Brighton: No.1 ‘staycation' destination or just too expensive?

Brighton has been a popular tourist destination since at least as far back as the 19th Century. So popular has the town been over the last two centuries, for nearly a hundred years the beach-side boasted two pleasure piers to entertain the masses who flocked to the decadent promenade of great views, luxury hotels, cafes, trinket shops, and seafood stalls.

Today, however, the West Pier may be little more than an eerie floating skeleton of historic entrepreneurship, but the town is still a popular destination during the summer months. This enduring draw among UK holidaymakers is not least because of the town's upbeat atmosphere and reputable festivals between May and September - these include Brighton Festival, Brighton Pride, Soundwaves and The Great Escape.

However, at a time when saving and costs are truly at the forefront of our recession-weary minds when it comes to travelling this summer, is Brighton really a budget-friendly destination?

New research by Post Office® does not immediately suggest so. Using Brighton as the best representation of a British holiday beach resort, the travel insurance specialists compared the total price of six ‘must have' items (a large beach towel, child's jelly shoes, bucket and spade, lilo, ice-cream, and an hour-long ride on a pedalo or kayak) bought in the town, to if they had been bought in other international destinations.

The total cost for the six items in Brighton totalled £36.17, including £10 for the pedalo ride and £1.71 for an ice-cream. By comparison, the total cost for all items in Malaysia was £11.60, whilst Bulgaria was fourth cheapest at £23.94. Additionally, Post Office® also compared some other typical items in Brighton and elsewhere. For example, a bottle of lager would cost £3.20, but just 92p in Portugal.

If these prices seem expensive, the destinations that came out at the top of the table may be surprising to some. France was even more expensive, with the same six items costing an average £51.97 - including the astounding price of a bucket and spade being £9.23. Yet, France was not the most expensive in the report. That honour went to Greece, where a large beach towel costs £13.85, a bucket and spade cost £9.23 - and the total of all six items reaches a huge £56.50.

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