Our trip to seaside town was ruined by drunk tourists and ‘obnoxious teens’ – it should be called the ‘British Magaluf’
FUMING holidaymakers have told how their trip to a picturesque seaside town was ruined by hordes of drunk and “obnoxious” teens.
Padstow, Cornwall, is known as one UK’s most posh areas – but visitors say it is now turning into the “British Magaluf”.
Earlier this year it was named the fourth most expensive coastal town in the UK with an average house price last year of £791,000. The town has also seen a 94 per cent increase in house prices since 2012.
TV chef Rick Stein employs around 400 people in the town across several seafood restaurants, shops and a cookery school.
Fellow celebrity chef Paul Ainsworth runs a Michelin-starred restaurant in the town and Gordon Ramsay has a home across the estuary in Rock.
But recent visitors say they were left less than impressed by the village.
Taking to Tripadvisor, on holidaymaker, Tom dubbed the town “Padaluf”
He said: “We visited Padstow on the afternoon of May 1, 2022, to find the usual charming Padstow after the ‘Obby ‘Oss festival.
“This year at exactly the same time we found Padstow had descended into Padaluf.
“The harbour was heaving with drunk partygoers and obnoxious teens all led by the pumping fairground and the very shouty ‘DJ OTT’. We got out as soon as we could.
“Those wanting to avoid going to Magaluf on May 1 should also avoid Padstow.”
Another visitor Mark added: “Love the place don’t like the tourists.
“Been here for a long weekend and visited Padstow three out of the four days. Great if you want fish and chips, pasties and trinkets.
“Terrible if you want a nice walk round, easy parking for the car, quiet drink or a bit of peace and quiet.
“Place is full of dog walkers not watching what they or their dogs are doing, people pushing buggies that once again think the whole place is pedestrian from the welcome to Padstow signs all round the harbour and village.”
The residents in this tourism hotspot are also facing a major housing crisis as demand for accommodation and second homes drive house prices sky high.
One furious local told MyLondon: “The old fisherman’s cottages in Padstow have been renovated for holiday homes, where they used to cost about £25,000, they’re now £500,000.
“The cost of land is very expensive. Therefore builders want to build as big a unit as possible to maximise their earning potential.
“Local people don’t need five or six bedroom homes, designed so lots of families can come on holiday together, what they need are small two or three bedroom home starter units.”