Are Lynton & Lynmouth at risk of losing their magic?
It’s true that the towns of Lynton & Lynmouth are like a postcard come to life; surrounded by beautiful coastal water, lush green hills, dramatic cliffs and effervescent rivers. Our Visitors are welcomed with local Devon charm in our independent shops, eateries and places to stay.
But what if all this charm started to fade away? Not due to something big and out of our control, but because of small things that we could have avoided – like not being proactive, taking action, ignoring problems, not wanting to change, and just waiting for others to do the work.
What happens if the tourists stopped coming because nothing new or fun is happening? if we stand still and don’t make our towns better, we’ll start to see less money, closed shops, and less jobs. These tourists keep the money flowing and our great local shops and eateries open.
There are several reasons why our towns could lose their charm as go-to destinations. Here are some of the possible issues:
1. Neglected Infrastructure: Deteriorating buildings, empty shops or buildings, and unsightly businesses, homes and public areas could tarnish the towns aesthetics, making it less appealing to visitors.
2. Lack of Innovation: Failure to introduce “newness” like new attractions, activities, or initiatives could make the towns feel stale and unexciting for repeat visitors.
3. `Limited Accessibility: If the towns are difficult to reach due to poor public transport links or challenging roads, it could deter potential visitors.
4. Poor Hospitality: Unfriendly or unhelpful local staff could negatively impact the overall visitor experience.
5. Environmental Issues: Pollution or environmental damage to our towns’s features, waterways and environment could significantly lower their appeal.
6. Closed Businesses: If local shops, cafes, and restaurants were to close down, and the buildings remain empty, whether due to economic hardship or other reasons, it could lead to a lack of facilities, amenities and things to do for visitors and locals alike.
7. ‘Zombie’ Businesses: These are businesses that merely cover their costs and simply don’t make and effort. They can’t, won’t or don’t make enough profit to invest and grow, operate through nepotism or trade on past savings. They can drag down the area’s economic vitality and discourage more progressive businesses from setting up.
8. Lack of Year-Round Attractions: Relying soleły on seasonal attractions could limit the touristic appeal to a specific part of the year, missing the opportunity to attract visitors year-round.
9. Inadequate or Lack of Accommodation: Lack of quality, affordable, or any, accommodation could deter visitors from staying overnight, affecting local businesses. Lynton & Lynmouth has lost over 50% of it’s overnight accommodation (B&B/Hotels) in the last 3-4 years.
10. Lack of Online Presence: Insufficient advertising. promotion, or lack of a robust social media presence of the area or local businesses can limit awareness of the towns and their unique attractions.
Can we rely on the local economy?
Ultimately, no. While the support of local residents is important, we cannot rely solely on the ‘local pound’ to sustain Lynton & Lynmouth’s businesses. The reality is that the local community’s annual spending isn’t sufficient to keep businesses thriving year after year.
This could be attributed to various factors like the rise of online shopping and home deliveries from large supermarkets, non- competitive pricing in local stores, or stock that just doesn’t meet the community’s needs or interests.
Whilst you could say that our businesses need to adapt to these changing consumer habits, they will still need to rely heavily on the injection of income from tourism. And without that vital income, the magic of Lynton & Lynmouth that we all treasure may fade away.
Everyone has a role to play
Saying “someone else will do it” won’t fix our problems. We all need to do our part, whether small or large, to keep our towns alive and popular. Only with our ideas, time, investment and hard work can we make sure Lynton & Lynmouth stay as the gems they are.
Lynton & Lynmouth losing their charm may sound impossible. But it could happen if we remained blinkered to that reality and refuse to invest, adapt, take small or bold steps to keep Lynton & Lynmouth relevant and vibrant.
