A string of issues in the town have led to it being dubbed one of the worst seaside spots in the UK, with locals feeling the ‘ghost town’ is in decline.
Burnham-on-Sea in Somerset was named one of the worst seaside towns in Britain, much to the dismay of its residents.
The once picturesque town has been plagued with pollution, with poor water quality turning the sea a murky brown.
Locals have expressed their disappointment as the town appears to be losing its charm, with many no longer wishing to live there.
A survey conducted by Which? revealed that the town’s accommodation and value for money scored a dismal 49 percent, reports the Express.
The quality of the sea was particularly alarming, receiving the lowest score possible.
Adding to the town’s woes is the sight of a nuclear power plant from the seafront, which has been labelled an ‘eyesore’.
Residents are also concerned about the increasing amount of dog mess on the streets, which they say has become a significant problem.
Despite their outrage at irresponsible dog owners who fail to clean up after their pets, the council’s new policy of marking the mess with bright orange paint has been met with scepticism.
One local resident remarked: “It must take just as long to spray paint around it as it would to simply pop it in a doggy bag and throw it in a bin. This policy is crazy.”
In addition to the issues of poor sea quality and dog mess, locals believe the town’s general lack of appeal is contributing to its decline.
There has also been a reported increase in crime, which residents attribute to the influx of tourists during the holiday season.
There’s a growing call for improved safety measures, with beach lifeguards becoming increasingly essential in the town. In October 2023, a tragic incident occurred when 68 year old Peter Jeffrey drowned while trying to rescue a woman and her dog from rough seas.
A spokesperson for Somerset Council said previously: “Like everywhere nationwide, it is the responsibility of every dog owner to pick up after their dog. The dog bins in Burnham-on-Sea are emptied on a daily basis. Somerset Council’s dog warden regularly patrols in Burnham and we have prosecuted irresponsible dog owners.”
Somerset Council also encouraged anyone with concerns about anti-social behaviour to report it.