Lyme Regis is hailed as the Pearl of Dorset (Image: Jonathan Buckmaster)
Overtourism has become a buzz word in recent times, with residents of holiday hotspots feeling outnumbered during the busiest times of the year. While locals have carried out angry protests in areas of Spain loved by Brits, disgruntled murmurs have surfaced from those living in a stunning UK seaside town.
Lyme Regis, hailed as the Pearl of Dorset, is a popular destination for holidaymakers throughout the year. The town boasts amazing views of the Jurassic Coast, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and features a number of successful independent shops and eateries. However, despite their love for Lyme Regis, some local people have voiced their concerns about the growing issue of overtourism in the town.
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The Express visited Lyme Regis on a glorious and sunny Tuesday afternoon. Union Jack flags dangled over the steep Broad Street, which leads down to the seafront, with a buzz in the air from those sat outside cafes, pubs and bakeries.
However, the picture is not all rosy with an increasing feeling of discontent among some locals. We bump into Chris Irving, 72, who has lived just outside of the town centre for around 30 years.
“I come in here every week,” he says. “It’s a lovely place but there should be some more ordinary shops – butchers, greengrocers and things like that. I feel sorry for the locals a bit really.”
When asked if he thougt overtourism was an issue in Lyme Regis, Chris did not hesitate in his response. “Yeah there’s too many people,” he says.
“We pick our days. We don’t come in on bank holidays, as a rule, and some weekends we avoid it as it’s too crowded.”
During the busy summer months, the population of Lyme Regis swells from 4,000 to around 20,000. The influx of day visitors on bank holidays and weekends contributes to traffic congestion and parking issues in the town.
The town’s nearest train station is Axminster which is around six miles away. Lyme Regis lost its train station on November 29, 1965 after the Beeching Report, by Dr Richard Beeching, recommended the closure of thousands of miles of unprofitable railway lines.
Chris Irving says he avoids the town centre on bank holidays and weekends (Image: Jonathan Buckmaster)
Chris describes car parking as a “delicate issue” while Matthew Blueberry, the manager of the Blueberry store on Broad Street, says parking becomes a “nightmare” during the busy summer months.
“It’s a small town and people like the independent shops,” he explains. “It can get too busy in the summer. The parking is a nightmare – it’s too expensive.”
There is a mix of Lyme Regis Town Council-operated and privately managed car parks in the town. As well as longer-term tickets, hourly parking costs between £1.50 and £1.90.
However, Matthew says the car parks don’t have the capacity to hold all of the tourists during the busiest months. The 25-year-old adds: “Most people drive in but they can’t find parking. They then go ‘oh I’m going to go somewhere else’. We then lose potential business.
“The main car park is expensive and getting a spot on the road only lasts around 45 minutes to an hour. People also caravan or camp down here, which brings a lot of people in. But overall the town needs to do a lot more to help us out.”
John Smith, who manages Primary Colours in the town centre, says the summer holidays are “chokka” in Lyme Regis. He also agrees parking is a big issue in the town and said local bus services could be more efficient.
Lyme Regis is very popular among holidaymakers (Image: Jonathan Buckmaster)
The 60-year-old says: “There are buses but, like everything else, they’re not as good as they could be. Most people just drive in.
“It would be lovely if people came without their cars as parking is a big issue in town. There is a park and ride though which operates in the summer. But in the summer holidays the town is just chokka. It can get too busy at times.”
Lyme Regis Town Council says it has invested in public transport and parking facilities in a bid to relieve the stress of overtourism. According to its website, this includes bus services, a park and ride service and the creation of electric vehicle charging points.
Despite the apparent issues, Mr Smith acknowledges how lucky he is to call Lyme Regis his home. “It’s a quaint, old-fashioned and traditional British seaside resort,” he explains. “It’s also a great place to visit out of season for the grandparents and older people. We’re so lucky to live here.”
At the top of Broad Street we meet Michael and Margaret Quinlan. They live in Bedfordshire but frequently visit Lyme Regis as Margaret’s brother lives in the town.
The 76-year-old says: “It’s a lovely place but it does get very busy. It’s not that busy today luckily so we can just walk around. We try and come down when it’s a bit quieter.”
John Smith says the town gets ‘chokka’ in the summer (Image: Jonathan Buckmaster)
She adds: “As we’re getting older, it’s not easy to access now. Luckily our flat is the other end of the town so we don’t have to use the main car park which always gets full.”
When asked about the potential addition of a train station, she replies: “Yeah being able to get a train would make it easier.
“We’ve been coming for 20 years and have never been able to get a train in. If there was a train station we’d definitely consider getting one. We’re thinking about getting the bus up the hill which would save us a big walk.”
Chris Ford, the owner of The Old Forge Fossil Shop on Broad Street, says that the popularity of Lyme Regis as a holiday destination is good for indepedent businesses. “I’m not going to complain about how busy it gets. It makes the town a great place all year round. It’s a very friendly place to visit for families,” he says.
He believes that, although it may help bring more people to the town, the addition of a train station is unfeasible. Chris explaines: People don’t use the trains to come this far down. We’re three hours from London and people can’t get across the country or even from Bath. So a lot of people are driving or come to caravan parks.”
Chris adds: “I’m sure (a train station) would bring more people down but it’s getting the trains down into the valley from Axminster. I know there’s a track but there’s a big viaduct they’ve got to get across. And, it hasn’t been well maintained over the years.”
Chris Ford owns The Old Forge Fossil Shop (Image: Jonathan Buckmaster)
Lyme Regis Town Council says the town is “heavily reliant” on the tourist industry. It adds that “it must strike a reasonable balance between responsible tourism and protecting the environment”.
“There are many ways to travel sustainably to and around the town, helping to limit the impact on our local environment,” the council explains. “Lyme Regis is accessible by rail, coach, road, air and sea and we would encourage, where possible, use of public transport to help reduce carbon emissions, air pollution and congestion on roads.”
It adds: “Lyme Regis is a small town and most places are easy to get to on foot or by bike. Many of the streets in the town are narrow and were not originally built for modern vehicles so congestion is an issue and parking can be a challenge.
“A park and ride operates on the outskirts of the town during the peak season and is an ideal way to take the hassle out of your visit, while also reducing the amount of vehicles and congestion in the town centre.
“The 71 town bus is a convenient way to get around town, stopping off in residential areas, in the town centre and near the medical centre. Operated by Damory, the service runs from just after 9am until just after 2pm, Mondays to Fridays, except bank holidays.”
Lyme Regis is thriving with popular businesses (Image: Jonathan Buckmaster)