The suggestion that Cromer and Sheringham could share a town crier sparked outrage at a meeting last week. We take a closer look at the best bits of the two resorts and what makes them different.
In terms of geography, only a six-mile walk along the Norfolk coastal path separates Cromer from Sheringham. But the two seaside towns have a deep-seated rivalry.
Here's a look at the best of what each town has to offer.
Town Highlights
• Cromer
Cromer's main attraction has to be its Victorian Pier which dominates the town and was first opened in 1901. The pier is home to the Cromer Lifeboat Station and Pavilion theatre, both of which are also town highlights in their own right.
• Sheringham
Sheringham is home to the incredibly popular North Norfolk Railway which offers steam and diesel train rides through some of Norfolk's most picturesque countryside.
The best fish and chips
In a seaside town, good fish and chips are worth more than gold. Both Cromer and Sheringham are home to several highly rated fish and chip shops.
• Cromer
-No.1 Cromer & Ice Cromer
-Mary Jane's Fish Bar & Restaurant
-Park Chippy
• Sheringham
-The Sheringham Trawler
-Straits fish & chip shop
-Dave's Fish restaurant
Places to Eat
According to reviewers on TripAdvisor, these are the best restaurants in town. Cromer, being famous for its crab, has an abundance of seafood restaurants and a lot of places serving up tasty traditional meals, such as pies and burgers. Sheringham, on the other hand, has several restaurants which are a little more adventurous in terms of cuisine, offering visitors dishes from Nepal, Austria and India.
• Cromer
-Shelley's Pie & Mash Shop
-The Old Rock Shop Bistro
-The Wellington
• Sheringham
-The Bank
-No.10 Restaurant
-Marmalades Bistro
Places to stay
Cromer is home to a selection of quality hotels and guest houses, such as The Red Lion and the Victorian Hotel de Paris, whereas Sheringham offers visitors more homely bed and breakfasts and self-catering cottages.
• Cromer
-The Red Lion
-Virginia Court Hotel
-The Cliftonville Hotel
• Sheringham
-The Dales Country House Hotel
-Burlington Berties
-Hooray Henrys Boutique B&B
Things to do
The coast attracts visitors to each town, but both offer much more than just a stroll along the beach or an hour spent making sand castles. Peruse to your heart's content at the RNLI Henry Blogg museum or catch a show at the Pavilion Theatre in Cromer, then head to Sheringham to take in the beauty of the rhododendrons and azaleas at the National Trust park. If these activities aren't enough, both towns also have plenty of shops crammed full of interesting items and gifts that you can browse.
• Cromer
-RNLI Henry Blogg Museum
-Cromer Pier
-Amazona Zoo
• Sheringham
-Sheringham Park
-The Mo, Sheringham Museum
-Sheringham Little Theatre
Schools
The two are on par in terms of schools. All of the educational institutions below have been rated as 'good' by Ofsted.
• Cromer
-Cromer Academy Trust
-Cromer Junior School
-Suffield Park Infants
• Sheringham
-Sheringham Community Primary School
-Sheringham High School
-Sheringham Woodfields School
Celebrities
• Cromer
-Henry Blogg: Considered the 'greatest of the lifeboatmen', 873 people owed their lives to Cromer born Henry Blogg.
-James Dyson: Born in Cromer, Sir James Dyson is the founder of the Dyson company and is best know for the DC bagless vacuum cleaner he invented, as well as the Dyson Airblade hand dryer.
• Sheringham
Allan Smethurst: The Singing Postman was born in Lancashire but raised in Sheringham.
Football
Cromer's football team plays in the division above Sheringham.
• Cromer: 8th in the Anglian Combination Premier Division.
• Sheringham: 6th in the Division One league table.
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