Thousands of homes in Kent are this morning without water because of a failure at a water treatment works. 

South East Water (SEW) said the ‘instrument failure’ in Tunbridge Wells yesterday morning caused a shutdown ‘for a brief period’. 

It left people scrambling to water stations set up at a Tesco store and rugby club in the town last night and this morning. 

The water firm said today that around 7,000 properties have been affected, with people waking up to either their taps running dry, low pressure, or intermittent supply. 

According to SEW, water supplies may not return until Sunday evening at the earliest as storage tanks need to be replenished to a higher level to ensure a continuous and stable supply.

The company apologised to those impacted.

SEW incident manager Robert Anthony-Scorse said: ‘An earlier instrument failure at our water treatment works in the Tunbridge Wells area caused the site to shut down for a short period this morning.

‘The site has managed to run uninterrupted this afternoon. However this, along with several days of high demand for drinking water, has impacted levels in our local drinking water storage tanks.

‘This means we’re unable to pump water to customers, particularly those on higher ground.’

A SEW customer stocks up her wheeled trolley with bottles of water in Kent on January 13, 2026 

He added: ‘We’re working hard to resolve the issue as soon as possible.

‘The site is in operation again and we are working hard to increase the storage levels to get the booster pumps back up and running.

‘We want to be sure that once supplies return to customers, this will be a stable, continuous flow.

‘To do this, we need to allow our storage tanks to replenish to a higher level, which unfortunately means the water supplies will not return until tomorrow evening at the earliest.’

SEW said in a statement this morning: ‘While the site is now stable, low storage levels from this disruption and high demand mean we cannot pump water to some areas, particularly on higher ground. 

‘Consequently, up to 7,000 properties face low pressure, no water, or intermittent supply. To ensure a stable, continuous flow, we must allow tanks to replenish. 

‘We continue to deliver bottled water to Priority Services Register customers, and bottled water stations are open at the following locations: Tesco Superstore, Pembury Road, Tunbridge Wells TN2 4NE Tunbridge Wells Rugby Football Club, St. Marks Recreation Ground, Tunbridge Wells TN2 5LS. 

‘We are very sorry to all customers impacted by this issue.’ 

Earlier this week, the water company was ordered to pay £30.5 million after investigations by industry watchdog Ofwat following previous supply interruptions affecting hundreds of thousands of households across Kent and Sussex.

Ofwat said the redress package concludes three investigations into the supplier and includes a previously proposed £22 million fine for water supply failures between 2020 and 2023, which impacted more than 286,000 people.

The regulator launched a second probe at the start of this year after further supply interruptions in Tunbridge Wells and across Kent and Sussex between November and January, which left up to 70,000 homes without water.

South East Water staff hand out bottled water at a water station in Maidstone, Kent, on January 13, 2026

The third investigation followed the downgrading of SEW’s credit rating by Moody’s in May, which meant the firm was in breach of its licence condition.

SEW warned in its annual report this week that it needs to secure fresh financing to stay afloat after taking a £55 million hit from outages over the winter.

The water supplier to around 2.3 million customers in the south east of England said it was in discussions with lenders to agree a new loan facility.

It has enough cash to keep going until July 2027 but flagged that ‘shortly after’ it will need to get more financing. 

The European Union’s new Entry/Exit System (EES) is now in operation, replacing passport stamps with electronic checks that include facial photographs and fingerprint scans for most UK travellers.

While the new system is designed to improve border security, it also means passengers can expect longer waits at passport control, particularly during the busy summer holiday season.

To help travellers flying from Manchester Airport avoid unnecessary delays, the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) has shared several key pieces of advice.

Arrive with extra time

ABTA says travellers should expect passport control to take longer than before and should allow extra time when travelling through participating European countries.

Head to passport control as soon as possible

When flying home from Europe, passengers are advised to go straight to passport control after checking in and clearing security so the new EES checks are completed as early as possible.

Keep your travel documents handy

Border officials may ask where you are staying, how long you are visiting for and the purpose of your trip.

Having your accommodation details and travel documents easily accessible could help speed things up.

Be ready for biometric checks

Most UK passport holders travelling for holidays or short breaks will need to have a facial image taken and fingerprints scanned the first time they use the system.

Children under 12 will only need a facial scan.

Don’t fall for fake ETIAS websites

Another European travel requirement, known as ETIAS, is expected to launch later this year, but applications are not yet open.

