The popular little UK seaside town with the best lobster and crab in Europe

Bridlington, on the East Yorkshire coast, is a town of striking contrasts. On a summer's day, its sandy beaches are filled with families eating fish and chips, the promenade alive with arcades, coffee shops and holidaymakers. Tourism brings nearly five million visitors each year, the harbour remains one of the busiest shellfish ports in Europe and it's not called the lobster capital of Europe for nothing.

However, away from the seafront which recently underwent a big £4 million redevelopment, the reality is far harsher with deprivation, anti-social behaviour and pressures on the hospitality sector among some of its biggest challenges. A third of residents live in the some of the most deprived areas of England and child poverty is high. The most recent Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) ranked Bridlington South, the most deprived area of Bridlington, in 45th position out of 32,844 areas in England, having taken into account factors like quality of life, income, health, housing and education. A census by the East Riding Intelligence Hub from 2021/2022 also found that 69.2% of Bridlington neighbourhoods fall within the 10% of most deprived nationally.

Industries like hospitality are, meanwhile, struggling with economic pressures, competition and cuts to local services. This comes following the previous loss of the mining and whitefish industries, along with the rise in people holidaying abroad from the 1970s onwards, which thereby led to a significant loss of income for Bridlington. But despite the hardship and challenges, many here are refusing to give up on their town. Locals are coming together to fight back, determined to show that Bridlington's future can be brighter than its present.

Ryan Cooper, 24, with his father, has just taken over Arnold's Fisheries, which specialises in crab, lobster and whelks. From behind the counter, he tells us of the challenges facing both the town and its fishing industry.

He explains: "There's a lot going on with drugs at the minute. There's definitely a lot more of it than what there used to be. Before you'd see a cop car patrolling maybe once a day, and that was it. Now it's every five minutes."

He says he's seen an increase in crime and claimed that a lot of people come from Bradford to sell drugs in the town.

Mr Cooper adds: "It's a shame, really." He worked for five years on the trawlers but explains: "The fishing industry is dying. I used to work on the fishing boats, for five years on the trawlers, and I had to quit because a lot of the money's gone. Back when I first started fishing, I was doing three days' work, and I was going back with £3,000 or even £4,000 in my bucket. Now, you're able to get about £200 to £300 in your bucket off a trip, so it's definitely gone downhill from what it used to be."

Despite the challenges facing the town, Mr Cooper and his father remain determined to keep their business thriving, and continuing to bring the freshest Bridlington seafood to their customers. The shellfish industry, in particular, remains strong with an estimated 300 tonnes of lobsters pulled from the North Sea and packed in Bridlington each year.

For some long-time residents, the town feels in a sense stuck between past and present. Pete Lowe, 74, has been living in Bridlington for over 25 years and visiting it for more than 70. Major changes Mr Lowe has observed include within the local fishing industry, closures of local businesses and the impact of online shopping.

He says: "There's a lot of drugs but the drugs and crime is nowhere near as bad as some people make it out to be.

"I knew quite a few fishermen, and they're all gone now. There's no fish to catch. It's all crabs and lobsters, and whelks and stuff like that."

Mr Lowe adds that there is not much for young people to do in town: "There's no entertainment in town unless you make it yourself."

Others, like new market trader Sophie Bentley, see potential. Ms Bentley, a 28-year old Hull-based baker who recently began selling baked goods at Bridlington's market, shares a fresh perspective on the seaside town. Having only been trading in the town centre for three weeks, Sophie described Bridlington as a "nice seaside town" with independent shops, lots of cafés and a strong appeal for holidaymakers.

Last month, the town's MP, Charlie Dewhirst, raised concerns in Parliament about the pressures on hospitality businesses, warning that VAT charges are making it harder for local businesses in Bridlington to survive, and that proposed tourism taxes could further damage a sector that is so vital to seaside economies like Bridlington's.

The Conservative MP for Bridlington and The Wolds tells the Express: "Bridlington welcomes nearly five million visitors every year with our pubs, restaurants, hotels and B&Bs very busy during the summer season. However, Labour's economic policies have significantly impacted the hospitality sector, hitting hardest young people who rely on seasonal jobs in venues like bars and ice cream kiosks for a vital first foot on the career ladder."

On deprivation and anti-social behaviour, he says: "Like many seaside towns, there are pockets of deprivation and that is why my number one priority since the election has been improving local services. We need better community health provision, high quality schooling and employment opportunities to give kids the best chance in life."

On fishing, he adds: "Bridlington is the 'lobster capital of Europe' and we need to celebrate this to attract even more visitors to the town. Of course, there are constant challenges with sustaining the fishing industry and we need to ensure the Government doesn't sell our hard-working trawlermen and women out to our European competitors."

Nigel Brignall, manager of East Riding Council's anti-social behaviour team, points out that Bridlington South "is in the top 3% most deprived areas in the country".

However, 'Brid' as the local residents affectionately call it, is not giving up. The town is one of three areas alongside Hull and Grimsby to benefit from the Home Office's Clear, Hold, Build programme, aimed at tackling organised crime.

Mr Brignall adds: "The investment which has been put into this town over the years has now started to make an impact.

"In my 30 plus years working in local government, I have never seen a partnership which works like this where public, private, and voluntary sectors are all working together so proactively."

Martyn Coltman, who has lived in the town his whole life, launched Bridlington Ambassadors, a community interest company carrying forward projects to improve local life and working alongside partners like the East Riding Partnership after the long-running Regeneration Partnership came to an end.

He tells the Express that Bridlington has seen more than £450 million invested in the town's regeneration over the last 25 years.

He says: "People used to be negative. Now they defend it as a great place to live. It's more positive than it's ever been."

Bridlington has seen several improvements in recent years, including a £1 million refurbishment of the Old Floral Pavilion, a new £15.5 million 426-space multi-storey car park, and updates to the seafront and station, aiming to support tourism and improve daily life for residents.

Mr Coltman also points out that Bridlington's shellfish industry remains a key strength, with 95% of the catch exported and around 44 boats that now fish for lobster, crab and whelks, leading to a recent desire to shift the branding from just the 'lobster capital' to the broader 'shellfish capital'. The Ambassadors, with East Riding's support, are working on a new strategy to promote this identity.

Fuse Youth Services, co-founded by local resident Kimberley Harmer, reaches up to 150 young people each week through outreach, drop-ins and creative programmes.

She says: "Bridlington is an amazing town with huge strengths - fishing, hospitality, tourism and community pride. But we also face serious challenges. Too many of our young people are struggling with poor mental health risks of anti-social behaviour, and even exploitation. Local authorities are overstretched and underfunded, so there are big gaps in support. That's where Fuse Youth Services comes in."

Her trustee board, made up of people with lived experience, offers support where statutory services fall short.

"We've all been that child who's not had a meal on a night, who couldn't go home because of domestic abuse in the household, who may have been homeless," she says.

"Something that I'm really proud of about in Bridlington, is that the council and the local people and volunteers here are all working together to ensure that when children or their grandchildren grow older, they have a different environment, that it's better for them."

Bridlington is a town of sharp contrasts, where a thriving seafront masks deeper struggles, including deprivation, and high levels of anti-social beahviour. As Bridlington navigates the pressures facing many coastal communities, its future remains uncertain, but far from without hope, as residents work together to shape a better tomorrow.