Shopping on line can be easy, simple and save you lots of money. It can also take a lot of your time, frustrate you, and result in unwanted purchases. Now the same can be said for regular high street shopping, but with the vast opportunity presented by the Internet it will pay you to spend a few minutes reading this and understanding how to better optimize your Skegness shopping experience:
1. Compare - without doubt the biggest advantage that the Skegness offers shoppers today is the ability to compare thousands of Skegness at a time. This is a great thing, but not necessarily all the time! Too much can be daunting at times so take advantage of the great comparison sites and where possible let them do the hard work for you.
2. Research - if it has been said it will be on the internet. Ignorance is no longer a justifiable reason for buying the wrong thing. Take the time to research in detail everything that you could possible want to know about
3. Testimonials - don't know anybody that has bought a Skegness? Wrong! If the Skegness is good the internet will let you know. Use the Internet as a friend and get testimonials before you buy.
4. Questions - Got a question about Skegness then search the Forums, FAQ's, Blogs etc. Don't be afraid to ask .....
5. Reputation - Never heard of the company selling Skegness? Don't worry, no reason why you should know every company in the world, but you know someone that does! Use the internet to find out what people are saying about Skegness and build up a picture of their reputation for sales, returns, customer service, delivery etc.
6. Returns - still worried that even after all of the above your Skegness wont be what you want? Check out the returns policy. There is so much competition now that someone, somewhere is bound to offer the terms that you are comfortable with.
7. Feedback - happy with your Skegness then let people know, after all you are depending on others people input in your buying decision, so why not give a little back.
8. Security - check for the yellow padlock on the Skegness site before you buy, and the s after http:/ /i.e. https:// = a secure site
9. Contact - got a question about Skegness, or want to leave a comment then check out the sites contact page. Reputable companies have them and respond.
10. Payment - ready to pay for your Skegness, then use your credit card or PayPal! Be aware of companies that don't accept them, there may be genuine reasons but given the huge amount of choice you have when buying online there is no reason at all not to buy via credit card or PayPal.
{{Infobox UK place| official_name= Skegness
| country= England
| region= East Midlands
| population= 18,910 ([United Kingdom Census 2001)
| os_grid_reference= TF5663
| latitude= 53.1453
| longitude= 0.3402
| post_town= SKEGNESS
| postcode_area= PE
| postcode_district= PE24, PE25
| dial_code= 01754
| constituency_westminster= [Boston and Skegness (UK Parliament constituency)
| shire_district= [East Lindsey
| shire_county= [Lincolnshire
| london_distance= 114 mi (183 km) [Boxing the compass
| map_type= Lincolnshire
-->
Skegness is a
Seaside resort and civil parish within the East Lindsey district of
Lincolnshire, England. Located along the
Lincolnshire coast of the North Sea, it is east of the city of Lincoln, Lincolnshire, and has a total resident population of 18,910.
Skegness is perhaps best known as the location of the first
Butlins, built in 1936, which remains within the area to this day, and in this capacity, remains one of the most famous
seaside resorts in the
United Kingdom.
Geography
Lying within the
Historic counties of England of
Lincolnshire from a very early time, for governance, the parish of Skegness was in the Marsh division of the ancient Candleshoe Wapentake in the
Parts of Lindsey.
History
Etymology
The name indicates that Skegness has its origin in the
Danelaw period of settlement in England. Although it has been suggested that it looks like a foot, a hypothetical
Viking responsible for establishing the earliest settlement on this location, it is much more likely to have derived from words which appear in modern Danish language as
skæg, beard and
næs, nose or in geographical terms,
Headlands and bays.
Early history
Longshore drift carries particles of sediment southwards along the Lincolnshire coast but at Skegness, the sand settles out in banks (
tombolos) which run at a slight angle to the coast forming the beard. The slightly elevated
dune land sheltered the small natural harbour which the Danes found behind the banks. The finer sediment drifts on to find a home in the mud of The Wash, beyond
Gibraltar Point.
In August 1642, a consignment of arms and money, probably raised by Queen Henrietta Maria, in the Netherlands for the support of King Charles I of England campaign in the English Civil War, was forced into Skegness by the ships of the Parliamentarian Robert Rich, 2nd Earl of Warwick.Thompson, P.
The History and Antiquities of Boston and the Hundred of Skirbeck (1856) facsimile edn. (1987) ISBN 0-948639-20-2 See also external link
Skegness was primarily a fishing village and small port until the arrival of the rail transport in 1875.
Resort town and Butlins
The land was part of the
Earl of Scarborough's estate and he, or his agent H.V.TippetRobinson, D.N.