ABTA is warning travellers not to use unofficial websites claiming to sell ETIAS permits, as they are fake.

The new EES system applies in most EU and Schengen countries, including Spain, France, Italy, Portugal and Greece, among the most popular destinations for passengers travelling from Manchester Airport.

The 2026 event is set to be one of the most culturally diverse in its history, with cross-community participation and a celebration of traditions from across Northern Ireland and beyond

Belfast Fleadh will showcase music and dance from Ulster Scots, South Asian and other cultures, as part of the world’s largest celebration of traditional Irish music, song and dance.

Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann is expected to bring around 800,000 visitors to the city from August 2-9 for the landmark cultural celebration. It is the first time the annual music festival has been held in Belfast and only the second time it has been held in Northern Ireland, after being hosted in Derry in 2013.

The 2026 event is set to be one of the most culturally diverse in its history, with cross-community participation and a celebration of traditions from across Northern Ireland and beyond.

Musicians and dancers from across the world aim to compete in the All-Ireland Fleadh music competition, with hopefuls from Ireland qualifying from county and provincial Fleadhs to earn their place.

As well as solo competitions for instruments such as fiddle, button accordion, uileann pipes, Irish harp and banjo, there are céilí band, grupaí cheoil, and accordion and pipe band competitions with participants from as far afield as the US, Australia, Dubai and Japan.

Traditional music sessions then emerge in pubs, restaurants, hotels and on streets across the city, welcoming musicians of all abilities.

In the centre of Belfast, the Gig Rig at City Hall will host large-scale outdoor performances with headline bands and acts as well as up-and-coming talents.

The opening ceremony of the Fleadh, titled Sharing Traditions, is a specially commissioned showcase designed to bring together Irish traditional music with Dhol drummers, Indian dancers, flute and pipe bands and Highland dancers.

Belfast composer Neil Martin will direct Connections, a multicultural performance on the Gig Rig in partnership with ArtsEkta. Mr Martin, an uilleann piper and cellist, will lead a cast of musicians and dancers in a performance blending Irish music with influences from Africa, South Asia, the Middle East and Latin America.

There will also be an Ulster Bands showcase in the Titanic quarter in recognition of the city’s Unionist and Ulster Scots culture, led by the Belfast Bands Forum.

Visit Belfast chief executive Gerry Lennon said the city is ready and “can’t wait” to welcome hundreds of thousands of visitors.

“As Ireland’s only Unesco City of Music, we’re incredibly proud that Belfast will become the first Unesco City of Music ever to host Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann,” he said.

“That makes this year’s event even more special and underlines Belfast’s growing reputation as a world-class destination for music and culture.

“Belfast is the perfect host city for the Fleadh – compact, walkable and packed with incredible things to see and do.

“This is a city transformed: proud, vibrant and confident, with a well-earned reputation for knowing how to celebrate.

“This is a week-long celebration not to be missed. We’re encouraging everyone to gather family and friends, mark the dates in the diary and start planning now.

“We want visitors to have an unforgettable experience and to come back time and time again because, in answer to the great Van Morrison, it really is like this all the time.”

The Fleadh also features a programme of fringe events featuring dance, visual art, workshops, talks and storytelling.

One such fringe event will be presented by the NI Science Festival, called Neuromusicology, a live performance exploring the connection between the human brain and harp playing.

The MAC theatre will host a week-long Irish language programme, while the Corn Exchange will celebrate Ulster Scots language and cultural traditions.

An official Fleadh campsite for caravans and camping will operate with a dedicated shuttle service connecting visitors to the city centre in under 10 minutes.

A dedicated family campsite will also offer fully serviced facilities with 24-hour security for caravans, campervans and tents, alongside separate parking.

