UK's most expensive seaside town 'abandoned by tourists' after new £10 charge

A new £10 parking fee is deterring day-trippers from visiting Salcombe, recently dubbed the UK's priciest coastal spot. Lloyds reported in May 2024 that the average property price in the town has dropped to £970,657, a 22% decrease from 2022's figure of over £1.2 million.

Rightmove's August rankings listed Sandbanks and Canford Cliffs in as the top two most expensive seaside locations, with average asking prices of £1.5 million and £1.2 million respectively. Salcombe, known for its high proportion of second homes which constitute about 60% of its properties, has seen local authorities doubling council tax on these residences.

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Now, visitors are being stung by a £10 daily parking charge, while South Hams District Council offers residents an annual permit for £5, allowing them to park for £8 a day.

Local business owners are concerned that this is scaring off crucial trade. Cafe and fishmonger proprietor Beck Gordon remarked: "It's quieter generally. The parking's definitely an issue."

She claimed that local day-trippers have stopped coming altogether, reports .

Gordon also pointed out that it's more economical to risk a weekly parking fine of £25 or £50 than to pay the car park fees, which would amount to £70, labelling the situation "absolutely ridiculous".

Another cafe manager disclosed that she spends £120 of her earnings on parking alone. Councillor Julian Brazil, the executive leader of community services at the local authority, commented: "We'd like to do everything to help the tourism trade and we have kept our car parking charges as competitive as possible.

"Residents of the South Hams can benefit from our discounted resident parking scheme."

"Many workers in Salcombe have benefited from our competitive parking permits, which offer significantly lower long-term parking compared to our pay on the day rates."

Emphasising financial restraint, he continued: "Be under no illusion, we don't want to increase prices, but this is the best choice for us under the circumstances we find ourselves in.

"Our prices have been frozen for four years, and now everyone who benefits from our public services are being asked to contribute, and that includes our visitors."

Property specialists at Zoopla have highlighted Devon's South Hams district, including towns such as the historic naval hub Dartmouth, along with Kingsbridge, Ivybridge, Salcombe and Totnes, branding them "desirable".

They elaborated: "Dartmouth and its surrounding town and villages offer a range of properties from terraces, cottages and merchants' houses, to new-builds and luxury sea-view flats, townhouses and boathouses."