Known for its world-class surf beaches, beautiful coastline and vibrant seaside atmosphere, Newquay has been a popular holiday destination for decades. However, like many other coastal locations across the UK, the Cornish town has struggled in recent years, with the high street becoming increasingly run-down and overly commercialised during the hectic summer months.
Earlier this summer, Newquay ranked 11th-lowest rated seaside town out of 135 locations in a Which? holiday survey. Its famous beaches and coastline received praise, but the town centre itself dragged down the overall destination score to just 55%. Which? awarded Newquay just two out of five for tourist attractions, two out of five for value for money, and a mere one out of five for peace and quiet.
"When I first came, it was a lovely little fishing village where everyone knew everyone," 80-year-old Bill McClure tells the Daily Express. "But over the years, it's changed. Around the late 1980s, some of the buildings started to get dilapidated and they haven't been recovered since. It's not for people of my age anymore."
Mr McClure moved to Newquay from Wigan around 50 years ago. Although he has always admired the natural beauty of the town and surrounding areas, he admits it has struggled in recent times.
"The beaches are lovely, but the streets are dirty and need to be cleaned up," he adds. "I think it's still good for young people, but you grow out of it when you're older."
Like much of Cornwall and the South West, residents in Newquay are concerned about the ongoing impact of second homes, which are driving up living costs and straining local housing.
"There are loads of properties and estates being built outside the town, but I don't know who's living in them or where they're all working? There's not enough work for people around here," Mr McClure notes.
A number of major housing estates and developments are being built in and around the town. One of the most notable is the Duchy of Cornwall-led Nansledan, a major urban extension on the edge of Newquay, that will eventually comprise 4,000 homes by 2045.
Locals like Mr McClure, who is sitting on a bench on Narrowcliff, overlooking the beautiful Great Western Beach, are concerned that Newquay has shifted from a close-knit community to a commercialised party town.
"Four of five of us came down here to work together, and it was the sort of place where everyone knew everyone," he says. "You'd walk into town and chat to people but it's not like that now."
In the town centre, 79-year-old Peter Tunnifcliffe is visiting the area with his wife, Jane, from Staffordshire. The couple have been regular tourists to Newquay over the years but were sad to see its decline in their most recent visit.
"It's ok, but it's not a place I would recommend staying at now. It's far too commercialised for me," Mr Tunnicliffe says. "I don't want to criticise the place, but it's just not for me. I don't think it's for the older generation in general."
He notes small details such as unpainted seats and railings on the high street, as well as street drinkers and rowdy groups of young people during the day. Meanwhile, his wife describes the town's decline over the years as "sad".
"It wasn't like this 40 years ago. I don't think it's improving at all which is sad as it's a pretty place," the 75-year-old explains. "It used to be a great town to visit, but it's just lost its appeal now."
Like other towns up and down the UK, Newquay's high street and main shopping area, which stretches from Cliff Road through to East Street and Bank Street, has struggled since the Covid-19 pandemic. A combination of reduced footfall and higher costs has hit businesses hard, resulting in multiple shop closures.
One unnamed local, who says he has lived in the town all his life, says there are now "too many barbers" in Newquay. The man, who is standing waiting for a bus on Cliff Road, adds that he doesn't go into the town centre as regularly as he did before.
"There are too many barbers," he fumes. "Who's having their haircut all the time? Nobody! It was booming 20 or 30 years ago, but it's not now.
"It's just holidaymakers really, and the locals don't have a reason to come into town. I just come in for a quiet drink on a Saturday (and Monday)."
Walking through the town centre, it is clear to see that a number of shop units remain vacant. Some are large sites, such as the old Poundland store on Bank Street, which shut last August, while others, like the Bookmark Newquay wine bar, are smaller.
Over the last five years, a host of notable shops, including the Poundland, a standalone Argos store, Vodafone, Clintons and M&Co, have closed in Newquay.
Newquay’s Decline: Store Closures, Dirty Streets and Decay