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here

Need to know

Over 1,000 teams will be taking part in this year’s tournament

Everything you need to know for this year’s Foyle Cup parade

• This year’s Foyle Cup will see over 1,000 teams for the first time since it’s inception in 1992. The tournament has grown year-on-year and has become a staple in the Derry calendar. The city becomes buzzing with a sea of colour as youth football takes over our green spaces.
• Hailed now as one of the most important and pivotal football events in the island of Ireland, the new ‘Six Days Festival of Football’ will see teams will travel from the UK, Republic of Ireland, Spain, America and Canada and 2026 will cater for more than 11,500 young soccer players and reach well in excess of over 250,000 spectators.
• One highlight of the Foyle Cup is the parade, which officially kicks off the tournament. Parents and spectators line the streets to cheer on young players.
• Participants can assemble from 9am outside the Martha Magee building, at the Ulster University Derry campus on the Rock Road. Any overflow of participants will be accommodated in the lower car park to join parade via main steps.
• Parade departs campus at 10am via Northland Road, turn left onto Great James street, right turn onto Strand Road, through Waterloo Place and ends in the Guildhall Square. Traffic will be busy on Monday morning as thousands of young people gather with their teammates.
• Free car parking is available at Ulster University Duncreggan Upper car park. Parking is encouraged at this location to ease traffic congestion around campus and is approximately a 5 minute walk to the parade departure point.
• The Main University car park will only be available for disabled parking.
• Mini-bus parking is available at the Foyle Arts car park, accessible at the Rock Road entrance.
• Drivers are recommended to travel via Strand Road, left turn at traffic lights onto the Rock Road followed by left turn into the University car park.

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.

By DAVID WILCOCK, DEPUTY POLITICAL EDITOR

Published: 10:19 BST, 19 July 2026 | Updated: 11:44 BST, 19 July 2026

Ex-prime minister Boris Johnson has questioned whether MPs should have their security ramped up in the wake of the murder of ex-minister Ann Widdecombe. 

The former Conservative leader said the move, championed by Reform since Ms Widdecombe was found dead at her Dartmoor home 10 days ago, would be ‘expensive and pointless’.

Speaking to Sky News Mr Johnson said it would be better to work towards reducing the public anger directed at politicians.

He also praised Chancellor Rachel Reeves for giving as good as she got from a heckler earlier this year. 

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The death of Ms Widdecombe has reignited the debate over the security of politicians, with her Reform allies including Nigel Farage demanding new taxpayer-funded guards.

Two serving MPs, Labour’s Jo Cox and the Conservative David Amess, have been murdered in the course of their work in the past 10 years, and the issue of threats aimed at politicians has grown at the same time. 

Today it was revealed MI5 has suggested vulnerable high-profile figures including politicians should consider creating a safe room in their homes to shelter from attackers.

New guidance issued by the security service’s National Protective Security Authority (NPSA) suggests they consider creating a secure area to evade a ‘potentially violent threat’ when it is not possible to flee.

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But former PM Boris Johnson cautioned against the idea of more security for MPs, telling Sky News’ Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips: ‘It’s probably expensive and pointless to try and raise everybody’s level of security’

The guidance was issued before the murder of former minister Ann Widdecombe at her Devon home 10 days ago

Mr Johnson was asked on Sky News’ Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips whether people are being put off standing for public office due to the danger.

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He replied: ‘I think people are more verbally aggressive with each other than (before). Don’t you feel? 

‘I feel it’s got a bit coarser, a bit rougher. And that might put people off and they might not want their kids shouted at, that sort of thing. Right? 

‘And so what I think about all this is that actually it’s probably expensive and pointless to try and raise everybody’s level of security.

‘But what we could do is dial down the general level of invective.’ 

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He went on the suggest MPs should ‘take it in your stride and fire back’, citing the example of Ms Reeves.

‘I think she’s been an appalling chancellor. But I thought Rachel Reeves was very good at that petrol station when she stood up to someone,’ he said.

The Chancellor was heckled during a TV interview about fuel duty in May by a van driver who shouted that the Government was ‘ruining the country’ and ‘get Keir Starmer out’.

The heckler appeared to be a Reform UK supporter as he shouted: ‘Nigel Farage. Go on Nigel.’

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As he drove his vehicle away, which had two St George’s flags on the roof, he said out of the window: ‘I’ve got British flags on. Am I going to get arrested? We’ve got English flags on here, Rachel, am I going to get arrested?’

But she hit back, saying: ‘I love our country. I love our country, and one of the things about our country is good manners. Not very British.’

The NPSA guidance on safe rooms, released last year and last updated in June, suggests ‘high-risk individuals’ consider creating a ‘safer area’ in their home that is ‘large enough to accommodate those who live with you and be designed to offer as much delay as possible until the emergency services arrive’.

While it could be an existing space like a bathroom, bedroom or storeroom, it should ‘be protected by doors, windows and walls that are resistant against forced entry’.

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Outgoing Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has said more must be done to ‘defend our democracy’, while his incoming successor Andy Burnham has also said a ‘serious review’ is needed into MPs’ security.