The Book of the Lincolnshire Seaside (1983) p.66. saw that the extensive sandy beach could be made attractive to holidaymakers from the industrial towns of the English Midlands, a clientele already developed by
Thomas Cook. He planned the town as a resort from 1877 and it expanded rapidly, but along with many other UK resorts, especially those on the cold North Sea, it lost out to the cheap package holiday boom which opened up Spain (in particular) to the average holidaymaker after World War II currency restrictions were lifted and travellers could leave the UK with more than 50 pounds.
Ingoldmells, the parish to the north of Skegness, was the site of the UK's first Holiday Camp, started by Billy Butlin in 1936. Butlin's is still there today, in modern dress, at the north end of the town, on the road to Ingoldmells.
Skegness had a 1843 foot (562 metre) long pier which was opened on
Whit Monday 1881, at that time it was the fourth longest in England. Steamboat trips ran from the pier to The Wash and
Hunstanton in
Norfolk from
1882 until 1910. In 1919, it was damaged by a drifting ship and it took twenty years to raise the money to fully repair it. Again in
1978, the pier was badly damaged and considerably shortened; this time by severe Storm.Robinson, D.N.
The Book of the Lincolnshire Seaside (1983) pp.98-109. The pier has since undergone major refurbishment and is now once again a thriving tourist attraction, although it no longer extends far seaward of the high tide line.
Present day
In March 2005, Skegness took the top spot in a survey by
Yours magazine, looking at the best retirement places in the UK.
Yours researchers visited sixty likely towns, and factors involved in judging included house prices, hospital waiting lists, the crime rate, council tax rates, activities and attractions, weather patterns and ease of transport. It has also been described by Lonely Planet's Great Britain guide as "everything you could want" in a seaside resort.
Tourist Industry
Today the town's tourist industry mainly caters for
working-class holiday-makers and day-trippers from Leicester,
Lincoln, Lincolnshire, Nottingham and other areas of the
East Midlands. Skegness has been dubbed "the
Blackpool of the East Coast" or "Nottingham by the Sea", and has a famous mascot, the Jolly Fisherman (designed by John Hassall (illustrator) in 1908 for the
Great Northern Railway (Great Britain)), and a slogan -
Skegness is so bracing - a reference to the chilly prevailing north-easterly winds that can and frequently do blow off the
North Sea. The town is popularly known as
Skeg,
Skeggy or Skegvegas. Further up the coast are the other holiday resorts of
Mablethorpe, Sutton-on-Sea,
Ingoldmells and Chapel St Leonards.
The seafront teems with a variety of ways for visiting tourists to spend their money. The main strip of road along the beach is a
kaleidoscope of neon and flashing lights advertising arcade machines,
slot machines, fairground rides,
crazy golf, fish-and-chip shops and various bars. There are also seasonal shops selling cheap ways to entertain oneself, such as kite flying and buckets-and-spades - such quieter pleasures can be enjoyed on the long wide award-winning beach, which in summer features a fine herd of donkeys for riding. The town is also a major centre for bowls, and is the home to the world's premier Meccano exhibition, annually staged in the Embassy Theatre, on the Grand Parade by the seafront. Behind the Embassy is Botton's Pleasure Beach, featuring roller coasters, mini
Carousel (the Gallopers), Bumper cars and many traditional and modern rides, as well as the annual spectacular end-of-season firework display.
There are large
Morrisons and Tesco supermarkets in the centre of the town near the railway station, and a
The Co-operative Group in the Hildreds Centre shopping area.
Lumley Road is the main shopping area, with plenty of fish and chip shops and pubs. To the south of the town is Gibraltar Point, a nature reserve on the northern limit of The Wash.
On
2007-08-16, a huge fire hit an entertainment complex on the Skegness front. No one was injured. The fire swept through
The Parade,
Lucky Strike Arcade and
Buster's Fun Pub.
Local politics
On the southern foreshore sits a popular family attraction, the Fairy Dell paddling pool. Closed by the district council because of health and safety fears in 2004, the pool soon became the centre of controversy as people from Skegness, elsewhere in the country and as far afield as
Australia voiced their dismay at the loss of such a time-honoured free facility. Taxpayers and town councillors joined forces with the local press to campaign for the Fairy Dell to be reopened, and the district council gave way to public pressure and promised to have it back in operation by summer 2006.On 22nd May 2006, the Fairy Dell re-opened following a major refurbishment during which many improvements were made to the pool such as clean-filtered water and extra water features.
