Ramsgate in Kent attracts visitors with its stunning coastline and sandy beaches, but the seaside town has been dubbed ‘depressing’ by locals as dozens of shops lie vacant
The pretty seaside town has been struggling (Image: John_Lamb via Getty Images)
An iconic British seaside town is “dying a death” as empty shops clutter the high street and daytrippers stay away.
When you picture British seaside towns, images of sandy shores, the aroma of fish and chips wafting through the air, the clang of a penny arcade and, naturally, ice cream spring to mind. Many UK coastal resorts deliver this experience, even if you have to endure the chill of a British coastal day.
But many more suffer from a series of economic challenges that make life on the British coast harder, in many ways, than that in inland towns and cities. Median pay in almost all coastal towns is lower than the counties in which they sit; funding formulas often leave coastal kids benefitting from half the cash as their city counterparts; and levels of obesity, smoking and substance abuse are higher than the national average in coastal towns, Prospect reports.
While many of Britain’s coastal towns and villages buck this trend – Broadstairs being a prime example – others are stuck in a seaside economic rut. One such place is Ramsgate in Kent.
“The more I have visited Ramsgate over the years, the more I have noticed how empty it has become,” writes the Express’s Millie Bull. “The town was once filled with bustling independent shops, unique eateries and a steady stream of visitors.”
A report at the end of 2024 from Kent Online revealed that a staggering 65 shop units—almost one in four—sat empty. This compares with the one in seven outlets that are empty nationwide. In Ramsgate, more than half of the shops are not advertised as for sale or rent.
“This was highlighted on my most recent trip to the town when I spotted a plethora of boarded-up shops and empty display windows covered in old posters,” Millie added.
Jack Gilhooly, who owns local pet shop Sherley’s on Queen Street, fears his business, which has been in situ for more than half a century, may not manage to stay open for much longer. “The town’s dying a death. We’re really struggling, every business in Ramsgate is struggling,” he told Mail Online.
“If you stayed here for an hour, you’d see maybe 100 people walk past. You’ll get about five people coming into your store, maybe three spend money. It’s just not sustainable.”
Louise Brookes is determined to stop the rot. She set up Ramsgate Space, which tracks empty shops and finds businesses to fill them. She told Channel 4: “Empty shops matter because they touch on so many different components of local life. It impacts how people feel about the place. You go into the town centre and you don’t feel good about the place.” Ramsgate Space provides business support and advice for small companies that want to move into a retail space.
Kent County Council is also attempting to address the issue. It announced last year that the formerly derelict Old Wine Warehouse on Charlotte Court had been transformed into three distinct spaces offering a comfortable office environment with hot desks (Ramsgate Works), a café area with outside courtyard seating and gardens and an atmospheric cellar bar and performance space (Ramsgate Arts Club). The council’s No Use Empty scheme contributed £431,500 towards the project through low-cost loans.
While Ramsgate suffers, the surrounding towns of Deal, Margate, Broadstairs and Whitstable have experienced a relative revival, with Londoners flocking in large numbers to enjoy seaside weekends whilst browsing trendy vintage shops or dining at fashionable eateries.
Last year, Deal received praise from celebrated food critic Grace Dent following her visit to the Japanese-influenced restaurant The Blue Pelican. Meanwhile, Broadstairs, which earned recognition as one of Britain’s ‘coolest’ places to reside, has emerged as a tourist magnet after featuring in Sam Mendes ‘ film Empire of the Sun, which starred Olivia Colman.
The charming coastal town of Whitstable has long been nicknamed ‘Chelsea-on-sea’, whilst Ramsgate’s trendy neighbour Margate remains constantly bustling thanks to its sandy shores, retro amusement park Dreamland, and lively bars.
Speaking to the Express, one local asked: “Strange because Broadstairs and Margate are doing okay. Why isn’t Ramsgate?”
The family-friendly holiday park operator is offering the package to visitors who want to avoid cooking and washing up during their stay, with three meals a day included in the price
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A family of four can enjoy an all-inclusive break for under £400(Image: Publicity Picture)
Holiday park operator Parkdean Resorts is launching an all-inclusive package at 42 of its UK-based parks during selected dates in 2026 with prices from just £25 a day for adults.