 

 

A car was completely burnt out and damage was caused to the front of the house

A woman has escaped injury after an arson attack in the early hours of Sunday.

Detectives are appealing for information following the attack in Armagh. Police say they received a report shortly after 2.30am of a car and a house on fire in the Mullacreevie Green area of the city.

Officers attended the scene, along with colleagues from the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service, who extinguished the fires. A woman who was in the house at the time of the incident was not injured.

A PSNI spokesperson added: “The car was completely burnt out and damage was caused to the front of the house.

“Enquiries are ongoing and detectives would appeal to anyone who saw anything or who has any information, including dash-cam, CCTV or other footage, to contact them on 101, quoting reference number 203 19/07/26.

“Alternatively, you can submit a report online using the non-emergency reporting form via http://www.psni.police.uk/makeareport/ or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at http://crimestoppers-uk.org/.”

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.

Controversial influencer Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan have been arrested in the US after British authorities issued 38 new charges against the pair.

The UK’s Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said Andrew was being charged with seven further counts of rape, as well as charges relating to sex trafficking and indecent images of a child.

Tristan’s charges include two counts of rape and three counts of arranging or facilitating trafficking for sexual exploitation.

The total number of charges against the brothers is now 59, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire police said.

The alleged offending is said to have taken place between July 2010 and August 2017. The Tates have previously denied any wrongdoing.

“These charging decisions followed receipt of a further file of evidence from Bedfordshire Police and bring the total number of alleged victims in this case to seven,” Malcolm McHaffie, Head of the Special Crime Division at the Crown Prosecution Service, said.

Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire police have been investigating a number of offences in what it called a “complex investigation”.

As a result, 38 new charges were authorised against the brothers, meaning there are now a total of 42 charges against Andrew and 17 against Tristan.

The US Marshals confirmed to the BBC that the Tates had been taken into custody, while a US Department of Justice spokesperson said the arrests were “pursuant to extradition proceedings”.

The CPS said in its statement it has requested the extradition of the brothers, who are dual British-US citizens, from the US.

A lawyer who represents the Tates, Joseph McBride, said “the world knows Andrew and Tristan are innocent” in a statement released after their arrest on Saturday evening.

“Their enemies know it best of all. That is exactly why they have been attacked,” McBride continued, describing the new UK charges as a “political hit”.

He said the new charges were designed to counter a defamation action filed by the brothers in the US.

“We are confident that once a competent judge sees the facts, and once the Department of Justice confronts this egregious abuse of its own authority, Andrew and Tristan Tate will walk free. America does not do Britain’s political dirty work,” he continued.

In May 2025, prosecutors confirmed a list of 21 charges Andrew Tate, 39, and Tristan Tate, 37, will eventually face in the UK.

These alleged offences are said to have taken place between 2012 and 2016.

In 2024, Bedfordshire Police secured European arrest warrants for the pair to have them returned from Romania, where they are based and are under criminal investigation.

In June, the brothers lost a legal bid to be told the names of their UK accusers, after the CPS decided it was necessary to withhold the names of their alleged victims until legal action formally started.

The River Swale at the Fosse car park, next to Barrie’s Ices, is now a designated bathing water site.

Following a successful campaign by Save Our Swale, the Environment Agency is regularly testing the water there.

The River Swale at Swimming Pool Beach, Richmond (Image: SAVE OUR SWALE)

The latest Environment Agency results show occasional spikes in E. coli and intestinal enterococci.

However, the site is currently classed as meeting acceptable bathing water standards overall.

The picture is very different at Swimming Pool Beach below the Station car park.

The site is not a designated bathing water location and is not monitored by the Environment Agency.

Save Our Swale has continued to carry out its own testing there, including at Station Bridge and the river bend opposite the beach.

The Save Our Swale warning sign (Image: SAVE OUR SWALE)

Between April and June this year, the group recorded an average E. coli level of 4,500 per 100ml of water.

That is around four-and-a-half times higher than the level considered safe for bathing and could pose a health risk to anyone entering the river.

The group says the results highlight the difference in water quality between the two popular swimming locations and is urging people to be aware of the risks before entering the water.

Anyone choosing to swim is advised to follow World Health Organisation guidance, according to Save Our Swale.

Swimmers should avoid entering the river until at least 48 hours after heavy rainfall, when sewage pollution is more likely to affect water quality.

