach in 'unapologetically cheap and cheerful' seaside town named region's best in Sunday Times list
Something went wrong, please try again later. Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later. Something went wrong, please try again later. The Sunday Times Best UK Beaches guide says Skegness has "got what it takes in buckets and spades". "Unapologetically cheap and cheerful, with a magnificent beach and all the traditional ingredients, Skeggy’s got what it takes in buckets and spades.
Source:The Times
July 07, 2025 13:25 UTC
Walberswick beach named in The Times' UK top 50 beaches
Walberswick, across the River Blyth from Southwold, was named among the east of England's best alongside several Norfolk locations. The Times journalist, Chris Halsam, took on a tour of 5,583 miles to decide on the top 50. Walberswick made the list as the "better alternative" to Southwold for its "unspoilt sand and shingle beach". The unspoilt beach landed Walberswick in the top 50 (Image: Charlotte Bond) The east coast destination also earned points on the low dunes and grassy banks of the Dunwich River. The beach is no stranger to national recognition, as it was also named in The Telegraph's most beautiful beaches ranking at number six.
Source:The Times
July 07, 2025 13:14 UTC
The 5 Northern Ireland beaches named best in UK by The Times and Sunday Times
The 5 Northern Ireland beaches named best in UK by The Times and Sunday Times5 out of the 50 best beaches on the list are in Northern IrelandPortstewart Strand in Co Derry (Image: National Trust )Portstewart Strand has been named as the UK and Northern Ireland's beach of the year, according to The Times and The Sunday Times annual best UK beaches guide, published online today and in print on July 13. The 17th edition of the guide is the definitive and most comprehensive list of the UK's 50 best beaches. Co Down spot named best place to live in Northern Ireland by The Sunday Times READ MORE:Co Down spot named best place to stay in Northern Ireland by The Sunday Times READ MORE:In his description of Portstewart Strand in Co Derry, Chris Haslam said: “Yes, you can drive onto the beach, and will you look at the size of it? Article continues belowThe guide showcases the unrivalled beauty of the UK seaside, evaluated through a rigorous 11-point inspection checklist. “Being allowed to drive onto the strand is an added bonus that makes all the difference for families and those less mobile.
Source:The Times
July 07, 2025 13:00 UTC
How the Erin Patterson mushroom trial caught the world's attention
The "mystery" of "what happened at Erin Patterson's dining table" in rural Australia on 29 July 2023 has "gripped the world" for two years, said the BBC. From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox. Sign up'Lies caught up with her'The lunch was reportedly planned to "reconcile an increasingly fractured relationship" between Patterson and her estranged husband, Simon, said The Times, but he pulled out the day before. Patterson denied purposefully putting the deadly mushrooms in the food but "exposed herself to cross-examination" by choosing to take the witness stand. Patterson has been remanded in custody while awaiting a date for sentencing.
Source:The Times
July 07, 2025 12:31 UTC
Best beaches in Wales in the Times 2025 guide
Eight beaches in Wales are among the best in the UK, according to the Times' list for 2025. The publication rounds up the most stunning coastal landscapes, external each year and says it sent an expert on a 5,858-mile trip, inspecting 756 spots to "find the perfect swathe of sand". Top spot in the 17th edition of the guide was awarded to Portstewart Strand, Co Derry, Ireland. But several Welsh beauty spots were also featured, including regional winner Shell Island in Gwynedd.
Source:The Times
July 07, 2025 12:26 UTC
South Wales beaches among UK's best in The Times 2025 guide
See which Welsh beaches featured among the UK's best in the 2025 edition of The Times and Sunday Times Best Beaches Guide. However, The Times recommends looking at Glamorgan’s Heritage Coast for the best beach - Dunraven Bay. One person, commenting about their experience at Dunraven Bay, said: "Beautiful bay and not too busy. (Image: Getty Images)Three Cliffs BayThree Cliffs Bay also featured in the 2025 edition of The Times and Sunday Times Best Beaches Guide. Three Cliffs Bay Beach is also dog-friendly.
