The pretty little UK seaside town that locals fear ‘is turning into Cornwall’

Residents of one of the UK’s most beautiful seaside resorts have expressed fears their town is at risk of being “destroyed” as it struggles with the sort of overcrowding more often associated with the likes of Cornwall.

Whitstable on the north coast of Kent is a picturesque seaside town known for its coastal walks, independent shops and oysters. 

Despite previously being named one of the fastest-growing seaside resorts, it has still managed to hold onto its unique community feel that keeps both tourists and locals happy. 

However, the mood is beginning to change as patience with the ever-growing tourism industry wears thin. 

Locals are looking at other areas of the country that are struggling to cope with overcrowding and overtourism, and fear Whitstable could be on a slippery slope to similar problems.

Cornwall currently outstrips Whitstable, and most places in the whole country, when it comes to tourism.

It sees millions of visitors a year in an industry that’s valued at an estimated £2.5bn. 

One man who has seen the issues this brings first-hand is Jon Crwys-Williams, who now lives in Whitstable where he runs Nomad Pizza.

Jon lived in the Cornish village of St Agnes with his family before moving to the Kent town, so has the unique perspective of seeing both seaside resorts grow. 

He warned of one particularly dangerous issue facing Whitstable today that could plunge locals into the sort of overtourism rows seen in Cornwall – second homes. 

Jon sees second homes as being capable of “destroying and killing” Whitstable if there isn’t government intervention soon to stop their “largely detrimental” impacts.

He told Express.co.uk: “Second homes can get to a point where they have an adverse effect on the community. There’s no question that we don’t want to live in a place like Cornwall where there’s a 10 percent occupancy rate out of season.

“And there are places on the coast which are like that – 10, 15, 20 percent occupancy, 80 percent of the time they’re not there. It destroys and kills a community.

“The legislation on second homes is poor and I think there needs to be tighter regulation by the government and local governments. It’s started to happen in Cornwall and I think it needs to happen here.”

Jon recommened intervention in the form of sustainability plans and community action plans including proposals to put forward to local governments to ensure that homes go to local people who will live there permanently. 

He said: “It needs to be taken on board by local governments and councils, and possibly a local MP representing it as well.”

Jon pointed to the effects of second homes on other struggling UK resorts outside of Cornwall as an increasing number of destinations jeopardise “the survival of the community“.

He concluded: “Second homes are not a positive thing … [They] can be largely detrimental to a community and you have to look at North Norfolk, Cornwall, Devon, and Yorkshire even … In lots of places in the UK [they] can be very detrimental to the local community and the survival of the community.

“You can say, ‘Let’s embrace second homes’ but what you end up doing is destroying a local community that then doesn’t become attractive for people to come down to at all because it’s lost what made it attractive, which is this strong essense we have in Whitstable, being a local community.” 

However, tourism in Whitstable is a complicated issue as not every local shares the same views as Jon. Joanna Lucille Phaur lives in Whitstable and owns an Airbnb in Margate, and welcomes tourists as they drive local economies.

She told Express.co.uk: “Tourist towns have to suck it up really. It’s what makes our money.

“There’s been a lot of protests against mass tourism this summer … [But] if you speak to anyone in any cafe or any restaurant … They know that they would have no business without tourists. I don’t know who these people who are angry about it are, but clearly they don’t have jobs.”