They should also cover any cuts with waterproof plasters, avoid swallowing river water or getting it in their mouth or nose, and wash thoroughly with soap and clean water after swimming.

Save Our Swale is now working with North Yorkshire Council to install warning signs at Swimming Pool Beach to help inform visitors of the potential health risks.

Set against the curve of the craggy cliffs that punctuate Cornwall’s northern coastline, Polzeath is a glorious sweep of sand that stretches in a golden arc down to the shore.

During the day it’s a surfer’s paradise. Families also love to descend on the Blue Flag beach with their buckets, spades and bodyboards, not leaving until the sun dips or hungry tummies demand.

But when night falls in early July, it’s a very different feel.

For there is a tradition that when private schools close (usually a good two to three weeks before state schools), hordes of well-heeled and very well-spoken teens descend on the exclusive holiday homes that pepper this particular stretch of coastline.

Polzeath transforms from wholesome seaside resort to a hedonistic party venue more typically associated with the 1990s debauchery of Faliraki – the Rhodes hotspot beloved of club 18-30 holidays – than the desirable coves and tranquil fishing villages of Cornwall.

Take photographs of scenes witnessed last week: a vast crowd of young people swarming across the sand, an evening of partying in full flow.

It all came to a rather unfortunate end, however, when the neighbourhood policing team was forced to issue a dispersal order, covering the beach and its surrounding area.

Such orders are more typically associated with major anti-social incidents such as protests and riots, so why on earth would police need to deploy one in sleepy Polzeath?

Police officers patrol Polzeath Beach – the village has also had its own beach ranger since 2019 to cope with the annual gathering of teenagers

It turns out there’s not just the noise – 300 odd teens partying through until 4am makes quite a din – but a litany of other anti-social behaviour: broken glass, litter, vandalism, young men urinating in public and more than one couple disappearing for liaisons that shouldn’t be public and quite possibly, given how young they look, aren’t legal.

When the Daily Mail visited this desirable little resort this week – former Prime Minister David Cameron and TV chef Gordon Ramsay both have homes nearby and Princes William and Harry learned to surf here – the huge crowds had shrunk.

Instead there was a gathering of 30 to 50 teens milling around in groups on the sand. Still, most looked quite clearly younger than 18 and several were clearly the worse for wear.

At around 11.30pm on Tuesday we witnessed a boy and girl – who might just have been 16 – coming out of the ladies’ toilet together. The not remotely abashed couple then hurried back to the sand.

Such behaviour is, sadly, not uncommon.

One frustrated local told the Daily Mail that he has seen children who looked as young as 13 getting paralytically drunk and having intercourse on the beach.

Only last week a teenage couple were caught having full sex on the sand, a mere 10 metres away from the rest of their friend group.

Meanwhile, a police officer reportedly caught two more in the middle of a sex act, ‘round the back of [a] food van’.

As one angry resident observed: ‘They’re all private school kids. This doesn’t happen at any other time of the year. They’re really obnoxious and behave outrageously.’

During our visit we’re directed to a couple who own six holiday lets in the village. Dominic and Zoe do not want to give their surnames, but their observations are revealing.

Only last week one of their properties (rented to apparently responsible adults) was trashed after the younger occupants of the house held a party which got out of hand. A raucous crowd of teens who were not staying in the house had descended at 1.30am.

When Dominic and Zoe visited the three-bedroom beachside property the following day, the parents of the party goers (repeat visitors to the property, who appear to have ignored the polite email reminding them to respect both the property and neighbours) admitted they hadn’t been home at the time. Had they deliberately rented a party house, while choosing to sleep somewhere else themselves? Nobody is sure.

Zoe says: ‘There were broken wine and beer glasses around the house. They had been throwing beer bottles onto the lane and beer poured all down the sides of the walls, inside and out. There were also loads of cigarette butts in the bins.’

The couple have operated holiday-only rental properties in the village since 2008 and, says Dominic, it’s early July when the tone of the resort changes.

‘The first two weeks of July when private schools break up, they all coordinate to come down together. Large groups of youngsters from the same schools gather on the beach and their parents don’t really know where they are. It doesn’t seem to matter.

‘The last three years it’s been building, the places have been left in a terrible state.

‘The first year it was so bad we had to second other people in to help clean. It took 12 to 13 hours just to clean a small house.

‘It’s only this fortnight. The minute the other families come down on holidays it’s very nice, everybody’s friendly and the houses don’t take such a beating.

