Popular ITV serial The Bay recently showcased Lancashire seaside town Morecambe, with its dramatic location on Morecambe Bay.
Following the screening of the second series of The Bay in early 2021, Rightmove reported a 71 per cent increase in searches for homes in the area in a single week.
Television dramas have a reputation for driving enthusiasm when set in attractive locations, with programmes such as Poldark and Midsomer Murders boosting house prices nearby.
Following the showing of The Bay, which included numerous shots of the town and sea as well as a property right on the water, house hunters looking at properties for sale in Morecambe were up 149 per cent over the same period in 2020. Searches for properties available to rent in the town were up 22 per cent.
Morecambe has also seen a rise in tourism over the past two years, believed to be due to the popularity of the gripping crime drama. The town has a newly refurbished promenade, a stone jetty and famously a statue of Eric Morecambe overlooking the bay itself.
Average prices
The average house price in the town is £151,607, up 6.4 per cent from one year ago and 16.7 per cent higher than five years ago. This compares to the average price of a house in England of £266,742 and the average price of a home in the North West of £180,280. Average rents in Morecambe stand at £612 a month.
Other hotspots
Rightmove also released data showing hotspots in a number of other areas, particularly in the South.
Looe in Cornwall had a weekly increase in buyer searches of 176 per cent compared with the same week in 2020, while Padstow jumped by 154 per cent and St Ives 123 per cent.
Fowey and Ilfracombe were up by 121 per cent, Woolacombe was up 105 per cent and Salcombe up 101 per cent. Overall, properties in Devon and Cornwall accounted for seven out of the top ten locations for property search increases.
The other two towns in the top ten were Tenby in Pembrokeshire and Bruton in Somerset.
Rightmove’s property data expert, property data expert Tim Bannister said: “As a nation we’re fascinated with property, but what’s really interesting about this research is that it clearly shows the link between home-hunters’ searches and their everyday lives.
“People are watching TV shows such as The Bay and then scrolling through Rightmove on their devices to see what’s available, and that’s why we’ve seen such a big spike in interest for property in Morecambe.
“The same is true of Devon and Cornwall. There’s a number of Cornwall-focused lifestyle shows on TV at the moment and it’s hard not to get swept away dreaming about a life in the south west. We already know that rural and seaside areas are rising in popularity, so it’s a trend that bodes well for sellers in these locations.”
With people keen to move out of cities and find a better work-life balance, coastal homes have never been as popular.
If you are thinking of buyer or selling a property and you would like to speak to one of our expert lawyers, ring us on 0345 2413100 or email us at mail@cplaw.co.uk.
