Rough Pubs and Homelessness: Seaside Broken Britain 🇬🇧

The great British seaside. It has a fascinating allure for me. Once grand seaside towns can be found all around the UK. Their appeal is fading and their reality is changing. Fading appeal is never far from the seafront. Crumbling architecture and broken dreams showcase a once prosperous tourism industry decimated by cheap package holidays abroad, social change and a cost of living crisis. I exploring these places endlessly fascinating. It epitomises broken Britain.
I am joined by @BackpackerBen as we walk the seafront and streets of Torquay in Devon. We compare the marina with the rough back streets and meet the locals. We discuss the homeless and social problems of Torquay and discover a strangely comforting sense of community in the town's supposedly roughest pub.
#reallife #britain #uk #england #torquay #homeless #poverty #pubs #costoflivingcrisis #streetinterview
Davidoff's hip hop KZbin channel / @tooblesstv5021
Backpacker Ben channel / @backpackerben
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[@WendallExplores]

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[@binkyboobosh1]

I can't remember the UK ever being as rough, divided, angry and falling to bits as these days. Even after the war, people had hope and enthusiasm to make the place better. It seems that everyone is trying to find some one to blame..

[@edwardcatt2399]

So there’s no one to blame and it’s all just a natural state of affairs? 🤷‍♂️

[@pressuredrop6173]

It's all been set up that way. The EU vote was designed to divide and conquer. Now that they have division the next step is to crush the people and they are doing a really good job.

[@sarangistudent8614]

@@edwardcatt2399blame alcohol addiction, absolutely ruined this country and it’s people.

[@scooby1992]

@@sarangistudent8614 and drug addiction

[@hughneek12]

It's tough watching your country falling to bits and not be in a permanent state of anger.

[@jaydee6440]

English society, culture, towns and infrastructure are crumbling

[@hughneek12]

Useless, corrupt, brown envelope grabbing conmen for politicians - and it shows......😢

[@Gtfallofyer]

I used to love my country. Now all I can think about is taking my family as far away from this place as possible. I hate seeing what not just this government but all the thieving politicians have let happen to families , culture & lifestyles. All in pursuit of filling their pockets.

[@blackbob3358]

We're all dooooomed then, 6440 face ? Squalor has existed since the "evolution " of the species. I've still got webbed feet, our kid ! Give it a rest, or just beat it to some other shit'ole if ya do'nt like it. Easy, really.

[@DaleNorthEast]

It's because all of our traditions have slowly been smashed.

[@jadebibby5955]

The United Kingdom of Kent

[@woodyspooner]

It's not just in Torquay that has a homeless population. In Brighton, homeless people are in tents living on the beach, and some of them are openly injecting themselves. What a wonderful country we are living in.

[@Scooot1972]

Tory Britain 🇬🇧

[@nightowl7459]

​@@Scooot1972Blame the Cons when it's happening in many Liebour councils, very similar to Scotland that isn't run by the Cons but is run by the SNP.

[@Scooot1972]

@nightowl7459 but they get their funding from central gvnt. That's why places like Summerset get more funding than Birmingham even though it's not as populated.

[@nightowl7459]

@@Scooot1972 And they waste their fundings on silly things like unnecessary over paid diversity managers, rainbow "paint" and silly rainbow flags, that's why a Liebour council has bankrupt Birmingham, I'm sure this these cities and towns get what they need, unfortunately the councils chose to waste it, but no doubt they will continue to waste it and then blame Westminster, just as the Scottish Numpty Party has done for the last five years.

[@davidwhelan1545]

And Hastings.

[@lusty444]

Sports Direct:The tailor of choice of the Eastern European car washer!😃

[@edmundblackaddercoc8522]

And nonces

[@bravenewworld5824]

And local home grown chav

[@djrudog1158]

And the far right like Tommy robbinson...

[@Speysider1962]

This is a recurring theme throughout the UK.

[@2msvalkyrie529]

Budget airlines flights at record levels : Premier League football matches sold out : Expensive concerts and Festivals all sold out etc..etc......?? Try to get out more ? Instead of reading the Guardian.??

[@djrudog1158]

Yes...brexit has ruined this once great patrio country

[@patricequinn7733]

The lack of trees and greenery in these towns (aside from patches of grass) is overwhelming.

