Years a go I worked with a man from the West Midlands who at the onset of summer invariably recalled fond childhood memories of holidays in Blackpool in the 1950s. "Bingo on the Golden Mile," he'd say rubbing his hands together with glee at the thought of it; "haddock and chips from Fleetwood and Stanley Matthews running down the wing at Bloomfield Road". By the time I first visited Blackpool Matthews had returned to the Potteries, but, as our family's Riley drove slowly along beneath the glittering lights of The Illuminations it still felt as if you might catch a glimpse of his baggy shorts flapping along the seafront.
Nostalgia is an integral part of the British seaside. Even now there seems to be a whiff of Brylcreem and cheap cologne mixed with the scent of the sea and vinegar. You could never go to a cricket match at Scarborough without somebody telling you of the time Ritchie Benaud of the touring Australians hit sixes into the boarding houses, and the game was punctuated by the pop-pop of gunfire from the model battleships on the lake in Peasholm Park that refought the Battle of the River Plate several times a day.
Across the way, Barbara Windsor topped the bill at the Floral Hall and the backlit Perspex mosaic at the Harbour Bar offered ice cream served in wafers shaped like clam shells. There was cinnamon toast served inside when it turned nippy, or a bacon bun ("banjos" the North Riding boys called them) standing outside the Teapot caravan watching the waves rolling in from Norway and crashing against the sea wall.
Scarborough hasn't changed much since then, either. The Harbour Bar is as bright as ever (though the knickerbocker glories somehow don't seem as tall) and the battleships still blast away. Undoubtedly that's all to the good. The seaside resorts that have survived best are the ones that didn't try and adapt to modern trends, that kept the boating lakes, the crazy golf and the shops selling sunhats, saucy postcards and models of lighthouses perched on a promontory of cockle shells.
Stasis, as Florence, Venice and Bruges have proved in an altogether grander manner, is a cornerstone of tourism. Last time our family were staying on the coast in Devon, we spent one rainy afternoon merrily watching Shrek in a cinema that still had usherettes who showed you to your seat by torchlight and emerged during the interval with trays of choc ices. In the cafe round the corner, there was sole Veronique on the "evening dinner" menu and two old ladies talking about their ballroom dancing class: "He's such a lovely man," one was saying of the instructor. "Wonderful manners. Always smart. Immaculate fingernails. I'm surprised no young woman's snapped him up." It was like parachuting back into my childhood.
In Whitby a while ago, a granny on the beach, remarking that the town was applying to become a Unesco world heritage site, surveyed the scene wistfully and said, "I've been coming here for 50 years. I hope they're not going to smarten it up and ruin the place." And you knew what she meant.
Seaside specials
England's seaside resorts are awash with architectural delights. Of the many destinations worth a visit, here's a top five.
St Ives, Cornwall
A picturesque fishing port with three beautiful beaches, a maze of cobbled streets and tiny fishermen's cottages offset by the startling new Tate Gallery. Built on the site of the old gasworks, the Tate's materials blend with the beach it overlooks while its rotunda cleverly echoes the gasometer it replaced.
Blackpool, Lancs
Blackpool isn't just a tower, it's a breathless blend of history and kitsch. In the 1930s, £1.5m was spent on the seven-mile promenade and a new 'Casino' restaurant and cafe complex replaced its Victorian predecessor. Its swathes of glass and circular tower with corkscrew staircase still offer a stylish way to reach the Pleasure Beach.
Whitby, North Yorks
Whitby is the quintessential fishing village, with cottages, market-places and intriguing passageways winding down to the pretty harbour. Queen Victoria's love of jet jewellery helped make it a popular tourist destination and many of the big town houses date from this time. The funky giant ammonite seats on the front are somewhat later.
Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumbria
England's forgotten seaside gem, its quiet charm and glorious sea views attracted LS Lowry. Some of the architecture is a tad dour - Hawksmoor designed Berwick Barracks in 1721 in solid, castle-like style - but it was largely rebuilt in the Georgian period in the prevailing classical style and has some fine town houses.
Bexhill, East Sussex
By the end of the 19th century Bexhill's clean air and clear spa waters had made it a popular seaside destination and Edwardian links with India influenced much of the town's seafront architecture. But don't miss the iconic De La Warr pavilion. Opened in 1935 it is classic modernist seaside chic.
Peter Williams
· Peter Williams is the author of The English Seaside and its Architecture, published by English Heritage at £14.99 on August 11.