The package will include three meals a day, unlimited soft drinks, and all-you-can-drink Costa Coffee. After trialling the package at ten parks in 2025, the option to book an all-inclusive break will be extended to over 40 of its parks during spring and early summer.
The upgrade will be available for those booking four-night breaks between Monday and Friday on dates between February 16 and March 23, April 20 and May 18, or June 1 to July 13. The price starts at £25 per adult and £10 for children, while a four-night caravan holiday costs from £89, meaning a family of four could enjoy a midweek break that includes all meals and accommodation for under £400.
To book an all-inclusive break, all holidaymakers need to do is add the option when checking out on the Parkdean website. There’s also an option to add all-inclusive dining to your break once you arrive at the park, if you’re not quite sure about upgrading.
Parkdean have revealed the list of parks that’ll offer the all-inclusive package, and it includes family-friendly destinations such as Cornwall, Dorset, the Isle of Wight, and the Lake District, giving plenty of choices of places to stay.
Andy Edge, Chief Marketing Officer at Parkdean Resorts, said: “Following the huge success of our trial at ten parks in 2025, we are rolling out our all-inclusive offer to a total of 42 holiday parks this year – making us one of the largest providers of all-inclusive UK holiday park breaks.
“Families of four can save over £300 by going all-inclusive, making this an extremely cost-effective option for families seeking action-packed breaks in some of the UK’s most scenic and sought-after locations.”
List of Parkdean Resorts parks offering all-inclusive breaks:
Surrounded by a stunning coastline, the UK has some breathtaking beaches to visit – here are five of the best hotels to stay at which make the most of their magical seaside locations
Queen Victoria sketched the beautiful spot
If you are dreaming of escaping the chaos of everyday modern life but don’t want to travel abroad, the UK has some idyllic beaches and beautiful coastline destinations to explore.
Treat yourself to a well-deserved break at a spot Queen Victoria compared to a scene from a fairytale ballet, try your luck at dolphin and seal spotting or relax in acres of subtropical gardens above a sandy cove before snorkelling in crystal clear waters.
From balmy Cornwall and sunny Devon to the remote Isle of Harris via Snowdonia National Park, the new Good Hotel Guide shared with us this year’s five Editor’s Choice picks for the best seaside hotels, which offer something for everyone.
With ‘all the comforts one could possibly desire’, the Ashworth family’s much-loved hotel stands in two-acre subtropical gardens above sandy Carne Beach in the unspoilt National Trust landscape of the Roseland Peninsula. Appealing to guests of all ages, with its country-house comforts and timeless charms, it is perfect for multi-generational family stays. The well-trained, friendly staff ‘make it so special’ say Guide readers.
The least-pricey country-view bedrooms have comfy seating and such pleasing touches as fresh flowers and fruit, magazines, a Roberts radio and Penhaligon bath products. Facilities include a lounge, drawing room, sun lounge, bar, library, conservatory and gym, plus indoor and outdoor swimming pools, tennis and croquet. There is a lift, and public rooms have access for a wheelchair user. Days can be spent building sandcastles, investigating rock pools, snorkelling in crystal-clear waters, walking the Southwest Coast Path or waterborne exploration aboard the hotel’s motor launch Alice Rose.
You can dine à la carte in the Quarterdeck seafood brasserie, on the terrace, or in the dining room from a five-course fixed-price menu, where silver service, and hors d’oeuvres and cheese trolleys hark back to a more civilised age, and “being able to choose from a sumptuous selection of puds is true luxury”. They serve cream teas (of course), a cracking Sunday lunch, and early supper for children under seven. Dogs are allowed in the bedrooms and gardens, and Carne is one of the few beaches locally that permits dogs all year round, though be sure to follow the Canine Code.
Country-view doubles from £406.
