Unemployment rises sharply at seaside towns

England's most traditional seaside resorts have seen unemployment rates increase in the last 12 months according to TUC analysis of official statistics revealed last week.

The Office of National Statistics (ONS) revealed last week that five million Brits are choosing instead to holiday in the UK. However, some of England's best-loved seaside destinations have been hit hard by the economic downturn.Bournemouth, Weston Super Mare and Weymouth have suffered the sharpest rises in unemployment. In Bournemouth, where 4% of adults are claiming unemployment benefit, the jobless rate increased by 130%, compared to the national average of 81%.

TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said: 'Millions of people are opting to save money during the downturn and have rediscovered what great holidays you can have in the UK.
'However, in spite of this welcome boost to the UK's seaside resorts and tourist industry, unemployment is at crisis level in many of our best-loved traditional English holiday destinations.
'Many seaside towns have made impressive and imaginative efforts to regenerate themselves - and deserve real praise - but even the most ambitious scheme cannot buck the effects of such a deep recession. Just as in the rest of the country, a whole generation of young people in seaside towns are finding it almost impossible to make the right start to their working lives.
'We should welcome any signs of economic recovery, but they are very shallow. The economy remains in deep trouble with unemployment still set to carry on rising all through next year.
'Unemployment remains a national emergency. Fighting it, particularly among young people, should be number one priority. Public spending cuts are the last thing we need, and run the risk of sending the economy into an even more serious decline."