Source:The Times
July 07, 2025 11:59 UTC
6 beaches in Cornwall best in southwest: Sunday Times guide
The 17th edition of the guide is the definitive and most comprehensive list of the UK's 50 best beaches - and includes 6 in Cornwall named among the best in the southwest. Also included in the top beaches in the South West are six from Cornwall including our very own Swanpool, Podhu Cove, Harlyn Bay, Pedn Vounder and Watergate Bay. Best beaches in the Southwest of EnglandTHE SOUTHWEST OF ENGLAND'S BEACH OF THE YEAR:Bude, CornwallPanoramic view of the beach at the Cornish seaside resort of Bude. Lannacombe, DevonBantham, DevonSwanpool, CornwallSwanpool Beach is in the top ten (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)Swanpool Beach is a hidden gem between Falmouth's popular Gyllyngvase Beach and Maenporth. With a car park behind the beach, beach huts, a popular cafe and the newly opened Beachhouse seafood restaurant overlooking it.
Source:The Times
July 07, 2025 10:46 UTC
North Wales beaches among UK's best in The Times 2025 guide
Best-rated UK beaches for 2025 - Tripadvisor rankings"I’ve seen businesses struggling with rising costs, councils cutting budgets and water quality falling as infrastructure has failed to keep pace with population growth. See which Welsh beaches featured among the UK's best in the 2025 edition of The Times and Sunday Times Best Beaches Guide. Chris Haslam from The Times said: “I knew Shell Island was a winner when I parked up beside the dunes. "I could have spent a very happy week camping here.”There is plenty more to like about Shell Island, The Times added. In the southernmost corner of the Llyn beaches, you will find Aberdaron.
Source:The Times
July 07, 2025 10:41 UTC
County Derry beach crowned UK and Northern Ireland 'Beach of the Year'
County Derry's Portstewart Strand has been crowned UK’s and Northern Ireland beach of the year, according to The Times and The Sunday Times annual best UK beaches guide, published online today and in print on July 13. The 17th edition of the guide is the definitive and most comprehensive list of the UK's 50 best beaches. The guide showcases the unrivalled beauty of the UK seaside, evaluated through a rigorous 11-point inspection checklist. READ NEXT: County Derry seaside town named in Sunday Times best places to liveWith Portstewart Strand, Co Derry named as 'Beach of the Year', Cushendall, Ballycastle, Ballintoy and Runkerry (all Co Antrim) completed the top five best beaches in Northern Ireland. Chris Haslam said: “If beauty was all it took to win Beach of the Year then Ballycastle, Whitepark, Tyrella or almost any other Northern Irish beach could have taken the crown.
Source:The Times
July 07, 2025 10:36 UTC
Times & Star to publish special 'Last Class' supplement
Hundreds of children across West Cumbria will soon be enjoying a summer holiday before making the step up to secondary school. To mark the occasion the Times & Star has reached out to schools across the patch to send in 'last class' pictures of year sixes ready to move on. We were inundated with responses and now, on Thursday, parents will be able to pick up a special eight-page supplement featuring all of the pictures. If you cannot pick up a copy of the Times & Star visit https://shorturl.at/tHd6I to order a copy.
Source:The Times
July 07, 2025 09:07 UTC
Cullen and Spey Bay beaches are among top 50 in the UK, newly published Times guide reveals
Two Moray beaches have made the top 50 list of best UK beaches in a prestigious national guide. Taking pride of place in the 17th Times and Sunday Times Best UK Beaches guide are both Cullen and Spey Bay beaches. Cullen beach has been named as one of the top 50 beaches in the UK. He said: "We're absolutely delighted to see Cullen beach recognised as one of Scotland's best beaches. The sands of Spey Bay beach have been recognised as one of the best in the country.