Walls of windows afford glorious Atlantic views from Emma Stratton’s fun hotel on the clifftop above a sheltered, sandy beach with caves and rockpools. Built in the Californian Modern style, with Scandi-inspired interiors, it was launched by Emma’s father, a farmer and engineer, in 1959, and, while evolving with the decades, it still reflects his passion for sustainability.
This is very much a child-friendly family affair with spacious sea and countryside-facing bedrooms, some sleeping three or four. In a separate building, apartment suites for four to six guests have a separate bedroom or bunkroom for the kids, a living area and a Juliet balcony or a patio (choose a ground-floor apartment and the dog can come too). Two-hour sessions for children under five are offered in the play-space crèche, with a kids’ club for over-fives, so parents have a bit of a breathing space, perhaps for spa treatments, wellness classes or a steep in the hot tub in the sensory spa garden.
An all-day menu in the Wild Café caters to every taste, with nibbles, salads, sandwiches, pies and grills, moules frites, fish and chips, risotto… Adults can sip cocktails in the bar and on the terrace, with wine tastings and sophisticated dining in Ogo restaurant. Menus reflect the hotel’s values of locality and seasonality, with such dishes as whole lemon sole with mussel butter, rock samphire and elderflower caper sauce; Mora Farm roasted cabbage with smoked potato, Cornish gouda and potato skins. Walk the Coast Path to sharpen your appetite.
B&B doubles from £129 .
Centred on a cosy, beamed pub in a stunning situation above Babbacombe Beach, Lana de Savary’s dog-friendly spa hotel is a resort in its own right. “It’s a beautiful spot,” noted Queen Victoria as she sketched the scene from offshore, “…red cliffs and rocks with wooded hills like Italy and reminding one of a ballet or play where nymphs appear – such rocks and grottoes, with the deepest sea on which there was no ripple.”
The descent by road is a little hairy but there are moorings for yachting folk who come by water. Guests have a choice of ten coastal-chic inn rooms and suites, some for a family, as well as eight beach huts, beach suites and fishermen’s cottages. All rooms have a mesmerising sea view and are supplied with an espresso machine, a decanter of sloe gin, and Temple Spa bath products, and have a private terrace or balcony from which to spot dolphins and wave to Sammy the seal. The Shell Suite has a kitchenette, log burner and patio. Beach huts have a mezzanine bedroom, a waterfall shower, bifold doors to a decking area. Check for late availability for surprisingly low prices.
Dinner in the scenic restaurant might include Brixham crab and mussels, steak and ale pie, fish and chips, courgette pappardelle with smoked mozzarella and wild-garlic pesto. When the sun shines, they host lobster barbecues with live music, and days can be spent paddleboarding, sea kayaking, on mackerel fishing trips and generally messing about in boats.
B&B doubles from £175.
Perennially popular with readers, some of whom will have known it from childhood, this long-established hotel, in a hillside location, set back from the road, was founded at the dawn of the Edwardian era and received its first paying guests in 1904. Originally a somewhat eccentric mock-Tudor-cum-château edifice, for more than a century it was owned by the Cave family, who expanded and modernised it, with a 1960s facelift, and the addition of an extra floor in the 2000s. So it was that, when they sold it in October 2025, BLS UK Hotels acquired not just a hotel but a legacy of good will, and the new owners are pledged to retain the same staff and same values. This will be important to a faithful following who want continuity not fad and fashion, home comforts not hipster vibes.
The location is “fabulous”, overlooking golf course, dunes and sandy beach. The amenities are excellent, with three sea-view lounges for afternoon tea, a tennis court, nine-hole golf course, heated indoor swimming pool and spa bath. Dogs and kids are welcome. Spacious bedrooms, some for a family, with sea or hillside views, are decorated in coastal colours and have ample seating.
You can order from a lounge menu, while, in the restaurant (dress code smart casual), the menu features such dishes as garlic and thyme roast chicken with thyme jus, beef medallions with wild mushrooms and café de Paris butter, baked Mediterranean vegetable and goat’s cheese cannelloni.
B&B double from £270.
