Is the British seaside resort back in fashion? I visited Great Yarmouth to find out

The Time and Tides Museum is also a must. Housed in a former herring drying factory, it still smells of fish and tells the colorful history of Great Yarmouth in an engaging, family-friendly way. The staff there are a hoot and very knowledgeable.

Eat this…

Yarmouth bloat. I looked everywhere for it, without success. This local specialty – herring salted with the innards still inside – was once exported throughout Europe, but is now rare. The fishmonger at Yarmouth market only stocked bloaters imported from Norway, but apparently sells local ones in the autumn.

Dejected, I drank in a local success story at the Blackfriars Tavern, which was recently crowned Norfolk pub of the year and Norfolk cider pub of the year. Not bad for a pub that had been closed for half a decade before Covid. “This was my lockdown project,” says owner Pharez Smith, as I drink cider. “Some people made sourdough; I renovated a café.”

But don’t do this…

Britannia Pier. Unlike most piers, this one does not protrude into the sea, but floats above the sand. It is actually an extended decking. At the far end is a theater, made of corrugated iron and resembling a North American grain warehouse.