‘Polzeath and Rock seems to have the most trouble in Cornwall so they should provide more police for these two weeks.

The neighbourhood policing team was recently forced to issue a dispersal order, covering the beach and its surrounding area

Average house prices in the area regularly hover around the £1million mark and locals often find themselves priced out of the market by second homeowners

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‘I know the police used to write to the private schools asking them to warn children about their behaviour.’

Down on the beach an even more colourful picture is drawn by another local, a father who has watched ever more dramatic scenes unfold.

‘Police officers patrolling in the village last week were called “f****** pigs” by a group of boys. It can get quite threatening when there are 50 or so lads advancing. It feels like they just aren’t used to being told what to do.

‘The kids have mostly come down in friend groups. Their parents put down credit cards to rent them luxury holiday homes. I heard of one house that was rented out to teenagers for £8,000 a week last year and was trashed – the owners decided not to rent it out for these two weeks this year.’

Since 2019, the village has had its own beach ranger to cope with the annual teenage bacchanal, first funded by the council and now by a community interest company.

The issue of night-time partying grew during the pandemic – when everyone was encouraged to socialise outside – and has continued to expand.

In 2022, the beach rangers had to launch night patrols after partying got out of control and that year police had to impose a two-day 10pm curfew. There were broken prosecco bottles littering the sand; beach bonfires fuelled with benches, fences and shed doors stolen from local properties, then left to smoulder until morning; and emergency life-saving equipment vandalised.

A year later, villagers upped the ante; CCTV was installed to watch the beach, along with rechargeable floodlights, which illuminate this year’s antics.

The current ranger is Andy Stewart, a police officer for 30 years, who on Tuesday was joined by police.

At midnight, the Daily Mail witnessed them gently evict those gathered from the sand before any more alcohol was consumed.

Most left on foot, but as is typical of these gatherings there were a handful of cars – a smart Audi and several Land Rovers – driven by smartly dressed parents, pulling up to collect their offspring.

Six youngsters piled into the back of a black BMW SUV that was quite clearly not designed to safely hold that many passengers, before the middle-aged couple in the front drove off.

Meanwhile, a group of half a dozen boys, looking slightly the worse for wear, loudly sang the ‘10 German Bombers’ football chant in their crisp Home Counties accents as they weaved their way home.

Homes are a particularly thorny question around these parts.

Average house prices in the area regularly hover around the £1million mark and, as with many parts of the county, locals often find themselves priced out of the market by second homeowners.

In St Minver Highlands, the parish in which Polzeath sits, nearly 30 per cent of properties are second homes, while in neighbouring St Minver Lowlands (where the even more exclusive village of Rock sits) 36 per cent of properties are in the hands of second homeowners.

And if parents don’t want to put up with their noisy offspring on their early summer break, they can always pack them off to a nearby holiday let, preserving their own peace and quiet.

But at what cost?

A litany of incidents was described to us on our visit.

Police, we were told, have been taking alcohol away from under-age children, only for the youngsters to stash fresh supplies in the public toilets so they can retrieve it, a couple of cans at a time.

Police say last week’s 48-hour dispersal order was an ‘unusual step’ and that it was the ‘behaviour of a few’ that was detrimental to the wider community

Rubbish left on Polzeath beach. Cleaner Katherine Perkins, who lives in Polzeath, says: ‘The amount of rubbish gets really bad. We end up picking up after them. It’s really frustrating’

We were told of one 13-year-old boy who was discovered on the beach completely incapacitated by booze. When police called his parents, they too were under the influence, so couldn’t drive to collect him.

Another mother asked police to return the £30 bottle of wine they confiscated from her 15-year-old child.

Last year, a girl nearly drowned when she passed out on the shoreline alone. She had to be dragged to safety, with her rescuer using her thumb to unlock her phone so he could ring her parents.

Bar worker Anna Foster, 21, from nearby Wadebridge is young enough to know how much fun it is to let your hair down at the end of term, but says: ‘I feel like the behaviour has been getting worse for the last few years.

‘You see 18-year-old kids racing up and down the road in huge Range Rovers forcing everybody else out of their way.

‘When we open in the morning the first job we have to do is clear up all the smashed glass bottles on the terrace from the night before.

‘Locals can tell who they are from a mile off, what they’re wearing, how they speak. I overheard a conversation between father and son about whether he would go to Eton and whether it was still good enough. How mad is that?

