[Torchwatch]

I'm in Kent the Garden of England.
It's ok to wear 11" side shorts in the street and shops. In the public swimming pools I wear 2" side briefs including orange Aussiebums without comment as do others for lane swimming. Recently had a chat with an older guy (and his wife) he was also wearing brightly coloured 2" swim briefs and said he wears a thong in the garden when he can. The younger fast swimmers tend to wear jammers. Those that wear long baggy board shorts in the lane sessions tend to get left behind and either get something briefer for the next time or stay in the public play sessions.
Kent has sea on 3 sides, the Thames Estuary to the North and the English Channel to the East and South. We have naturist beaches on all 3 coasts. I was at Folkestone Warren beach on Sunday and could see France on the horizon. To reach the beach there is a long walk along the sea defences, saw a couple of guys in Speedos on the first beach and once the crowds thinned out I stripped down to my ice blue 1.5" Aussiebums, remembering not to get them wet.
In conclusion speedos are rare in Kent but you can wear them without issue in the pools and on the beaches, short shorts are accepted, average shorts length is dropping but still too many ugly long shorts about.