In October 2005, the East Lincolnshire Primary Care Trust closed the Scarborough Ward at Skegness Hospital as part of a package of money-saving measures. Locals were outraged by the decision, because the ward represented about a third of the hospital's entire capacity and also provided
palliative care. Campaigners marched through the streets and held up the traffic, then later called for the resignations of the PCT board members after they turned down a £100,000 donation offered by East Lindsey District Council to enable the ward to remain open through the winter. The PCT said the donation would "impinge" on its duties, and could be considered "unlawful" if accepted.
Transport
Airfield
Fine beaches link the coastal towns, and there are many large caravan parks in the surrounding countryside. One caravan park a short distance to the north of the town has its own
airport, with a 755 metre grass runway. Visiting pilots can call the airfield on 132.425 MHz, although PPR (Prior Permission Required) is stated for landing. A number of years ago,
pleasure flights used to operate from the aerodrome.
Railway
The town is served by
Skegness railway station, which is the terminus for the Grantham to Skegness Line. Trains run the full lengh of this and the Nottingham to Grantham Line to give direct fast convenient connections to the
East Midlands.
Nottingham,
Grantham,
Boston, Lincolnshire and
Sleaford have direct connections, while popular places such as Leicester, Derby, Lincoln and
Kettering are only one change.
Roads
The A52 road passes through the town from Boston to Mablethorpe and the
A158 road takes people from Lincoln to Skegness.
Education
Skegness is also the home to the schools for most of the surrounding area's secondary education. Two schools cater for the 11–18 age range, St Clement's College (formerly known as the Earl of Scarborough High School) is a secondary modern on
Burgh Le Marsh Road, and Skegness Grammar School on
Vernon Road.
Media
The resort is served primarily by three local newspapers - the
Skegness Standard,
Skegness Citizen and
Skegness Target.
Health
Skegness Hospital is on Dorothy Avenue. The town also has two large GP practices, a mental health team and a PCT health centre. The latter being on Cecil Avenue.
Skegness Hair and Beauty A brand new website aimed at local Hair and Beauty outlets in and around Skegness
References
External links
- Skegness Town Council
- Skegness Information Portal
- Skegness Website Designers
- Embassy Theatre - Programme and information
- Photos of Skegness, Mablethorpe, Chapel St Leonards from the past to present day
- Skegness Forum - VisitSkegness.co.uk
- History of Butlin's
- The Fun Coast
- Skegness, GENUKI article.
- Photographic images of old Skegness newspaper articles
- The Great Fire of Skegness August 2007 video and photos
{{Infobox UK place| official_name= Skegness
| country= England
| region= East Midlands
| population= 18,910 ([United Kingdom Census 2001)
| os_grid_reference= TF5663
| latitude= 53.1453
| longitude= 0.3402
| post_town= SKEGNESS
| postcode_area= PE
| postcode_district= PE24, PE25
| dial_code= 01754
| constituency_westminster= [Boston and Skegness (UK Parliament constituency)
| shire_district= [East Lindsey
| shire_county= [Lincolnshire
| london_distance= 114 mi (183 km) [Boxing the compass
| map_type= Lincolnshire
-->
Skegness is a Seaside resort and
civil parish within the
East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire,
England. Located along the Lincolnshire coast of the
North Sea, it is east of the city of
Lincoln, Lincolnshire, and has a total resident population of 18,910.
Skegness is perhaps best known as the location of the first
Butlins, built in 1936, which remains within the area to this day, and in this capacity, remains one of the most famous
seaside resorts in the
United Kingdom.
Geography
Lying within the
Historic counties of England of Lincolnshire from a very early time, for governance, the parish of Skegness was in the Marsh division of the ancient
Candleshoe Wapentake in the Parts of Lindsey.
History
Etymology
The name indicates that Skegness has its origin in the
Danelaw period of settlement in England. Although it has been suggested that it looks like a foot, a hypothetical
Viking responsible for establishing the earliest settlement on this location, it is much more likely to have derived from words which appear in modern Danish language as
skæg, beard and
næs, nose or in geographical terms, Headlands and bays.
Early history
Longshore drift carries particles of sediment southwards along the
Lincolnshire coast but at Skegness, the sand settles out in banks (
tombolos) which run at a slight angle to the coast forming the beard. The slightly elevated dune land sheltered the small natural harbour which the Danes found behind the banks. The finer sediment drifts on to find a home in the mud of The Wash, beyond Gibraltar Point.
In August 1642, a consignment of arms and money, probably raised by Queen
Henrietta Maria, in the Netherlands for the support of King
Charles I of England campaign in the English Civil War, was forced into Skegness by the ships of the Parliamentarian
Robert Rich, 2nd Earl of Warwick.Thompson, P.
