24 August 2009

Coastal resorts hit by unemployment

Unemployment levels at English seaside resorts have risen in the last year despite more people taking domestic holidays, the TUC claims.

An analysis of official statistics reveals seaside destinations have been hit hard by the economic downturn.

They are suffering from above average unemployment rates despite the trend towards ‘staycations’, according to the TUC.

Claimant unemployment levels in Bournemouth have grown by 130% since July 2008 - well above the national average percentage increase of 81%.

Weston-Super-Mare has seen its claimant unemployment level jump by 122%, and claimant unemployment in South Dorset (covering Weymouth and Swanage) has gone up by 113%.

Other seaside resorts have experienced lower percentage increases in claimant levels, but now have claimant unemployment rates much higher than the national average, the TUC says.

These include Southend where the claimant unemployment rate is 5.9 per cent (up 2.6 percentage points on the year), Harwich (which includes Clacton-on-Sea) where the claimant unemployment rate is 5.3 per cent (up 2.3 percentage points on the year), and North Thanet (which includes Margate and Herne Bay) where the claimant unemployment rate is 5.2 per cent (up 2.1 percentage points).

TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said: "Millions of people are opting to save money during the downturn and have rediscovered what great holidays you can have in the UK.

"However, in spite of this welcome boost to the UK's seaside resorts and tourist industry, unemployment is at crisis level in many of our best-loved traditional English holiday destinations.

"Many seaside towns have made impressive and imaginative efforts to regenerate themselves - and deserve real praise - but even the most ambitious scheme cannot buck the effects of such a deep recession.

"Just as in the rest of the country, a whole generation of young people in seaside towns are finding it almost impossible to make the right start to their working lives.

"We should welcome any signs of economic recovery, but they are very shallow. The economy remains in deep trouble with unemployment still set to carry on rising all through next year.

"Unemployment remains a national emergency. Fighting it, particularly among young people, should be number one priority.

"Public spending cuts are the last thing we need, and run the risk of sending the economy into an even more serious decline."

by Phil Davies