Source:The Times
July 07, 2025 08:16 UTC
London police chief calls for 'mega' forces to cut costs
London Metropolitan Police commissioner Mark Rowley (Image:@metpoliceuk)What did Mark Rowley say? UK police forces underfunded and understaffedOrganized crime, knife crime a major issueThe commissioner of London's Metropolitan Police Mark Rowley on Sunday called for major reforms to the United Kingdom's policing model, saying it "hasn't been fit for purpose for at least two decades. "The call comes amid falling public confidence in law enforcement in Britain and as police forces struggle to overcome years of austerity.Writing in The Sunday Times, Rowley called for the 43 police forces in England and Wales to be shrunk into 12-15 regional forces.The Met chief said some of the forces were "too small to operate," while governance, leadership and support functions had become "ever more expensive. "Rowley complained that investment in new technologies to aid law enforcement had been "politically deprioritized" in favour of maintaining a high number of police officers, which he said made it harder to keep up with modern criminals. "It [That policy] hinders the effective confrontation of today's threats and stops us fully reaping the benefits of technology," Rowley added.The Met chief said larger regional forces would make better use of limited funding, required due to the state of Britain's public finances.Rowley also called for the creation of a national policing body and better use of police staff, including more specialist support.Unlike Germany and France, the UK doesn't have a national police agency, although the national crime agency (NCA), which has responsibility for tackling serious and organized crime, does operate UK-wide.England and Wales have 43 police forces, including London's metropolitan police and greater manchester police, while Scotland and Northern Ireland each have their own national police forces.The UK's police forces remained weakened by a decade of austerity following the 2008/9 financial crisis.Police funding was cut by almost a fifth nationally and police officer numbers were cut by 20,000.Although this number has since been restored, several police forces remain financially strained due to years of underinvestment.The national police chief's council warned last year that police forces were facing a £3.2 billion (€3.7 billion, $4.4 billion) funding shortfall at a time of rising operational costs.Despite the UK government promising to hike police funding by 2.3 percent above inflation each year in a recent spending review, police insiders believe the extra cash will plug gaps rather than fund new initiatives.The police funding crisis comes as the UK faces an increased threat from organized crime, including drug and human trafficking, immigration offenses and cyberattacks.Outdated police intelligence infrastructure means that UK police forces often struggle with the scale and sophistication of these crime networks, according to police leaders and government reports.Other worsening public safety issues are: knife crime, particularly among young people, often fueled by drug dealing, as well as the exploitation of children and other vulnerable individuals by drug gangs to sell narcotics.The government of prime minister Keir Starmer has also made violence against women and girls, including domestic abuse, sexual offenses, and stalking, a major police priority.However, public trust in policing is at historic lows due to the underfunding, along with high-profile scandals, such as racism, misogyny, and misconduct within police forces.In the most fwell-known recent case, Sarah Everard, a 33-year-old London woman, was kidnapped, raped, and murdered in March 2021 by a serving Metropolitan Police officer, who abused his authority to deceive her.
Source:The Times
July 07, 2025 07:57 UTC
Essex beach crowned among UK's best by The Sunday Times
The Times and The Sunday Times have revealed its best UK beaches list for 2025. It is described as the "definitive and most comprehensive list of the UK's 50 best beaches". Best UK Beaches for 2025 according to Tripadvisor RankingsEssex beach crowned among UK's best by The Sunday TimesThe Times and The Sunday Times Best UK Beaches list showcases the "unrivalled beauty of the UK seaside". Back at work after a week at the Essex seaside in lovely Frinton with lots of family. A third review described it as the "best beach in the South East".
Source:The Times
July 07, 2025 06:28 UTC
'Astonishing' beach that glitters with seashells is named the best in Wales
'Astonishing' beach that glitters with seashells is named the best in WalesThe Sunday Times has revealed the UK's 50 Best Beaches - and eight are in WalesThe beach was personally inspected by a Sunday Times travel writerThe Times and The Sunday Times Best UK Beaches have revealed their Welsh beach of the year. Annually the national newspaper shares it's Best UK Beach guide and in their 17th edition eight of the beaches that feature are in Wales. After a month-long campervan tour of the British and Northern Irish coast, he decided that the "astonishing" Shell Island in Gwynedd deserved the top spot in Wales. From superstar gigs to cosy pubs, find out What’s On in Wales by signing up to our newsletter here . Chris said: "The beachcombing is astonishing: perfect scallops, fragile tusks and razors, unblemished turitellas and, most prized by conchologists, tiny cowries.
Source:The Times
July 07, 2025 06:08 UTC