Off Season

The seaside picture postcard was always an overly optimistic portrayal of British coastal towns but that was never more true than it is now. If you were to visit one of these towns, especially in their winter off season, they take on a gloomier alter ego. The decline of the seaside town has been inevitable since the introduction of cheaper holidays abroad, several decades ago and they have become crumbling relics of our cultural past. There is an undeniable sadness to the shuttered buildings with their winter washed colours but also a real beauty; a nod to their once proud past and a metaphor for their decline. It isn’t all gloom and doom though, as I got the impression that some of these resorts were beginning to re-invent themselves, to find a new direction and that there was clearly evidence of healthy renewal. I feel fortunate that I have been able to explore these towns with their faded winter personas and this unique yet expressive part of British culture.