The History and Antiquities of Boston and the Hundred of Skirbeck (1856) facsimile edn. (1987) ISBN 0-948639-20-2 See also external link
Skegness was primarily a fishing village and small port until the arrival of the rail transport in 1875.
Resort town and Butlins
The land was part of the Earl of Scarborough's estate and he, or his agent H.V.TippetRobinson, D.N.
The Book of the Lincolnshire Seaside (1983) p.66. saw that the extensive sandy beach could be made attractive to holidaymakers from the industrial towns of the English Midlands, a clientele already developed by Thomas Cook. He planned the town as a resort from 1877 and it expanded rapidly, but along with many other UK resorts, especially those on the cold North Sea, it lost out to the cheap package holiday boom which opened up Spain (in particular) to the average holidaymaker after
World War II currency restrictions were lifted and travellers could leave the UK with more than 50 pounds.
Ingoldmells, the parish to the north of Skegness, was the site of the UK's first Holiday Camp, started by Billy Butlin in 1936.
Butlin's is still there today, in modern dress, at the north end of the town, on the road to Ingoldmells.
Skegness had a 1843 foot (562 metre) long pier which was opened on Whit Monday
1881, at that time it was the fourth longest in England. Steamboat trips ran from the pier to The Wash and Hunstanton in Norfolk from 1882 until 1910. In 1919, it was damaged by a drifting ship and it took twenty years to raise the money to fully repair it. Again in
1978, the pier was badly damaged and considerably shortened; this time by severe Storm.Robinson, D.N.
The Book of the Lincolnshire Seaside (1983) pp.98-109. The pier has since undergone major refurbishment and is now once again a thriving tourist attraction, although it no longer extends far seaward of the high tide line.
Present day
In March 2005, Skegness took the top spot in a survey by
Yours magazine, looking at the best retirement places in the UK.
Yours researchers visited sixty likely towns, and factors involved in judging included house prices, hospital waiting lists, the crime rate, council tax rates, activities and attractions, weather patterns and ease of transport. It has also been described by
Lonely Planet's Great Britain guide as "everything you could want" in a seaside resort.
Tourist Industry
Today the town's tourist industry mainly caters for
working-class holiday-makers and day-trippers from
Leicester, Lincoln, Lincolnshire,
Nottingham and other areas of the East Midlands. Skegness has been dubbed "the Blackpool of the East Coast" or "Nottingham by the Sea", and has a famous mascot, the Jolly Fisherman (designed by John Hassall (illustrator) in 1908 for the
Great Northern Railway (Great Britain)), and a slogan -
Skegness is so bracing - a reference to the chilly prevailing north-easterly winds that can and frequently do blow off the North Sea. The town is popularly known as
Skeg,
Skeggy or Skegvegas. Further up the coast are the other holiday resorts of Mablethorpe, Sutton-on-Sea, Ingoldmells and
Chapel St Leonards.
The seafront teems with a variety of ways for visiting tourists to spend their money. The main strip of road along the beach is a
kaleidoscope of neon and flashing lights advertising
arcade machines,
slot machines, fairground rides,
crazy golf,
fish-and-chip shops and various bars. There are also seasonal shops selling cheap ways to entertain oneself, such as
kite flying and buckets-and-spades - such quieter pleasures can be enjoyed on the long wide award-winning beach, which in summer features a fine herd of
donkeys for riding. The town is also a major centre for bowls, and is the home to the world's premier
Meccano exhibition, annually staged in the Embassy Theatre, on the Grand Parade by the seafront. Behind the Embassy is Botton's Pleasure Beach, featuring
roller coasters, mini
Carousel (the Gallopers), Bumper cars and many traditional and modern rides, as well as the annual spectacular end-of-season firework display.
There are large
Morrisons and
Tesco supermarkets in the centre of the town near the railway station, and a
The Co-operative Group in the Hildreds Centre shopping area.
Lumley Road is the main shopping area, with plenty of fish and chip shops and pubs. To the south of the town is Gibraltar Point, a nature reserve on the northern limit of
The Wash.
On
2007-08-16, a huge fire hit an entertainment complex on the Skegness front. No one was injured. The fire swept through
The Parade,
Lucky Strike Arcade and
Buster's Fun Pub.
Local politics
On the southern foreshore sits a popular family attraction, the
Fairy Dell paddling pool. Closed by the district council because of health and safety fears in
2004, the pool soon became the centre of controversy as people from Skegness, elsewhere in the country and as far afield as Australia voiced their dismay at the loss of such a time-honoured free facility. Taxpayers and town councillors joined forces with the local press to campaign for the Fairy Dell to be reopened, and the district council gave way to public pressure and promised to have it back in operation by summer 2006.On 22nd May 2006, the Fairy Dell re-opened following a major refurbishment during which many improvements were made to the pool such as clean-filtered water and extra water features.
