Iconic seaside city has UK’s worst cell phone sign — ‘vacationers will not be again’

It is recognized for its gorgeous seafront and seashores – however now it has a title it does not need.

Row of colourful buildings on a hill in Tenby.

This well-known city is among the most-visited in Wales — but additionally has the UK’s worst cell phone protection (Picture: Emily_M_Wilson by way of Getty Photos)

It’s among the many best-known and most-visited seaside cities within the UK, its iconic seafront celebrated throughout the nation and past. The Pembrokeshire gem attracts 1000’s of vacationers yearly, with its repute for effective eating, welcoming pubs and gorgeous surroundings persevering with to flourish.

Nonetheless, the city has now acquired a far much less flattering distinction that’s inflicting complications for residents and guests alike: it has been recognized as having the worst cell phone sign wherever within the UK. Which? named Tenby’s postcode because the poorest for cellular community high quality in 2025, a state of affairs that was additional worsened by the decommissioning of a cellphone mast within the space earlier in 2026, leaving O2, Vodafone and Three clients notably affected.

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In line with Which?, cell phone customers in Tenby take pleasure in a “good” connection simply 54.3% of the time on common — the bottom determine recorded wherever within the UK. Solely marginally forward is Llandrindod Wells in mid Wales, the place customers fare solely barely higher with a “good” connection 54.8% of the time. The most effective-performing areas are in south-east London and Nottingham.

Native staff and enterprise house owners warn the poor connectivity is hitting them financially, studies Wales On-line, whereas vacationers report it’s dampening their expertise. Steven Roberts, an area taxi driver, informed the BBC that Tenby had turn out to be a sign “useless zone”, including that it was severely impacting bookings and funds.

“If you’re within the city you would possibly put your cellphone in entrance of the door to maintain it open as a result of that is all it is good for,” mentioned Steven, a taxi driver with three years’ expertise within the space, who added that the poor sign made it extraordinarily troublesome to course of card funds.

“It is a case of gritting your tooth, asking them properly if they do not thoughts taking money out, then you have to await them to get to the money machine and that knocks in your subsequent name. It is such as you’re swimming in opposition to the present.

“In the course of the summer season durations you have received over 50,000 folks right here, one thing must be completed. We pay sufficient cash for our cellular contracts however they are not upholding their aspect of the deal.”

Man Manning, proprietor of an area artwork store, informed the BBC: “It is troublesome for me as a result of folks do not at all times need to get money. It may be troublesome to take card funds due to the unhealthy sign.”

He mentioned he had “positively” misplaced customized on account of the problems: “Persons are on vacation, they have household with them, and so they’ve received an itinerary of their head. So that they suppose ‘properly we’ll come again’ however they do not at all times do this. Or they ask ‘have you ever received an internet site?’, and then they are not going to come back again.”

Tenby is a vastly standard vacation spot for vacationers from throughout the UK. These visiting through the summer season months might be properly accustomed to listening to regional accents from each nook of the nation. Nonetheless, Paul Wiston, who travelled to Tenby from Cheshire, informed the BBC it could be a “wrestle” for him to return.

“I am self-employed so there’s nothing worse when folks cannot get in contact with you,” he mentioned. “I can not even get the climate forecast up – it is irritating. I imply it is a pretty place however simply horrible sign. We walked residence final night time as a result of we could not name a taxi.”

Tenby, Wales, United Kingdom

Tenby’s distinctive seafront is legendary across the UK (Picture: Getty)

St George's Street, Tenby, Pembrokeshire, Wales

The city is the right mix of historic and trendy (Picture: Getty)

An O2 spokesperson informed the BBC: “We’re conscious of the sign points in Tenby and apologise for any inconvenience this may occasionally trigger. This is because of an area mast within the space being decommissioned. Our infrastructure associate, Vodafone, who manages the positioning, is working as rapidly as potential to find and set up a substitute. Different masts within the space have been optimised to assist minimise disruption.”

A spokesperson for Vodafone and Three mentioned: “We’re sorry to Vodafone and Three UK clients within the Tenby space who’re experiencing points with their service. We’re working with our infrastructure associate on a longer-term answer and are exploring momentary choices to assist restore protection as rapidly as potential.”

EE, which doesn’t personal the decommissioned mast and has not been concerned in its removing, mentioned: “We’re actively taking a look at methods to reinforce connectivity in Tenby and the broader space, together with an improve to an current mast website in Penally.”

alleyway decorated with flower baskets in Tenby, UK