The UK seaside town 'being abandoned by locals' - businesses closing down in droves

The UK seaside town 'being abandoned by locals' - businesses closing down in drovesEXCLUSIVE: We spoke to locals in the UK town set to have the largest population decline of any local authority in England. Share Article Share Article Facebook X LinkedIn Reddit Bluesky Email Copy Link Link copied Bookmark Add us as preferred source Comments By Sarah Barltrop 06:00, Sat, May 30, 2026 Gosport town centre in Hampshire (Image: Adam Gerrard / Daily Express)Sitting on a bench waiting for her retail shift, 22-year-old Emily Voller jokes about staying in Gosport long term. “I hope not,” she smiles. Her town in Hampshire was forecast to have the largest population decline of any local authority in England from 2025 to 2035, with its 80,000 people set to reduce by 2.1%, the Office for National Statistics predicted. window.scriptsToLoad.push({url:'https://live.primis.tech/live/liveView.php?s=118222&vp_content=plembed3a6btjknzwqh&cbuster=%%CACHEBUSTER%%&playerApiId=v118222',triggeredBy:'tcfLoaded',delay:1500,containerId:'ovp-primis',title:"Primis player",beforeLoad:()=>{window.top.addEventListener('primisPlayerInit',e=>{try{if(e.detail&&e.detail.playerApiId==="v118222"){if(window.document.getElementsByClassName('jwplayer')[0]){e.detail.float('disable')}}}catch(e){}})},}) The reason is quite clear, according to residents. Once heavily reliant on the Royal Navy and industrial jobs, some of the town’s major employers have declined or disappeared, leaving little choice for younger residents. Nicky Brown, 67, says there is huge potential, with “amazing” architecture and beaches, but she sees the struggles for young adults. Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT Get the day's biggest headlines in UK and World news and more Subscribe Invalid emailWe use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our Privacy Poli...