Forget promenades and bandstands, crowded beaches and candy floss, amusement arcades and bucket-and-spade shops – only Machair and sheep-grazed pasture lie between Patricia and Tim Martin’s Georgian manse and the Atlantic, in this sublime, end-of-the-world location on the Isle of Harris, against a backdrop of heather-clad hills. It provides the cosy ambience you want after outdoorsy days of hiking, wildlife spotting, swimming, surfing and sailing, with a library and first-floor drawing room where you can take afternoon tea by an open fire.
Maud the pug, Brodie the spaniel and moggies Mister and Wee Hamish are quite amenable to sharing the library, but drawing-room and dining rooms are out of bounds for visiting hounds, who are charged at just £25 a stay (maximum two). Bedrooms (three in an annexe) are traditional cottage style with patterned wallpapers, solid wood furniture and pretty china. All have views of garden, beach or hills; two have sitting areas with sofa and wrap-around windows.
An early supper is laid on for children before guests gather convivially for drinks and a set-price dinner of such sophisticated dishes as langoustine bisque with rouille and smoked scallop mayonnaise; roast quail and porcini risotto. A separate menu for vegans and vegetarians might include timbale of ratatouille, red pepper sabayon; Puy lentil, fennel and celeriac casserole, Strathdon blue cheese, honey and truffle vinaigrette. A hearty breakfast brings freshly squeezed orange juice, organic porridge with cream, Stornoway kipper, a full Scottish. They’re closed now until April, so look (and book) ahead.
Doubles, B&B, £315 per night for stays of 2 or 3 nights.
This remarkable house has stayed standing through many major events, even surviving the Great Fire of London, despite huge areas of the city being destroyed, and attempts to have it demolished
The house has remained standing through many historic events(Image: In Pictures via Getty Images)
London’s most intriguing landmarks often lie hidden in plain sight, tucked away down side streets. A prime example of this lies down the street of Cloth Fair.
This narrow road near Smithfield Market in the City of London, owes its name to its medieval past as a hub for merchants. Today, instead of bustling scenes of street trading, it’s mostly residential and offers a tranquil retreat from the city’s hustle and bustle.
Yet, one building stands out due to its historical significance. 41-42 Cloth Fair, built between 1597 and 1614, holds the distinction of being London’s oldest surviving house. But what truly sets this four-bedroom townhouse apart is its resilience through various tumultuous periods in history, including its survival of the Great Fire of London.
The Great Fire of London obliterated over 70,000 homes, leaving this townhouse amidst a sea of ruined properties. However, a tall brick wall encircling the property shielded it from the devastating flames, reports the Express.
But this wasn’t the first time the house had dodged disaster. During the Second English Civil War, when many city properties were razed, the house remained unscathed. Unfortunately, its builder, Henry Rich, wasn’t as fortunate. A Royalist, Rich was apprehended, tried, and ultimately beheaded within the grounds of the Palace of Westminster.
The property’s first occupant was William Chapman, who transformed the ground floor into an ale house. Over the centuries, the building has served various purposes, from a wool drapers to a tobacconist, and then a cutlery factory until the 1920s when it was sold.
Since then, it has functioned as a private dwelling and continues to be a home today. The 1920s nearly witnessed the demolition of 41-42 Cloth Fair. In 1929, there were proposals to raze the house along with numerous other historic buildings as part of a plan to improve sanitation in city housing.
Doubts were also raised about its structural integrity, and it was marked as dangerous. But remarkably, the house was spared from demolition and even survived the Blitz unscathed, while 1.7 million buildings across London were damaged and many historical landmarks were lost forever.
In 1995, new owners acquired the property, carried out extensive renovations, and won a City Heritage Award a few years later. One particularly noteworthy historical feature is a collection of signatures etched into the lead windows using a diamond pen.
These autographs belong to several high-profile individuals who have visited the house over the years, including Winston Churchill, the Queen Mother, John Betjeman, and J. B. Priestley.
The house’s age, coupled with its location near a medieval priory, has even sparked rumours of skeletons entombed deep within its foundations.
Whether there’s any truth to these rumours or not, it seems these souls can rest undisturbed under the watchful protection of this seemingly indestructible house.
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