[@dast3971]

There is not too many trees in the UK in general unfortunately

[@MS-db2qi]

I'm from Poland. I like your content. I work in UK few months per year in different towns and I can see 2 good things in this country. They're still strong currency and clean air in towns. Bad things are public services(Police, healthcare), infrastructure(0ld buildings, roads closed at nights, temporary lights everywhere I go), visible poverty(Whole hoods or even towns can look like slam, not only one street, homeless sleeping on pavements), drugs, thieves, knife crimes... I can't understand why UK does not solve it.

[@ericshaun6078]

It's meant to be this way. Think about it, you could just as easily make a video about the record numbers of new millionaires and billionaires, never had it better. Those big gov contracts.....Nobody cares about those outside their own sphere. What do you think they meant by "build back better"? It means they need to smash it first.

[@fit4taskfit4task49]

Polska..🇵🇱👍

[@MatthewChapmanYT]

Currency is strong but the cost of everything is much higher. I live in Spain, much better out here than in the Uk. 😊

[@TriviaChallenge]

The Conservatives made it this way. They have no interests in fixeing life for everyday people, only the rich.

[@stephenwilliams1824]

We are digging our own graves.

[@AnonAnonAnon]

It was in the 80s I was last in Torquay. The British Riviera it was called back then. Very posh, very affluent, fantastic place for a holiday back then.

[@tenniskinsella7768]

Well I'm sure it's not as bad as some people make put but I haven't been there for years I never particularly liked torquay or Paignton better aces in Devon

[@pressuredrop6173]

@@jimmagspanton669 Welcome to the Brexshit sir.

[@Ken_oh545]

A very posh girlfriend of mine, years ago, family in Debrett's and all that, always talking about lineage and family to the point of tedium, her parents raved about Torquay - so it certainly was the place to which what they referred to as 'people like us' used to take the sea air.

[@zetametallic]

1986. Visited the swimming pool as a 10 year old. Seemed really nice on the seafront.

[@francais197]

The English Riviera,, no British........

[@craigward5111]

Traveled down to Bournemouth at the weekend from North Yorkshire exactly as you described Torquay. This country is heading to hell in a trolley!!!

[@peterharris38]

I lived, grew up in Bournemouth and it was a beautiful place, I moved to Australia and have visited the U.K. several times, the decline of infrastructure, culture, friendliness is disappearing. Very ssad.

[@criticalmass3829]

i was born and bred in Torquay. I'm 55 now and spent my youth drinking in the many many bars, pubs and nightclubs that adorned the town. Bars like the mousetrap, EJ's, merry Monk, the piazza and more that are now all sadly boarded up. It used to be a wonderful place to be young. I visited recently and was shocked by the state of the town, empty units everywhere and even the arcades had completely gone downhill. The Pavillion mentioned here used to be a huge ice skating rink that we all attended as kids and met girls and spent time with friends. The top part became a bar called The boulevard that overlooked the beautiful harbor at night. Such a shame the way it's gone.

[@1414141x]

Young people don't seem to spend time in pubs and nightclubs as much as they used to. Maybe there are quite a few reasons for this but I imagine the biggest cause is money. Also, I don't think people are as social as they used to be as everything now points to electronic social activity, or no activity to socialise. Actually meeting up in person is far less common. Perhaps games are also to blame. It is just another major change. Don't forget that discotheques and the old dance halls where only another fad , that morphed over time. It's much the same as retail. That lasted about 150 years of so in different forms. It is now a thing of the past.

[@paulcampbell1596]

@@1414141x life was much more sociable back in the day growing up in England in the 1980s we would ride our bikes all over and meet kids from other towns all evening long, hit the games arcades flirt with the girls , so much more activity, i went to Japan recently and was depressed by all the young folks had their heads buried in their dumb phones not daring to look away, like a dystopian sci fi movie...the glory days are over i'm afraid.......lol

[@phil.f.9930]

@1414141x Yes the individual man on the street has lost his chance of owning any retail business. The fat cats own it all. .

[@RB-jq6gh]

The churches are empty & the Jails are full..that represents a functionable system 🤷

[@BrettLavish]

We visited Torquay a couple of years ago when we were looking to re-locate from Bath, we ruled it out because it just felt so depressing once you ventured off of the seafront. We even had a couple of pints in The Castle, not knowing its reputation at the time, we thought it was a bit rough with some very odd characters, now we know why!!

