Our seaside town is one of the UK's most beautiful and just 90 minutes from London – but we're unhappy | The Sun
LOCALS living in a seaside town voted one of the UK's most beautiful have revealed a major downside.
The coastal resort of Eastbourne in Sussex boasts picturesque beaches and is just 90 minutes from London – perfect for tourists and day-trippers looking to escape the buzz of city life.
A study conducted by Beds Divans placed the tourism hotspot as the fourth happiest town in the UK – but many residents disagree.
And, the town was actually ranked the eighth least happy place to live in the country by the Telegraph, taking into account several factors such as average household income and crime rates.
The in-depth research also looked at employment figures and availability of green spaces.
Eastbourne was placed lower on the list than Blackpool in Lancashire and Lincoln, Lincolnshire.
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Residents in the seaside town have previously slammed tourists flooding their hometown and overcrowding attractions.
Debbie Milnes, 36, has lived in the holiday hotspot all her life and claimed there's "too many" visitors.
"Everywhere you go, they are there. About 100 of them at a time," she said.
"You can't get through the town for them all."
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The disgruntled local, who lives on the seafront, claimed she doesn't bother going to the beach anymore due to the number of tourists.
Other homeowners say the once picturesque seaside town is now plagued with drug addicts and crime.
Official data earlier this year revealed the crime rate in Eastbourne is two per cent higher than the national average.
The formerly quaint coastal resort also ranked in the top 10 most dangerous areas out of the 108 villages that make up the region.
Tommy Powell, a local barman, told The Sun: "I have lived here all my life but crime and drug addiction have got progressively worse in the last few years."
Another disappointed local, Patty, a middle-aged woman who has lived in Eastbourne since 1975 added: "This was a beautiful place once. It was advertised as a perfect place to retire.
"But now there are so many venues boarded up, derelict houses and litter everywhere.
"You've got to keep your eyes open too because there has been more and more violence on the street."
Meanwhile, Sussex Police, Surrey Police and the Metropolitan Police confirmed drug and crime activity have increased in the area.
Detective Chief Superintendent Till Sanderson told The Sun the main drugs prevalent in the area include cannabis, powdered cocaine, crack and heroin.
Eastbourne has also been particularly vulnerable to "cuckooing", ehere drug gangs move into new areas to exploit locals, cops claimed.
This comes as other formerly peaceful seaside towns become plagued by tourists and other problems.
Furious locals living in Whitstable, Kent, say it's being ruined by second-home owners – and now they're fighting back.
The fed-up homeowners say the decline in their community is because of visitors who take over every summer.
Recent complaints include a lack of parking during the warmer months, overflowing litter and noise from rowdy parties.
Elsewhere in the country, residents of Staithes. the northernmost village in Yorkshire, are frustrated with holiday lets.
The village has become a victim of its own success – with rich outsiders snapping up second homes.
Locals now claim most young families in the area have moved out of the pretty village into newbuild estates on its outskirts.
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Meanwhile those living in Swanage, Dorset, say their idyllic village is being destroyed by crime.
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