Residents living on a ‘deserted’ holiday island say they are living in a 1960s ‘time warp’ which visitors have abandoned.
Canvey Island in Essex used to be a thriving holiday destination with a booming tourist economy.
The Island once attracted huge showbiz names to delight crowds of daytrippers including Edwin Starr, Freddie Mercury, Tommy Cooper and Shirley Bassey.
But years later, Canvey’s star has faded and ‘forgotten’ locals have slammed it as a ‘crime ridden hellhole’ with ‘no soul’.
While in its hey-day excited crowds thronged on its amusement laden streets and flocked to its beaches – now its seafront is dominated by empty buildings.
One man told MailOnline: ‘I can’t stand it anymore. It’s hell on earth. I’m moving to Kent. It’s a dump.’
Gold Mine amusements on the once-bustling Canvey Island seafront is shuttered up
Canvey Island has a small number of shops in the town centre but many have closed
Canvey Island has an overall crime rate of 86 crimes per 1,000 people, figures show (pictured, construction is underway on the sea front of the town)
But while not all locals are derogatory about their hometown – it was slammed online and voted one of the top 153 depressing places in the country by website iLiveHere’s annual poll.
Crime stats show the island is among the top five most dangerous medium size towns in Essex.
It has an overall crime rate of 86 crimes per 1,000 people – coming out poorer than the overall rate of 83 per 1,000.
Roger Thomas, 81, has lived in the town for 55 years. He said: ‘It’s become a crime ridden hellhole. It has no soul anymore.
‘I don’t have the strength to move else I would get out. It’s so sad. It used to be lovely. It was lively, very busy with tourists and always packed.
‘Now more people are leaving than coming in. I do not feel safe on the seafront. It’s terrible.
‘A friend of mine was robbed at knifepoint the other month.’
Another said: ‘It’s stuck in a time wrap. It’s like living in 1970. There’s very little appeal to come here.
Canvey Island used to be thriving tourist destination in the 1960s but this has since changed
Locals say shops are closing down one after another in Canvey Island as visitor numbers drop
Retired demolition worker Chris Taylor, 72, defended the island and slammed those who had criticised it
‘Everything is abandoned. It’s empty shop after empty shop. It’s always freezing cold as well but I suppose I can’t moan about that too much.
‘It used to have the biggest stars in Britain come here to perform but now it’s dead.’
Kim Pattimore, 64, who works at the Fantasy Island Arcade near the sea front, said urgent improvements were needed.
She said: ‘It’s a lot quieter than it used to be. It’s very limited and empty. It needs investment and we need fewer empty shops.
‘It’s still very old-fashioned. We get a lot of people from the East End of London coming here because they love how old and stuck in its ways it is.’
Ryan Parker, 33, said he was about to move out the island after living here for three years.
The builder said: ‘I can’t stand it anymore. It’s hell on earth. I’m moving to Kent. It’s a dump.
Big names who performed on the island have included Freddie Mercury, Tommy Cooper and Shirley Bassey – but now, mostly tribute acts appear
Many locals say Canvey Island is a ‘crime ridden hellhole’ with ‘no soul’
Carol Campkin, 77 with her friend Sue Hill says Canvey Island needs a remake
Canvey Island’s crime rate of 86 crimes per 1,000 people is higher than the overall rate of 83
‘People don’t care about it anymore. we feel abandoned. It’s like they just want to shove all the rubbish down here and then forget about it.
‘Look at all the graffiti, look at all the abandoned shops and empty units. It’s the charity shop capital of Britain as well.
Retired demolition worker Chris Taylor, 72, defended the island – and slammed those who had criticised it.
He said: ‘What do they expect? I bet the people moaning are all spoilt brats anyway.
‘They want everything in life handed to them on a plate.
‘What do they expect? Where do they think they are moving to, New York?
Dame Shirley Bassey (pictured with the then Prince Charles) performed in Canvey Island
Queen legend Freddie Mercury performed in Canvey Island during it’s UK tourism boom
‘It’s madness. Canvey does what it says on the tin. People need to shut up.’
Carol Campkin, 77, added: ‘It needs a remake. It’s cheap and cheerful.’
At the start of the 20th century, Canvey Island was home to just 300 people.
It later became a popular seaside resort with fairground rides and food stalls. The resort was created by entrepreneur Frederick Hester and included a huge promenade and pier, as well as winter gardens and monorails, although many of these were destroyed over the years.
By the 1960s, thousands still flocked every year to the Essex town. It was seen as a place where people went to lounge in deckchairs, eat jellied eels and wander in the pleasure gardens.
David Blackwell, leader of Castle Point Borough Council – which includes the island – said: ‘Yes it has declined after 20 years of Conservative administration, the new independent administration will address some of that by spending nearly £5 million this year on Canvey.
‘£1 million revamping shopping centre. £1.5 million modernizing the community centre. £1.5 million on a new seafront cafe. £800 thousand on new all weather sports pitch, £100,000 on new park play equipment.
‘Canvey has a bright future under our administration I have lived here all my life and campaign to get improvements as leader of the opposition and am now in a position to be able to do something about it as leader of the council.’
