RESIDENTS of the UK’s so-called worst seaside town say it is “dead as a dodo” and plagued by drunks and junkies.
Rundown Rhyl in North Wales has been described as the “Costa del Dole” and was voted one of the worst resorts in Britain by The Telegraph last year.
Locals and tourists have said the town has “gone rapidly downhill” with failed regeneration projects, dirty streets and anti-social behaviour problems.
Retired chef Stephen Holmes, 73, said the area has become such a dump that holidaymakers are taking their money elsewhere.
Holmes said: “There’s nothing to attract people here.”
He added: “I don’t come in at night anymore as I know there will be problems. It’s a real shame”.
According to mobility scooter rider Tim Lloyd, 58, the town is turning into a literal dump too, with streets littered with rubbish because of overflowing bins.
The rundown West End area has also now become a hotbed for drug taking and dealing.
One ex-junkie told The Sun that crack cocaine and heroin sell for as little as £10 a wrap.
Mum-of-two Sharon Hughes, 37, called the town’s degradation a “tragedy” saying that “empty houses or buildings get turned into drug dens”.
Recent figures revealed that opioids were the leading cause of drug-related deaths in Wales between 2022 and 2023.
Out of 125 opioid recorded deaths, 64 involved heroin or morphine, and the remaining included methadone, codeine, and tramadol.
For mum-of-four Lyndsey Scott, 45, the drug problem is so bad she is scared to walk down the street she grew up on.
Her daughter Demi, 28, added: “There’s very little to come in for anymore. We’ve just come to get her nails done”.
Rhyl is the third most dangerous town of its size, in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, according to CrimeRate.
The most common crimes are violence and sexual offences, with over 2,500 offences committed during 2023.
Violence and sexual offences are the most common crimes in Rhyl, with 2,563 offences last year, giving a crime rate of 103.
This is 8% lower than 2022’s figure of 2,771 offences and a difference of 8.34 from 2022’s crime rate of 111, according to CrimeRate.
Rhyl’s least common crime is theft from a person, with 18 offences recorded last yearm down by 28% from 2022’s figure of 25 crimes.
Whilst locals bemoan the town’s deterioration, for tourist Emma Brown, 64, Manchester, Rhyl does have a few redeeming qualities.
Despite some areas being run-down, she emphasised: “the beach is lovely and it’s got charm”.
She added: “It holds good memories for me”.
Rhyl Police have been contacted for comment.
