High Parking Charges In Salcombe Lead To Fewer Tourists And Business Decline

Published on August 8, 2025 |

By: TTW News Desk

The charming municipality of Salcombe successful Devon, which was erstwhile a favourite spot for visitors looking for seaside beauty, now faces a caller problem. The preamble of a £10 regular parking interest has mostly discouraged day-trippers, starring to a important alteration successful visitors to this cherished coastal location. Despite its breathtaking views, top-notch seafood, and charismatic mounting successful nan South Hams, Salcombe is struggling pinch nan effect of rising costs for visitors, affecting section businesses and tourism.

Salcombe has been branded nan UK’s astir costly coastal municipality successful 2024, already known for its precocious spot prices and a ample number of 2nd homes successful its lodging stock. However, nan municipality now faces an moreover bigger challenge: a driblet successful visitant numbers. Local businesses and residents are voicing their concerns astir nan caller parking charges, and it remains unclear what nan semipermanent effects will beryllium connected nan town’s system and tourism.

The Impact of nan £10 Parking Fee
The determination to instrumentality nan £10 parking complaint has angered some residents and visitors. For day-trippers wanting to rotation done nan town’s beautiful streets and harbor, this interest feels excessive, particularly erstwhile added to nan costs of different activities. Initially meant to make gross for nan section council, this complaint has go a obstruction for galore accepted time aliases play visitors.

Local business owners, for illustration Beck Gordon, who runs a café and food shop, are worried that nan higher parking expenses are driving customers away. Gordon has noticed a clear driblet successful visitors from some locals and day-trippers. He points retired nan situation of drafting successful visitors erstwhile parking costs are truthful high.

Gordon’s comments exemplify a broader inclination successful nan town: less visitors are consenting to salary £10 to parkland for conscionable a fewer hours, particularly pinch alternative, cheaper options available. As visitant numbers decline, section businesses consciousness nan impact, arsenic they dangle connected nan seasonal influx of customers to past year-round.

The Issue of Second Homes and High Property Prices
Another important rumor for Salcombe is nan precocious percent of 2nd homes, which dress up astir 60% of nan town’s lodging stock. This business has worsened nan spread betwixt residents and visitors, pinch galore properties near unoccupied for astir of nan twelvemonth and only utilized during highest seasons.

The 2024 lodging marketplace study from Lloyds Bank showed that mean location prices successful Salcombe fell by 22%, from complete £1.2 cardinal successful 2022 to astir £970,657 successful 2024. Even pinch this driblet successful prices, Salcombe remains 1 of nan priciest coastal towns successful nan UK, pinch homes still excessively costly for astir section buyers.

Residents person agelong criticized nan number of 2nd homes for driving up spot prices and expanding surviving costs successful nan area. The caller parking charge, on pinch nan emergence successful 2nd homes, has intensified concerns that nan municipality is becoming little accessible for nan very group who utilized to sojourn frequently.

Disparities successful Parking Fees
Compounding nan vexation is nan discounted parking strategy for residents, which offers an yearly licence for only £5. In contrast, visitors must salary £10 daily, which galore judge is unfair, particularly fixed nan constricted parking options during nan summer. This quality successful pricing has led to disapproval of nan system. Local café managers person reported spending hundreds of pounds conscionable connected parking.

Some businesses find nan interest building unreasonable, noting that buying a play parking walk is often much cost-effective than nan regular rates. Beck Gordon called nan existent parking strategy “absolutely ridiculous,” explaining that nan charges deter not only visitors but besides section workers who dangle connected affordable parking to scope their jobs.

The Local Response and Councillor Remarks
In ray of increasing discontent, Councillor Julian Brazil, who oversees organization services astatine nan South Hams District Council, defended nan parking policy. He acknowledged that nan assembly did not wish to raise prices, but nan caller charges were basal to support section services. Brazil mentioned that nan fees hadn’t changed successful 4 years and that nan caller summation intends to thief equilibrium nan town’s fund and support basal services.

Brazil besides pointed retired that section workers successful Salcombe could still return advantage of discounted parking, pinch semipermanent options disposable astatine overmuch little rates than nan pay-per-day system. This attack seeks to support nan section organization while managing nan precocious number of visitors.

The Bigger Picture: Tourism and Economy
Despite nan backlash, tourism remains a captious portion of Salcombe’s identity. The beautiful coastline, rich | history, and quaint colony consciousness proceed to tie visitors, particularly successful nan summer. However, rising costs, parking challenges, and a dense reliance connected 2nd homes are opening to strain nan town’s expertise to meet nan needs of some locals and tourists.

The semipermanent occurrence of Salcombe arsenic a tourer destination will dangle connected uncovering ways to cater to some visitors and residents, ensuring a thriving section economy. Possible solutions could see adjusting parking fees, providing much incentives for section businesses, aliases encouraging responsible tourism that supports nan organization without overburdening its infrastructure.

Conclusion
Salcombe, erstwhile celebrated for its idyllic charm and friends environment, now faces caller challenges arsenic parking costs deter visitors and precocious spot prices alienate locals. While nan caller fees purpose to money section services, they frustrate some residents and day-trippers. The driblet successful visitant numbers is impacting section businesses, and nan early effects connected Salcombe’s tourism system are still unknown.

As nan municipality navigates these obstacles, it must equilibrium nan needs of tourism pinch those of its residents, ensuring some tin thrive together. Salcombe’s early arsenic a tourer hotspot whitethorn hinge connected really nan municipality adjusts to these changes while maintaining nan charm that erstwhile drew truthful galore visitors.

(Source: South Hams District Council, Lloyds Bank, Rightmove, Hellenic Chamber of Hotels, section cafes and businesses)