The least popular tourist attractions in England

The most popular attraction welcomed 6,701,036 people through its doors in 2013, compared to a mere six at the least popular attraction

Shehab Khan
Friday 26 September 2014 23:42 BST
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Last year just six people forked out the entrance fee of £1 to visit one of the earliest developments of radar in WWII. Situated in Essex, it was used to detect on coming German ‘E’ boats.
Last year just six people forked out the entrance fee of £1 to visit one of the earliest developments of radar in WWII. Situated in Essex, it was used to detect on coming German ‘E’ boats.

Tate Modern, Stonehenge, Big Ben - all names you'd expect to see in a list of the most popular tourist attractions in England. But spare a thought for the attractions where queues are replaced with tumbleweed.

VisitEngland have conducted a survey of 1279 of the nation’s attractions to see which were the most and least popular last year.

The British Museum was the most popular free attraction, followed by the National Gallery and the Natural History Museum in London. The Tower of London, St Paul's Cathedral and Westminster Abbey made the top three spots for the most visited paid for attractions. But what about those who struggle to entice visitors through the door?

The Radar Tower in Essex came bottom of the list with only six visitors throughout the year. Built in 1941, the tower was used to detect German 'E' boats in the Harwich Harbour approaches during WWII.

The Gissing Centre in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, came 5th from bottom. The museum, which celebrates the author George Gissing (who some believe to be one of the best three novelists of his generation alongside George Meredith and Thomas Hardy), was only able to attract 118 visitors in all of 2013.

Chief Executive of VisitEngland, James Berresford said: “This survey is open to all attractions to participate, from large attractions attracting thousands of visitors a year, to those with few visitors, but that have local appeal and importance, sometimes even just as well-known local landmarks. At the local level these attractions can make their own unique contribution to the local area, by providing interesting things for visitors to see and do.”

Scroll through the gallery above to find out which other attractions could do with a visit.

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