Searches spike in Cornwall’s Watergate Bay following ITV’s Playing Nice

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  • Property searches for Watergate Bay in Cornwall jumped by 46% after it was featured as a location in ITV’s drama, Playing Nice:
    • Searches for Watergate Bay jumped by 46% over the past week versus the previous week
    • Rightmove platform visits peak between 8-9pm each day as many people spend the evening dual screening
  • The busiest minute on Rightmove is 8:48pm on a Monday
  • The average price of a home in the TR8 postcode where Watergate Bay is located is £382,228
  • Cornwall is one of the most searched for locations on Rightmove, behind only London and Manchester

Wednesday 15th January 2025: New data from the UK’s biggest property website Rightmove reveals property searches for Watergate Bay in Cornwall jumped by 46% after it was featured in ITV’s Playing Nice.

This is the latest example of culturally popular TV shows influencing search behaviour on the UK’s largest property platform.

Rightmove platform visits peak between 8-9pm each day as many people spend the evening dual screening. The busiest minute on Rightmove is 8:48pm on a Monday.

The average price of a home in the TR8 postcode where Watergate Bay is located is £382,228.

The drama, set in Cornwall, showcases stunning coastal backdrops across locations in the county.

Current average asking prices in locations where the show is filmed include St. Ives (£499,947) Penzance (£330,259), and Newquay (£337,399).

Cornwall is one of the most searched for locations on Rightmove, behind only London and Manchester.

During the pandemic, it became the most searched for location, as more potential buyers searched near the coast and countryside.

Steve Pimblett, Chief Data Officer at Rightmove comments: “With the scale of a platform like Rightmove, we can see how trends impact search behaviour down to the minute, and in the smallest of locations. It’s always fascinating to see how popular TV shows can impact how people search, with people at home inspired by the screen to look at what it might be like living in a place like Watergate Bay, and the other picturesque areas of Cornwall nearby.”

Rank Most searched for locations
1 London
2 Manchester
3 Cornwall
4 Glasgow
5 Edinburgh
6 Bristol
7 Devon
8 Sheffield
9 York
10 Bath

Rightmove

UK Property news updates shared directly from Rightmove PLC - the country's leading property portal.

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