British seaside treats that are slowly going extinct

Just to be clear, the donkeys are not the snack (Picture: Getty)

When you think of the British seaside, no doubt your mind conjures up things like fish and chips, sticks of rock and even donkey rides. But many of these traditions are on their way out – some for good.

Hark back to your childhoods and you may recall running along the pier, rock candies in hand and spending endless hours on arcade games.

But sadly, many staples that are synonymous with the seaside are no longer available, or are in danger of going extinct or being priced out.

Blackpool rock candy, for example, is struggling to flay afloat, with manufacturers reporting last week that the iconic sweet is under ‘grave and immediate threat’.

Not only are more factories closing down due to the influx of cheap Chinese imports, there is also a shortage of skilled workers who can make the stuff.

Current rock makers are now calling for the treat to have protected status, which other foods such as Cornish pasties, Stilton cheese and Melton Mowbray pork pies have.

If they are given geographical protection rights it means they must be made locally – so all the stuff you see on sale would be from the local area and not knock-offs to be sold cheaply.

Blackpool rock might be on its way out (Picture: Stanton & Novelty Confectioners)

While Blackpool rock fights for that right, there are other things we’re seeing less and less of on our beaches.

Here are some of the things that are no longer available, are quickly vanishing from our shorelines, or becoming unaffordable.

Blackpool rock makers want it to have protected status (Picture: AFP or licensors)

2p games

Remember when you could frolic around the arcade with coins jingling in your pockets, knowing you could win big?

That’s because games used to be 2p per play. But, as with everything else, prices have now gone up.

You might be hard-pressed to find a game that costs just a mere 2p to play these days.

Donkey rides

Donkey rides were once considered a quintessential British seaside staple, but in recent years, you’re less likely to see this option.

And that might be a good thing, considering concerns for animal safety. In fact, in the last five years, campaigners have called for this trade to end.

The Donkey Sanctuary, a UK-based organisation that aims to protect and promote the rights of donkeys around the world, said it was concerned about this tourist attraction.

It said the animals are forced to carry heavy things and work long hours in the sun without shade.

This one might be a good thing (Picture: Getty Images)

Disappearing piers

Piers have become an iconic part of British seasides, but they don’t always stand the test of time.

They are expensive to maintain and global warming seems to be its biggest threat.

Rising sea levels and increasingly frequent storm surges have damaged many piers, which are expensive to rebuild.

Cromer, Saltburn, and Blackpool North piers have in the last few years been significantly damaged by storms.

The World Monuments Fund has now recognised the threat of extreme weather events to seaside piers by adding Blackpool’s three piers to their 2018 watch list.

There have also been freak incidents such as rides catching fire, which has damaged piers.

Graphic T-shirts

This one we might not miss so much, but wearing tacky animated T-shirts used to be part of the fun.

As most centred around caricatures of women wearing bikinis, it’s safe to say they haven’t aged all that well, so it’s unlikely you’ll see many people rocking these at the pier in 2024.

Another staple we’re not too sad to see go (Picture: 2010 Mark Holloway)

99p Flakes

Okay, okay, 99s aren’t exclusive to the seaside, but indulging in an ice cream at the beach is a must. Except now, you’ll need to spend half your pay check (we joke… sort of).

That’s because classic soft-serve ice creams which used to be less than £1 can now cost more than double the price.

Beach huts

Technically beach huts aren’t going extinct, but they are now more expensive to rent or own than ever before.

The colourfully lined shed-like homes are staples in many beach towns up and down the country, but if you’re looking to buy or rent, you’ll need to fork out a pretty penny.

The price of beach huts has risen by 41% in just one year, according to 2021 data. While the average price of a hut is £36,000, many exceed £50,000 – and that’s just for tiny 10×8-foot huts.

To rent, you’re looking at anything from £25-£100 a day. Given that these rooms often don’t come with a bathroom and you have to rely on communal showers, it’s no wonder people prefer hotels (though these are also pretty spenny).

They’re pretty and they’ll cost a pretty penny too (Picture: Getty Images)

Sand

British beaches may be more pebbles than sand, but it seems in some seasides the sand is even disappearing.

Earlier this year Whitby’s Upgang Slipway Beach in North Yorkshire saw the sand disappear, confusing locals.

The reason was put down to cliff erosion, which may have been brought on by heavy rains that followed a temperature drop in January.

But still, the main thing you expect to see at a sandy beach is, well, sand.

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