Our historic seaside town is being ruined by ‘DFLs’ - we could go bankrupt & end up housing homeless
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- Опубликовано: 26 окт 2023
- THE SUN is shining brightly in Hastings and Alison Nicholls should be serving flocks of school children whose only tough decision is whether they want a bubble gum ice cream or the mint choc chip.
But instead - despite this being the half term holidays - the ‘Doughnut Queen’ owner has not served a single customer all day.
She blames the cost-of-living crisis for making her £3 treats too expensive for most families and says the past summer has been the worst she has ever seen.
The area's council leader is now warning that huge numbers of people can no longer pay rent, forcing over 1,000 locals in the East Sussex seaside town to seek temporary accommodation.
More fortunate residents tell The Sun their house prices have doubled in less than a decade as DFLs - meaning 'Down From London' - rush to snap up properties, either to live in or to rent out as Airbnbs.
Alison, 58, said: “Hastings is still a lovely old school bucket and spade destination for families.
“We have caravan parks at both ends of the beach and people will come here from far and wide to enjoy your quintessential British holiday - and that’s the market we cater for.
“But it’s been a bad summer for ice cream sellers. I’ve been doing this for four years and I’ve never seen it so bad.
“In June, people weren’t spending money because they didn’t have any. We kept saying, ‘Don’t worry it will be better in July.’
“But July and August were hard because the weather was so bad.
“Now I haven’t sold a single ice cream all day and it’s the half term holidays.
“The cost-of-living crisis is biting. People come here, look at the prices, and say, ‘£3 for an ice cream? How can you charge £3 for an ice cream?’
“Four years ago, I was charging £1.80 for the same scoop, but prices have gone up so much I should be charging £3.50 really.
“I hate putting prices up - and it upsets me when people complain - but what can you do?
“These are uncertain times we are living through."
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The Rainbow closed due to the fire next door, and it wasn’t a ‘chippy’. Lots of homeless people also come from outside Hastings. There is also pressure on housing due to London councils selling off estates to developers and relocating people. Hastings also has to find homes for immigrants, but by far and away the biggest problem is the explosion in the number of Air BnB places - it’s destroyed the community in the centre of Rye and is doing the same in Hastings.
The DFLs have brought money, creativity and employment, but yes, a lot of them have bought 2nd homes to Air BnB which they then list as a business, claim it makes less than the business rate threshold and don’t pay council tax putting even more strain on resources.
Same in the south west. House prices through the roof and all holiday homes, money straight back up there not back into local economy. Cold city attitude, egotistical and rude. Not all, not by a long shot, and I stress that, so many love and appreciate our way of life and are a joy to know and work for, but it’s hugely noticeable. The younger generation priced out of house buying for a while now, rent up 20-30% easily in past couple of years. I don’t really blame them, I lived in London, it’s a toilet, and the local councils here are busy housing any addicts and thieves the other city councils, Birmingham, Leicester etc etc, send down ‘for a better life’ and basically to ease their problems, rather than do anything about local people’s issues
I live 20 miles from Hastings and there is so much space for homes on the edge of town but the land is owned by rich landowners and they're not giving it for homes. Not when they can use it for long term low interest loans and tax avoidance because that's how the rich stay rich.
Central government have underfunded homelessness and social housing for decades now 😢
A more amusing name for the DFLs is the FILTH, Failed In London Try Hastings.
The reality is though that Hastings has dramatically improved in many ways during the time the DFLs have made their way down, even if there are negatives too.
Many parts of Hastings that were dilapidated, often dangerous drug haunts are now vibrant and filled with - albeit fairly expensive - cafes, bars and restaurants, it's a huge improvement on what was there before, if not perfect, particularly for lower income residents.
Unfortunately councils across the country have been put in an impossible situation by years of failed Tory policy, while they've been getting their snouts well and truly deep into the public trough, services and council budgets have suffered immensely.
Business rates are obscenely high, as are rents for business locations and homes, with the SE of England being incredibly expensive to buy a home too of course - it's years of failed government policy (on both sides).
The reality missing here is that there are many seaside towns (some not far from Hastings) that haven't had the influx of DFLs and those are not just struggling with an affordability crisis but also lack the positive effects of "gentrification".
At the moment Hastings has a better balance than most places for a mix of cultures and wealth. It's somewhere actually worth visiting and feels much safer than it did in the past, again it's not perfect though.
Traditional events such as May Day, Bonfire Night along with new ones like Pirate Day see thousands flock to the town for good reason. It's a fun place to be or to visit.
The DFLs, wealthy arty farty types, immigrants, long term locals etc etc are all part of an interesting and relatively successful mix of people and cultures on a seaside town that was until fairly recently going backwards rather than forward as it is today.
Do some homework on your reporting. You stand outside Rainbow Restaurant saying it has closed down, It hasn't , its being refurbished because of a fire next door and will be opening up again next year.
