We live in an idyllic seaside town that has been voted the 'most depressing' place in Britain… but tourists and celebrities can't understand why
WITH its pretty harbour, Tudor castle and Blue Flag beach, it may be surprising that Falmouth has been voted Britain's most depressing place to live.
The Cornish The city was awarded the dubious award by the satirical website iLiveHere.co.uk, which was voted on by the public via its social media channels.
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The iLiveHere team admitted: “We know absolutely nothing about Falmouth. We googled it, it looks picturesque, but we're sure it's a facade it's trading on, and who are we to question the wisdom of the crowd?
While tourists are largely baffled by the award, locals are less surprised; resident Joe Trengove, 23, blames the “window window effect.”
“I understand why it has been voted Britain's most depressing city,” he told The Sun when we visited this week.
“Falmouth has a bit of a showcase effect; it looks beautiful, but it also has its problems.
“Because we have a big student culture here, there is a lot to do in the evening with the clubs and bars, but not much during the day.
“There are things like the Maritime Museum Center that organizes activities for young children, but otherwise there is not much enrichment outside of school and university.
“It is difficult to find a job here. There isn't much hiring in Falmouth as most of the shops are small, independent businesses, and many are closing.
“I believe drugs also have an impact on the community here, but just as much as anywhere else in Cornwall.”
Falmouth has 22,000 inhabitants and is popular with celebrities, among others Tess Daly And Vernon Kaywho spend their holidays there.
Comedian David Baddiel and Kaiser Chiefs frontman Ricky Wilson live nearby and are regularly seen in the city while Dawn French has been Chancellor of Falmouth University, formerly Falmouth School of Arts, since 1994 and lives an hour's drive to the east, near Fowey.
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Darren Wallis, 35, who runs the family business KW and Sons car repair garage on Avenue Road, agreed the town has underlying problems and cited a lack of available housing.
“Falmouth has changed dramatically over the years, leaving people struggling to buy homes in their own town,” he said.
“Part of the reason for this is that the wealthier parents of students who have to live here came to buy a house for their children and then wanted to rent it out, driving up prices.
It's hard to find a job here – there isn't much hiring in Falmouth as most shops are small, independent businesses, and many shops are closing
Joe Trengove, local resident
“I tried to buy my first house last year at £300,000 for a triple as we have two children, but by the time we put an offer on it we were told it was now £340,000.
“It's ridiculous. Ultimately we found something through the housing association.”
Falmouth's main shopping street smells of exotic food and is lined with independent shops and boutique-style cafes, offering everything from vegan to exotic cuisine.
But several units sit empty and the windows are whitewashed.
Falmouth in numbers
FALMOUTH is one of the top 10 most dangerous small towns in Cornwall, and in the top 20 most dangerous of Cornwall's 212 towns, villages and cities.
The overall crime rate in Falmouth in 2022 was 48 crimes per 1,000 residents – higher than the county average of 40 per 1,000 residents.
The most common crimes in Falmouth are violence and sexual crimes, with 496 crimes recorded in 2022.
In May 2021, Falmouth experienced a wave of burglaries; In that one month, seven consecutive incidents were reported. In July 2021, there was a peak of nine drug offenses in the area.
Nearly a quarter (21.2 per cent) of people in Falmouth and Truro are economically inactive, compared to a figure of 19 per cent in the South West.
Meanwhile, there were 45 drug deaths in Cornwall in 2022 – the highest number in a single year – and the council predicts more than 50 by 2023.
Cornwall has an estimated 2,562 people dependent on heroin and crack cocaine, of whom 54.3 per cent are receiving treatment.
'Priced out'
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Amy Bayes, 33, owns Dig and Delve in Swanpool Street, a quirky second-hand shop where she started working as a shop assistant ten years ago.
On the day The Sun visited, it was bustling with students.
She said: “I love Falmouth, I always have. My family always came with me in the summer and it has always been my dream to live here.
“However, a lot has changed in the ten years I have been here. From December to January you might as well close up shop, but now that more students have come in and so many independent businesses have opened, it's booming compared to before.
“The main issue that would make people find it depressing is the housing market. For many people, second home buyers have caused locals to be priced out and prices are rising everywhere.
The main issue that would make people find it depressing is the housing market. For many people, second home buyers have meant locals are priced out
Amy Bayes, local business owner
“The rental market is crazy: you're talking $1,000 for a one-bedroom apartment, so it's unaffordable for people.”
The average price of a house in the west Cornwall town, which has the third largest natural harbor in the world and is home to Henry VIII's Pendennis Castle, is £400,000.
Amy added: “I'm lucky enough to have gotten a mortgage in recent years, which is half of what I was paying in rent.
“I have friends, couples my age, who have dual incomes and are paid quite well – wages are low in Cornwall – and they can't afford to get into the housing market or save enough to buy a house to buy.
“Many people choose to continue renting in Falmouth because they love it here, but eventually they will have to move.
“If you were born here and your family is from here, but you can't afford to buy something, I understand why that makes people feel discouraged and angry.
“I know a lot of people, especially the older generations, are angry about this situation, but I still think it's great to have a business here.”
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Retired teacher and newcomer Andy Whiteley, 59, moved to Falmouth six months ago and was shocked to hear about the new 'depressing' title.
“My wife and I have moved to Truro and come to Falmouth once a week to look after our grandchild,” he said.
“I'm very surprised that it was called depressing. There are other places you could call that, but we are outsiders and find the people very friendly. You can start a conversation with anyone, so I don't find it depressing at all here.
“The negatives are the traffic to get here on the A30 where they are making improvements, especially over the summer holidays, but once that's done it should be better.
“There could also be better employment opportunities. Since fishing Because coalfish was commercially banned, I think it had a huge impact on that sector, with job losses.
“But as a place we think it is a very nice place to live, but also very beautiful.”
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Tourist Mark Brown, 51, from Readingwalked via Discovery Quay towards the harbor – home to branches of Pizza Express, sportswear store Musto and a Tesco Express.
He said: “I think it's a load of old nonsense to call it the most depressing place in the country.
“It has fantastic pubs, fantastic views and lots of nice places nearby.
“We went to the castle, which is cool, and the city is just a lovely place to come.
“I don't understand why people say it's depressing. I'm a tourist, obviously I don't live here so I don't see any other perspective, but I was here once with my dad and remembered it being nice, which is one of the reasons I came back.
“The only downside I see is that it takes a while to get anywhere because it's so far away so it's quite a trek, but that's Cornwall.”
Taking second place on iLiveHere's list of most depressing towns in Britain, with just 27 votes less than Falmouth, was the previous winner Peterborough in Cambridgeshire.
The Sun has contacted Falmouth Town Council and Cornwall County Council for comment.
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