Britain’s sunniest seaside town ‘so troubled even grans are drug dealing’

Eastbourne has fallen from grace (Image: Getty) What was once a quintessentially English seaside resort, a haven for retirees and day-trippers, has now become swamped with drug-pushers and vacant drug addicts. Eastbourne used to be renowned for its vast expanse of shingle beach, its pier and its harbour. But today, the south coast town is riddled with social ills. Crime, alcoholism and drug-use are all rife in the area, and derelict buildings line the streets. Despite being more than 20 miles outside of Brighton and more than 70 outside of London, Eastbourne’s crime rate is two per cent above the national average and is a hot spot for county lines drug trading. Speaking to The Sun, one of the town’s bar workers said he is in and out of hospital following a vicious attack at the hands of a local thug. Tommy Powell explained that the incident occurred in November 2022 after he escorted a customer out of the Blue Bar Cafe, who then came back armed with ‘acid’. Boarded up shops are commonplace in Eastbourne (Image: Getty) The thug threw a toxic substance into Tommy’s face, blistering the skin and causing stem cell damage. He told the publication that the once-sought after seaside location is rapidly deteriorating into a hellhole. Tommy explained: ‘I have lived here all my life but crime and drug addiction have got progressively worse in the last few years.’ Another Eastbourne resident backed Tommy’s view, telling the publication that the area used to be a ‘beautiful place’ but can no longer be characterised as such. Crystal meth has become a serious problem in the area (Image: Getty) Patty, a middle-aged woman from the resort, added: ‘This was a beautiful place once. It was advertised as a perfect place to retire. ‘But now there are so many venues boarded up, derelict houses and litter everywhere. ‘You’ve got to keep your eyes open too because there has been more and more violence on the street.’ Earlier this year Express.co.uk exclusively reported on the crystal meth nightmare gripping Eastbourne . Samuel Buchanan fled the suburbs of Glasgow to try and get over his addiction to drugs, but found it easier to acquire illegal substances on the south coast of England. He told Express.co.uk: ‘I thought I was going to be able to calm down. It was a new town and I didn’t know anybody. ‘Even if drugs [were available] I thought it would be hard to get them because I wouldn’t know where. But it turned out it was just as easy, if not easier.’ After five years as an addict in the area, Samuel is now a national boxing champion and recovery counsellor, and is acutely aware of the rampant rise of crystal meth. He explained: ‘We help people with addiction, have good links with the council and get a heads up with what’s being circulated. Crystal meth is a big one now in this area.’