[@nealt992]

Torquay isn't very nice now, and such a shame too. Don't be put off the area though there are some beautiful towns away from Torquay that I'd happily live in. Not Torquay though!

[@bobsmith3291]

That’s just southerners for you haha

[@majordolbyscat]

@@nealt992 Totnes, but nobody in Torbay is likely able to afford to move there. Dartmouth and Salcombe likewise.

[@Tismeabbie]

Absolutely not totnes. Loathed living there

[@nealt992]

​@@TismeabbieI actually like Newton Abbot or Teignmouth myself. Apart from day trips that's the only times I've visited Totnes

[@jimlepeu577]

What you called a ‘70s tower block was not. It was a multi-stack car park.

[@redhedkev1]

I thought it looked like a parking area too. Duh

[@juliansmith3611]

North Devon, full of beautiful beaches and sea side towns - Torquay, Paignton and the rest of South Devon is also beautiful. Addiction, Homelessness, and under investment is every where! Sign of the times in a difficult Britain.

[@nealt992]

South Devon has some stunning places, just not Torquay

[@azillliasmith2734]

@@nealt992totally Agee ❤️🌸🌺

[@freddythefrog70]

Homelessness is only for the indigenous, if you're from Somalia, Eritrea, Romania & Nigeria etc you'll be looked after rather well in many 4/5 star hotel establishments around every corner of our once un-invaded shores. Where there were once a thriving holiday businesses, shops, pubs & eateries that catered for the holidaymakers that are now having to close because all of the economic migrants are being housed in our seaside hotels. At a cost of £10 million per day to the British tax payer. No money for the nhs, schools, pensions but they find it for the foreign army straight away????

[@AshOwnz9]

@freddythefrog70 are you Russian troll or just braindead? This is Torquay, everyone is white.

[@anthonylawrence295]

Spending millions a day on hotels for illegals..And our towns crumble

[@richarddinning6901]

About 4 minutes into this vlog was Duncan Campbell making grass baskets that broke my heart he's homeless. Thanks boys great content.

[@MeadowDay]

I wish someone somewhere could help to find him somewhere to stay, winter in the woods sounds medieval.

[@alangood8190]

The locals should club together and buy a second hand boat and outboard out the marina, the worse the condition the cheaper, it doesn't matter so long as it can float for a couple of hours, pack it with the town's homeless people then tow them out mid English Channel and let the RNLI taxi service pick them up so they can be taken ashore and whisked off away from the gaze of the cameras to four star hotels and put up indefinitely at the tax payers' expense. Problem sorted. Oh, and tell them to speak in broken English and if the questions start getting a bit tricky tell them to say 'Me no speak English. Sorry'. The reality of todays' Britain.

[@MaxMax-th7uz]

Wishful thinking !

[@matlockmeat]

Can we go one further do the opposite to what's happening with the illegals. How about we ship our undesirables to France. Push them out on dodgy dhingys in to the English channel and get the French border force to taxi them in to France. Once their they can then live in the Calais jungle.

[@Mounhas]

You are a Daily Mail reader, you vote Tory or ukip or some other right wing bunch, and what little mind you have you let it be manipulated by others. It’s a scam to make you angry about those worse off than you.

[@Albert_O_Balsam]

Yep, the decline of Britain is definitely due to a handful of people arriving in small boats, well played Alan, you massive racist.

[@malcolmwright576]

I’ve lived in Torbay for the last 27 years and the video is a pretty fair assessment of the bay as it is now. It has a problem of being a tourist town and therefore having to promote itself as a place to visit, and so doesn’t want to be too negative about everything. That said, it has its fair share of people who aren’t rich enough to buy a boat to keep in the marina, just as there are everywhere these days. It’s a real shame that things aren’t as good as they used to be, but I still love this area, which is why I’ve written a fair few blogs about it, and I do honestly believe that it still has a lot to offer. The social problems are, by and large, outside of any local town’s control. Some holiday towns are faring worse than Torbay, and I really hope they get the help they need. British resorts give access to the wonderful British coastline, and the sooner it gets a serious injection of money from central government the better - and don’t tell me that some of the other issues are more worthy of help than what we all need here.

