Morecambe property enquiries 'surge' following new series of ITV police drama The Bay

Searches for homes to buy in Morecambe have surged by 71 per cent in the space of a week, according to a property website.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

Rightmove, which released the figures, suggested viewers of ITV police drama The Bay, which recently started a new series, have been browsing to see what was for sale in the town where the show is set and filmed.

Searches for properties listed for sale in the seaside town jumped by 71 per cent between January 18 and 24, compared with the seven days before.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Rightmove said Morecambe recorded a bigger seven-day increase in searches than anywhere else in Britain.

Property enquires for Morecambe have surged following a new ITV seriesProperty enquires for Morecambe have surged following a new ITV series
Property enquires for Morecambe have surged following a new ITV series

Searches for homes to rent in Morecambe were also up 22 per cent over the same period.

With its revamped promenade and stone jetty and its Eric Morecambe statue overlooking the bay, Morecambe seafront also boasts an art deco hotel, The Midland.

The hotel has also been used as a location in the past for another popular ITV show – Poirot.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The average asking price of a home in Morecambe is £151,607, which is 6.4 per cent more than a year ago.

Renting in Morecambe typically costs £612 per month.

Laura Fort, a sales negotiator at Ibay Homes in Morecambe, said: "The Bay has certainly put Morecambe on the map in recent weeks…

"However, there’s lots more to Morecambe than what you see on the show. Eden Project North is a massive attraction that’s coming to the town and will create loads of jobs and really boost the local economy.

"We’re already seeing lots of people moving here from Manchester and London; probably because you can get a real bargain and buy a four-bed house for about £150,000.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"The RLI (Royal Lancaster Infirmary) hospital is also nearby so we get consultants and doctors looking for property in the town. There’s also Lancaster and Cumbria universities, and two power stations, that attract a lot of people to the area.

"There are lots of regeneration plans in the pipeline for Morecambe so it’s quite an up-and-coming place. The landscape is beautiful, too, and you’re never far from the seafront."

Rightmove’s director of property data Tim Bannister said: "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.

He added: "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."