THRIFTY holidaymakers are flocking to a former pit town which has
become Britain's most budget-friendly seaside resort.
Newbiggin-by-the-Sea was once part of the Northumberland coalfield but it's now digging out a reputation as the hidden gem of the country's coastal destinations.
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The Coble pub landlord Trevor Jefferson, 64, has "the cheapest pint in Newbiggin" and it's hard to beat - £3.20 for a McEwan's Scotch Ale.
Run by himself and his wife Mo, the building dates back to 1700 and was converted into a pub in the 1800s.
He said: "You get value for money when you come to Newbiggin, I think that's the same in the shops, the pubs, the cafes and coffee shops, everyone thinks of the customer.
"We sell John Smith's at £3.30 a pint and Foster's at £3.60 which
seems fair to us.
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"We're of the old school where we try to keep the price down for the customers - you won't get charged for a splash of lime for example.
"The most expensive pint we have is Birra Moretti and that's £4.80,
which these days is pretty good.
"We love the pub and its customers, whether they're regulars or
visitors."
Directly across the road at Caffe Bertorelli is also where you can find a bargain ice cream.
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Owner Frank, the third generation of Bertorellis since 1910, proudly displays his price list of a single scoop in a cone being only £2.60 and a double scoop £3.40.
His great grandfather Benjamin Ieft Italy for Holborn, London where he met his future wife, Rosamonda Cura, whose parents had an ice-cream business in London.
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Frank said: "It's amazing to see what is happening to the town now, it's really taking off and I think it's going to get bigger and bigger.
"There's a real warm welcome here from the people and we look after
visitors, they won't get charged the earth. It's great to see Newbiggin getting busier all the time."
In destinations such as Salcombe, Devon - the UK's most expensive
resort according to research by The Halifax - it's not unusual to be
charged almost £500 a night for a luxury room.
Meanwhile, at Sandy Bay Holiday Park, a short walk from Newbiggin's
Golden Sands, a double room was available for just £45.
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However, visitor Steve Downie, 67, from North Tyneside, reckons the greatest attraction to the town is beyond price - the warm Geordie welcome.
He said: "It's such a beautiful place and until very recently hardly
anyone knew about it but it seems now that the word is spreading
fairly quickly.
"The beach is stunning and there are loads of nice shops and pubs and cafes to visit but for me, the best thing about the place is the
people.
"They are so friendly and welcoming here that you can't help but fall
for the place, it has a lovely community atmosphere.
"When you look around the place now it's hard to imagine that it was
once part of the coalfield, but if you look hard enough you can still
see traces of coaldust among the sand on the beach."
For me the best thing about the place is the
peopleSteve Downie
The colliery operated between 1908 and 1967, but it wasn't until 2007
that a massive restoration project got underway.
The former beach had been worn by erosion, so half a million tonnes of sand was shifted up the coast from Skegness, by a Dutch dredger and blasted ashore at Newbiggin using a giant pipeline.
The newly refurbished beach looked pristine but Northumberland's especially with its huge sculpture erected the following year, called Couple by artist Sean Henry.
And it's not just pints and ice creams where you will find a bargain.
A coffee can still be found for £1.90 at cafes, while a fish and chips is less than a tenner.
Property and double glazing firm boss Geoff Parker, 63, was born and
raised in Newbiggin and said he was "thrilled" to see how it had changed in recent years.
He said: "It's amazing how far it has come and I'm thrilled to see it because I like to see progress although I know some people who live here would prefer it stayed a hidden gem.
"Not everyone wants loads of tourists because they don't like change but to my mind, it's all been positive, the place has never looked better.
"It's come full circle because in the 1800s it was a popular tourist
resort because the shipping owners from Newcastle liked to have their second homes here."
Couple Chris Laidlaw, 31, and Tracy Corbett, 34, also raved about the town, visiting with their daughter and dog.
Tracy said: "We love coming here, it's the perfect place to have a stroll by the seafront on a lovely day like today.
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"It's great to see new cafes springing up serving really good food and the local community puts on lots of events throughout the year.
"We've just had breakfast at a new cafe, which was lovely and like most things here it was great value for money."
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