[@johnwright9372]

Don't count on central government injecting any money. It has its head in the sand.

[@PrinceJohn84]

Halcyon days.

[@azillliasmith2734]

Yes agree the coastline and country side around Britain is wonderful.....let's hope keir doesn't get his paws on it so his rich mates can build lots of houses 😬

[@joedennehy386]

Why on earth should the government inject funds into this town?

[@marcusmaher-triskellionfil5158]

Torquay's economy every Summer for 45 years was reliant on foreign language schools (I was teacher there for 10 years) Brexit has effectively put an end to that industry and the rest of the south coast. It brought in 7.2 million a year to the Torbay region alone, now...

[@youtube_user4422]

I’m from Torquay and the decline of the town over the last 15 years is staggering. It’s almost unrecognisable now. The coastal parts are still beautiful and you can’t take that away, but venture into the town centre and it’s truly horrifying now 2 years ago a friend and I walked from the top of town to the bottom and counted 32 empty shops. I did the same walk a few weeks ago and there are now just shy of 60 empty shops! Such a shame to see what’s happened to Torquay

[@MeadowDay]

The guy weaving on the streets, seemed such a lovely guy and he’s living in the woods!… The British government have a lot to answer for when Brits like this guy are homeless. Will it ever change for the better after such a world invasion 😰

[@alfsmith4936]

Would you rent him a flat?

[@fitnessisgood4u]

I think his point, was that Brits are homeless, and our "visitors" get a roof over their head, food, etc. Like it or not, it's the norm now. Very sad.

[@happyn7817]

The homeless were here long before asylum seekers. Government didn’t house them then, now people blame homelessness on asylum seekers.

[@angryanne]

Scary, I think it’s the same everywhere, erosion of social security, high cost of basics like food and shelter People fall through the cracks and have no real way to climb out.

[@pilgrim.5630]

Back in the 80's I travelled down there to find work ( any work ) took the bike down on the train and spent two weeks cycling around, all I got was " F**k off you northern bastard " I got that where ever I went. Got the same in Glastonbury, must be a southern thing.

[@phil.f.9930]

All Going down hill. .uk lost more than it gained when. It lost its manufacturing weathy income.

[@Kez81]

Im 42 and have lived in Torquay my whole life. I have nothing but wonderful memories of my youth in Torquay, my years of partying in that very town centre and the castle pub beinga great drinking spot. The homeless issues were almost unknown to me, i have very few memories of ever seeing homeless people or any drug users. Of course it was present but nothing compared to now. I t's been real sad watching the place you know and love decline. I think for most people in Torquay, we just wear our blinkers and get on with our lives because unfortunately we have very little power or say in what needs to be done to not only make Torquay great again but to help all the unfortunate sole on the streets. It's very sad.

[@basylpeterjones]

Resorts haven't declined, in seaside tourism. A few have but that's due to issues specific to them.

[@DH-zp7bc]

The biggest con is how expensive it is to live in Torbay.

[@njpringle]

There is a building similar to the 'Pavillion' in Whitley Bay, NE England, near the beach, that was part of a fun park called Spanish city, that had been open since the early 1900s. It was closed for about 20 years, and was becoming derelict, but in 2018 it opened after being fully restored, and now it is an events place for weddings, Christmas parties, conferences etc. A good template for Torquay, as that building is in a great location

[@G4RY1159]

I still have a few black & white photos of me in Spanish City sitting on a rocket ride with my Grandad, the photos are from 1973 when I was 4 We had family in Newcastle so travelled down from Glasgow for a few Holidays, good honest times back then, I still miss my old Grandad, he passed away when I was 9

[@njpringle]

@@G4RY1159 Back then Whitley Bay was where lots of people from Scotland went for their holidays. i think it was known as 'Scottish fortnight' when the factories etc would all close for the last week of July, first week of August, and Whitley Bay was a lot closer than a lot of other seaside resorts further south.

[@G4RY1159]

@@njpringle Yeh you get Glasgow fair fortnight and Ayrshire fair fortnight. I was working in Whitley Bay back in 1999 - been a few times before that for the odd weekend. The 2nd I read someone mention Spanish City I instantly think of the photos that were took in the Rocket with my Grandad.