‘We’ve seen lots of treating all their friends to meals and drinks on Daddy’s credit card, but you just get desensitised after a while.

‘We’ve had to confiscate quite a few fake IDs, and the parents will come down and ask for them back.

‘In previous years we would go out to Surfside [the village’s ever popular beach bar] after work but this year as soon as we close we get out of here.’

Only last week the owner of Surfside, Guy Taylor, revealed he spends more than £17,000 on extra security at his beach bar during the first two weeks of July.

It’s all a familiar story to another young woman, a shop assistant, who gives a wry smile when we ask about the July frenzy and says: ‘The way they behave is just so selfish.

‘The other day when we opened the whole street was just covered with shattered glass.

‘They have thrown barriers and debris off the cliff, but as soon as the police show up their parents all drive down and pick them up, so they don’t get into any trouble.’

Cleaner Katherine Perkins, who lives in Polzeath and has to tidy up homes when the occupants depart, adds: ‘The amount of rubbish gets really bad. We end up picking up after them. It’s really frustrating. They don’t have any respect for the local people.’

But for all those who despair when the rich kids arrive, it is incredibly lucrative.

One businessman told the Daily Mail that he estimates the first two weeks of July alone pump an estimated £1million into the local economy.

As for police, they say last week’s 48-hour dispersal order was an ‘unusual step’ and that it was the ‘behaviour of a few’ that was detrimental to the wider community.

Inspector Adam Stonehill told the Daily Mail: ‘We’re pleased to report that there’s been a significant reduction in antisocial behaviour in Polzeath as a result of our response, including the introduction of the dispersal order, foot patrols and engagement with young people.

‘We will continue to take a proactive approach across summer, with officers maintaining a visible presence in the town, engaging with visitors and residents, removing alcohol from any underage drinkers and responding robustly to incidents reported to us.

‘Polzeath remains a safe, vibrant and welcoming destination, and we look forward to welcoming visitors over the coming weeks and months.’

Nobody wants to be a killjoy, but the residents of Polzeath are also quite looking forward to the coming weeks, when ice creams and pasties replace drunken antics behind the local coffee van.

In the wake of growing national interest in the approach, York and North Yorkshire’s business community gathered earlier this month to discuss what meaningful, place-based growth looks like and why the region is well-placed to lead the conversation.

The Meaningful Business Network’s third annual conference, held at York’s Priory Street Centre, brought together senior representatives from Siemens Energy, PwC, Aviva, and the University of York, alongside SMEs, social enterprises, and local authorities.

Katie Wytwyckyj, programme manager for the Meaningful Business Network, said: “Today shows what happens when a region commits to working differently.

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“York and North Yorkshire has the ideas, the ambition and the shared purpose to lead the place-based growth agenda and meaningful partnerships can turn that agenda into real impact.

“The energy in this network is real and it’s exactly what will drive change that benefits everyone who lives and works here.”

Robin Sundaram, a sustainability and community impact adviser, reinforced the need for joint working rooted in local priorities.

He described place-based collaboration as now central to economic resilience, and pointed to local procurement as one of the most effective ways to strengthen supply chains and keep value circulating within the community.

Paddy Schmidt of PwC shared findings from the consultancy’s Good Growth for Cities report 2025, which ranked York first in the UK for performance on jobs, youth and adult skills, income distribution, health and high streets.

Siemens Energy representative Chris Mackinnon offered a real-world example of place-focused growth.

The conference took place in York recently (Image: Pic supplied)

He highlighted Hull’s transformation through offshore wind and said that success depended not just on investment, but on long-term collaboration with suppliers, colleges, the council, and the wider community, underpinned by clear and consistent policy.

Professor Kiran Trehan, pro vice-chancellor for partnerships and engagement at the University of York, said: “Our job is to be more than just voices, it’s to ensure that the people in this room are around the tables where decisions are being made now.

“Change happens when we work as a collective and create that movement for change.

“There’s only one way to do business and that’s the right way, the responsible way.”

Rob Wolfe, managing director of Chy Consultancy, spoke about the power of procurement and social value in shaping stronger communities.

He emphasised that businesses of all sizes have an important role in creating meaningful places.

The Meaningful Business Network, a partnership between Enterprise Works and the University of York’s School for Business and Society, supports organisations across York and North Yorkshire with events, workshops, and practical resources to embed social value into everyday business decisions.

More information is available at https://www.york.ac.uk/enterprise-works/meaningful-business-network/