In October 2005, the East Lincolnshire Primary Care Trust closed the Scarborough Ward at Skegness Hospital as part of a package of money-saving measures. Locals were outraged by the decision, because the ward represented about a third of the hospital's entire capacity and also provided palliative care. Campaigners marched through the streets and held up the traffic, then later called for the resignations of the PCT board members after they turned down a £100,000 donation offered by East Lindsey District Council to enable the ward to remain open through the winter. The PCT said the donation would "impinge" on its duties, and could be considered "unlawful" if accepted.
Transport
Airfield
Fine beaches link the coastal towns, and there are many large caravan parks in the surrounding countryside. One caravan park a short distance to the north of the town has its own
airport, with a 755 metre grass runway. Visiting pilots can call the airfield on 132.425 MHz, although PPR (Prior Permission Required) is stated for landing. A number of years ago,
pleasure flights used to operate from the aerodrome.
Railway
The town is served by
Skegness railway station, which is the terminus for the
Grantham to Skegness Line. Trains run the full lengh of this and the
Nottingham to Grantham Line to give direct fast convenient connections to the
East Midlands.
Nottingham,
Grantham, Boston, Lincolnshire and Sleaford have direct connections, while popular places such as Leicester, Derby, Lincoln and Kettering are only one change.
Roads
The
A52 road passes through the town from Boston to Mablethorpe and the
A158 road takes people from
Lincoln to Skegness.
Education
Skegness is also the home to the schools for most of the surrounding area's secondary education. Two schools cater for the 11–18 age range, St Clement's College (formerly known as the Earl of Scarborough High School) is a
secondary modern on
Burgh Le Marsh Road, and Skegness Grammar School on
Vernon Road.
Media
The resort is served primarily by three local newspapers - the
Skegness Standard,
Skegness Citizen and
Skegness Target.
Health
Skegness Hospital is on Dorothy Avenue. The town also has two large GP practices, a mental health team and a PCT health centre. The latter being on Cecil Avenue.
Skegness Hair and Beauty A brand new website aimed at local Hair and Beauty outlets in and around Skegness
References
External links
- Skegness Town Council
- Skegness Information Portal
- Skegness Website Designers
- Embassy Theatre - Programme and information
- Photos of Skegness, Mablethorpe, Chapel St Leonards from the past to present day
- Skegness Forum - VisitSkegness.co.uk
- History of Butlin's
- The Fun Coast
- Skegness, GENUKI article.
- Photographic images of old Skegness newspaper articles
- The Great Fire of Skegness August 2007 video and photos
Skegness.net
Online guide to the town and area. Giving useful information for those who are thinking of visiting Skegness
About Skegness
About Skegness Lincolnshire. Information about the town. Skegness Information Forum. Books About Skegness. Skegness has a population of approximately 18,000 living in approximately ...
Skegness On The Internet - Skegness Lincolnshire U.K.
Publicity site for Skegness Ingoldmells and Chapel St Leonards. What's on diary, a guide, local attractions, accommodation, businesses and history.
Skegness Town Council - Lincolnshire England - Quality Council Status
Skegness is a seaside town on the east coast of England. The Town Council has been awarded quality status.
Visit Skegness - Skegness Guide - Skegness 2008
Skegness Visitor Guide - Skegness Accommodation - Skegness Restaurants - Skegness Facilities - Skegness Attractions. The Skegness Guide
Welcome to Northshore Holiday Centre - Skegness - Lincolnshire - U.K.
A delightful family holiday centre offering caravan and self catering accommodation in the Lincolnshire U.K. coastal vholiday resort of Skegness ... Amenities for the whole family ...
Skegness Grammar
School tour, boarding information and clubs.
Family Holidays At UK Holiday Parks - Butlins
Butlins Skegness Butlins Skegness - UK holiday parks Skegness - Entertainment at Butlins Skegness Skegness - Facilities at Butlins Skegness Skegness - Fun for kids at Butlins Skegness
Skegness Town Council - Phil Kemp BLOG
Coastal Action Zone ... Photo supplied and used with kind permission! Just had the Skegness Rose put through my letterbox, that was printed, published and promoted by ‘kempy ...
Skegness Pier - Skegness Entertainment - Bowling - Skegness Laserquest
Information from Mitchell Leisure on the attractions of the pier. Includes photographs.