[@scottmay7862]

Spanish City....Dire Straits ❤

[@SensibleMoniker]

Whitley Bay is enjoying a renaissance due to the much needed investment around the promenade area. It is a great place to visit now

[@mkdons22]

The English Riveira isn't perfect but let me just say its a lot better place to live than down in Cornwall and the locals are a lot friendlier as well, awesome place you just got to avoid the dodgy areas but it's flippin gorgeous otherwise

[@markseeley8476]

Couldn't agree more. Lived in Cornwall for 5 years Never met so many mean spirited ignorant folk in my entire life. Most of the good souls I met were from somewhere else, including Devon

[@baynesstreetblues]

Torbay was where I grew up in the 1960s-70s; it was my home for 20 years. Hundreds of thousands of visitors from northern towns in England, and English Language students from Europe, visited every summer. The attractions were the fresh sea air, clean beaches, the pristine gardens and bustling shops. It was genuinely a lovely place to live. Then I ‘escaped’ South Devon to work around the world and settled in Australia. The best move I ever made. I go back to Torbay every 2 years to see my Mum and old friends. It kills me to see the three towns deteriorate, almost beyond recognition. I am not sure where the blame lives for the massive loss of civic pride (an essential but old fashioned concept that was alive and well 50 years ago). The Conservative Torbay Council cutting down 40 seafront palm trees is symbolic of Torquay’s demise. It’s an irritating absurdity. Ditto the unrepaired, pockmarked seafront green in Paignton. Regeneration is possible, but now access to EU funds to improve blighted socially deprived areas in the UK and Europe has been cut off, post Brexit. 😢😢😢

[@lyndaslocs]

The pirate seems to be enjoying himself well enough!

[@SarahMcConnell277]

Torquay is a renowned British seaside town with its rough parts like every town. The more videos that go up like this on you tube the more it’s going to discourage tourists and this is no help to businesses

[@roystoncropper7458]

I must agree, it it most uncouth to suggest tourists should not visit.

[@step4798]

"I find that councils look after the areas that the tourists come to are a priority" sooo true, well said @Wendall.

[@paulwoolgar5384]

I now live in west Cornwall but lived in a lovely village just outside of Torquay up until two years ago. Although Factory Row and the top end of town were always rough when while I lived up that way, things definitely seem to have got worse in the last couple of years. I used to work in a Estate Agents about 20 yards up the hill from Factory Row and the stuff I'd see on a daily basis was pretty awful. The decline of Torquay, or at least the centre of Torquay, has been sad to watch. To be fair, there are some lovely areas, too, but the town centre needs A LOT of help. Having said all that, it's nice to see that The Castle seems much improved. It was very much a place where everyone who'd been banned from all the other Torquay pubs went to drink and there were always some pretty shady characters hanging around. It looks much improved, so well done to the new management.

[@WendallExplores]

Good solid boozer now

[@mkdons22]

Do you prefer west cornwall or torbay ? I also moved from a nice village outside paignton to west Cornwall also 2 years ago and really miss torbay personally and I'm trying to move back

[@paulwoolgar5384]

@@mkdons22, obviously everyone's circumstances are different, but although we definitely miss Torbay (technically, we were in the South Hams, but only by a couple of hundred yards), we realised after about the third time we went back to Torbay to spend time with friends, that it wasn't really the place we missed, it was the familiarity we missed. When you've lived somewhere for a few years, it's very comfortable and familiar, and it feels like home. It takes a while for a new town or area to have that same familiarity, that's all.

[@kenbrown5449]

The Feared Pirate Captain Blackheart was PERFECT!!!

[@youtube_user4422]

I had an office over looking factory row up until about a year ago. I was there for 2 years and in that time I saw two stabbings a couple of months apart and maybe 5 serious fights, one of which included about 15 people. There was at least 1-2 small fights a week in that area outside the pub I’ve seen someone get glassed in the middle of the road and then getting a kick in whilst they were down I’ve driven past people who are passed out on the payment in the middle of the day, countless times. And this isn’t the roughest pub in torquay, not even close. You need to venture up the hills out of town to find the really rough pubs

[@WendallExplores]

It seems like we caught it on a peaceful day!

[@kennymcevoy8672]

One thing i did notice NO LITTER.

