Councillor Tim Prater says the area has a strong sense of community (Image: TIM MERRY / EXPRESS )
This is increasing in popularity with some Brits choosing to flock to the seaside to enjoy a more peaceful lifestyle.
Sandgate, in Kent, is a quaint coastal village often compared to the French Riviera due to its quirky, colourfully-painted properties. More recently, it has become a hotspot for Brits wanting to escape city life for the sea.
While nearby Folkestone has become popular with young DFLs (Down from London’s), Sandgate offers quiet village life and no shortage of spectacular sea views.
The average house price in Sandgate is £352,694 which is cheaper than it’s neighbour Hythe with an average property price of £416,578, according to Rightmove. Sandgate has some luxury properties on the market which are listed for around £1 million but you can also purchase a cheaper property in the village for as little as £100,000.
The luxury properties often have clear sea views across the English channel making them a popular choice for those who can afford it. Some locals are concerned, however, that a lot more second homes are being built and could eventually price them out.
Some locals are unhappy about the increasing number of people buying properties in the area, especially where the properties brought are second homes which remain vacant for much of the time.
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Eva Asperian moved to the area from London and now owns a cafe with her hudband (Image: TIM MERRY / EXPRESS)
British politician William Wilberforce used to visit the area 200 years ago (Image: TIM MERRY / EXPRESS)
Councillor Tim Prater, 51, says the area has a great sense of community but shared his concerns. He told Express: “We’ve got a big community, we’ve got a community of people who work well together.
“It’s more difficult when people buy second homes, if people are only here some of the time, irregularly, it means that there are then voids in the community.
“We would like to see more people living in those places permanently, that means people would be here on a more regular basis so there would be more people using the shops and the pubs and things like that, I don’t think I see that as an advantage, not a disadvantage.”
Having a holiday home in the area isn’t a new idea as William Wilberforce, British politician and philanthropist who led the movement to abolish the slave trade, once had a holiday home in the area over 200 years ago. Today, it is marked by a blue plaque.
Eva Asperjan, 52, and her husband Tom Lundie, 54, own Mr Whippets Cafe which is just a short walk from the seafront in Sandgate.
Kevin Miles says he has noticed changes in the area (Image: TIM MERRY / EXPRESS)
The walk along the coast is popular with many residents enjoying the sea views (Image: TIM MERRY / EXPRESS)
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The couple moved from London after the -19 pandemic. Tom said: “It’s been lovely to watch the area has change – and it’s changed for the better.
“Most people have said that it’s changed for the better rather than for the worst. So traditionally when we moved in here, there were a lot of younger people and people coming to .
“It’s a great area for pensioners and younger people. For older people it’s good because it’s safe and it’s flat for walking.”
Residents of Sandgate and those who live in surrounding areas enjoy a peaceful walk along the coast with coffee cups in hand.
Kevin Miles, 69, a retired cartographer, lives in Ashford nearby but often travels into Sandgate for a walk along the coast.
He says he has noticed quite a few new buildings being developed in the area and an increase in people who are just visiting for the weekend.
Kevin said: “I do think this could have a negative impact on the area as in the week there’s not a lot going on which could affect businesses. There are quite a few cafes and restaurants along the way and I’ve seen them come and go over the years.
“Sometimes it hasn’t worked out because they haven’t been getting the footfall that they had hoped for.”
Sandgate is just 10 minutes away from Folkestone harbour (Image: TIM MERRY / EXPRESS)
However, most are largely happy to see some investment in the area and enjoy the sense of the area has.
Paul Hames, 78, a retired ships captain, told Express he enjoys walking along the coast and moved to the area three years ago.
He said: “People who have lived here all their lives do complain about people moving down from London – you do see people complaining about the fancy flats that have been built and the plans for that harbour area.
“But they should be grateful, really, because it’s brought the area up rather than just let it decay away. Before this, the harbour area was a no-go area.”
Paul says out of his five neighbours in a cul-de-sac road, three are from out of town and two are local.
Sandgate appears to be at the start of it’s journey but it is quickly becoming a hotspot for Brits wanting to enjoy a quieter life by the sea.