You cannot just blame the Londoners, mostly they buy a property and live in it, paying council taxes, employing local tradesmen and frequent the better bars and restaurants. If it wasn’t for DFL’s Folkestone would be finished. They have had more economic impact there than the local robber barons.
I live 20 miles from Hastings and there is so much space for homes on the edge of town but the land is owned by rich landowners and they're not giving it for homes. Not when they can use it for long term low interest loans and tax avoidance because that's how the rich stay rich.
Only one cause of all this:
RUSSIA
I was in Hastings at the beginning of May 2024. During the time I was there I took in the sites around Old Town. The entire time I was on foot and only saw approximately 4 or 5 individuals who were obviously homeless. Were all of the homeless housed then or are the numbers exaggerated?
Bless you hastings i ❤u miss you xx
This was happening to Cornish sea side towns since the late seventies and no one give a dam you should have supported us when we wanted help!!! Those people in London will own the uk !! Because there wages are far higher 😢😢😢😢😢😢
The Cornish are famous for whinging, they want the tourists money but not the tourist.
And a property that is sold to a Londoner is sold to them by a local Cornish homeowner
Agree with you about Cornwall but people are not buying second homes in st Leonard’s. Ordinary people have been priced out of London, that’s why they are moving. Where I grew up was considered slums 10 years ago and now over half a million quid for 2 bed ex council flat.
Some 40% of the Councils costs are Pensions & Benefits for their employees, perhaps look closer to home if they're going bust.
what do you suggest a cull at age 66!
They could work a bit longer,and harder
@@rogerperry3913 so, just how old is old enough? 70? 75? 85?
£3 per scoop?
That's cold
Well if you bring in hundreds of thousands of young refugees that cost money and don't pay tax it's going to put massive pressure on any business .
Enough with your WOKE immigration politics.
Blame the wars for the refugees. If you want to stop it. Go and fight in either Ukraine or Israel!
Rant rants blah,blah immig rants blah,blah,rant and the hoddie and the worst I rant rants blah,blah immig rants blah,blah,rant,blah RACISM rant blah rant blah rant rants blah,blah immig rants blah,blah,rant,blah and etc etc.
Why not process them faster so they can work?
Some local insight many of those homeless aren't born and bred locals. They're mostly migrants dumped or pushed out from big cities. Its always been a problem.
It's exaggerated because the cities don't tackle their issues, are financially incentivised not to. They can keep the cash allocated for helping individuals, ship them out, pocket the money, rinse and repeat.
This is the UK. The only people who stay in the same area their whole lives are EPIC LOSERS.
It's always been a druggie place
Open up all the homes in foreclosure as well as shops and empty commercial buildings to house the homeless. There are empty buildings available everywhere in well to do towns the world over.
Councils catering for the tourists instead of their council tax paying community.
house prices have gone up everywhere but alot of hastonions like blaming us people from london
DFL ? Down from London simples
Shroud come to Hastings Council csnt pay for tlhe st places is fulling apart ever one fulling down nrrdx the get it fired
My mum used to live near Dover. The unmentioned issue here is the amount of illegal aliens swamping services.
Some are in Napier Barracks down the coast, but details are hidden from the public. Another friend lives in Llyd and is now afraid to walk on the beach alone as so many men are being off loaded and travel in gangs through the area.
Renting has has neary doubled in 5 years in hastings and its got expensive to live here .ive never been able to get a councill house in hastings period and thats neary 17 years .they never build councill properties here its a joke .
Get a job then
Nah she just needs to reduce her prices
People like money. She's not going to lower her profits.
@@Jail_The_Far_Rightyes the these illegals that should not be in this county as they’re not welcome certainly like money. You are right
I refuse to pay £3 for an ice cream! It’s outrageous! Daylight robbery. It’s not even real ice cream most of the time.😊
What happens in America first alway cross`s the Atlantic.
Me read Sun. Sport r troops. Foyrin peeple make me angry 😡
ironic you are calling people stupid for reading a paper while watching that papers yt channel, while asserting a stereotype of the people that is not mentioned in the video lol. get a brain at least share your bigotry on a video that supports your stereotyping.
Buy a decent mic
Found plenty places for them during covid
This is capitalism, no better system.. deal with it.
Still better then Communism where you're literally treated like a slave unless you join the army or in politics
Ive had such a tough year,Got that strong feeling we be facing even much tougher year by 2024,Cost of living going up,More Migrants coming over,Must admit,I really hate this world today,Years ago,Cost of living was no where near as bad as it is now days,I thought things where bad enough then,The UK nearly finished with,Unless if any thing can ever be done about it
Dinghy divers are the PROBLEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
EJ funded this joint - is what they showing here, then - iniiit..??..
He compost ?