[@chrislambert505]

So not much has changed since the 80’s and 90’s then! Ok stabbings weren’t so prevalent perhaps but still occured

[@adrianlane4256]

Had 2 holidays there in the early 80’s, and it was great. I assumed that it was still a good place for a nice holiday, so sad to see what has happened as it should have remained on par with a Rivera type holiday as it aspired to be.

[@geoffallibone4026]

It's not as bas as Wendall is making out. KZbin promotes negative videos because they get more of a reaction which means Google can sell more advertising. This is the reason Wendall is seeking out things to be critical of: To make himself and Google money. 🤔

[@tkilla1202]

It's funny man, having lived in the "developing" world for the last few decades, the places you describe as "rough" look veritably posh and advanced from here 😂 Appreciate what you've got, and living in England is one of the best hands to be dealt, you just have to wake up and smell the coffee. Big up all crew 👍

[@HeWhoDaresEhDel]

You clearly don't understand the human condition, people need things to do they need work, productive work 99 percent of people in developing countries have access to lucrative industry same is not said for these people

[@HeWhoDaresEhDel]

How about appreciating it is what you have !

[@m.p.7075]

Just because other places are worse doesn't change the fact that England is deteriorating at a shocking rate.

[@tkilla1202]

@@m.p.7075 You're not at all wrong mate, but at the same time, surely one of the key points that might fix this is people appreciate what they've got? 🤔

[@racingrooster4642]

All by Design ,Part of the Plan.This has been in the making for many years .To build back better first you have to destroy the old.Oh No that was a conspiracy theory wasn't it 😊😊

[@thewaverleyboys]

Its the same here in portsmouth, The towns shops are shut and homeless people everywhere. The council and goverment aint bothored, Too busy with helping others out should i say. My sister and her husband have always working and never claimed nothing from goverment but they fell on hard times and lost there home, Went to council and got no help at all, They ended up living in a tent then offered a hostel each.

[@billyboy733]

Why would a grown man do that to his earlobes?

[@redhedkev1]

"The larger the gauge, the lower the wage." Kinda like facial tattoos. "It's not my fault I don't have a well-paying job. No one will hire me." Mission accomplished, mate, you have an excuse now.

[@markwardel6751]

None of this looked that bad at all...if you were shocked by this don't come to London!! Lol ...Nice video and those fish and chips looked amazing ...i'm tempted to visit!

[@WendallExplores]

I’ll be in London soon 👍

[@markwardel6751]

excellent...look forward to the video@@WendallExplores

[@nickoutram6939]

When you come to London you should do a 'compare and contrast' type video. May I suggest Barnes and Hackney... @@WendallExplores

[@Tismeabbie]

@@WendallExploresused to live In lewisham. That and crackford (catford) are really rough areas

[@ColonelForkEyes]

to be fair one of the things that is shocking to people, especially those that know the area well is how quickly the area has gone from being clean, safe and well-run to ... well, the opposite. Yeah there are arguably far worse coastal towns along the south coast, norfolk etc but they hit a low point a fair while ago then have basically stabilised and stayed the same. Torbay seems to have had an influx of chaotic people from elsewhere in the country in recent years, the county lines phenomenon hasn't helped either.

[@mariaguerrero913]

I love the video. Thank very much Wendall

[@WendallExplores]

Yamas 🤣

[@MissRoseLily]

Some very interesting people, thanks for showing us your travels ❤

[@weefish12]

Broken seaside England

[@lusty444]

The Castle Pub. The Bouncer’s throw you IN!

[@WendallExplores]

Great boozer! 🤣

[@frglee]

Property prices are still through the roof in these towns, so there is money somewhere. I reckon it's less that these towns are wholly depressed and poverty stricken, it just that there are increasingly huge and divisive differences between rich and poor in towns like Torquay. Private affluence for some, destitution for others in an environment of municipal squalour hardly makes for a happy society.

[@ColonelForkEyes]

it's also worth bearing in mind that some of the more expensive properties belong either to second-homers, and the high-end mansions are owned by people who are incredibly wealthy but don't spend much of their money in the area. Generally speaking Devon is a very expensive area to live, but the average worker's wages are very low, often not much more than National Minimum wage. So you get a sort of an odd disconnect. If you go out round the shops, pubs, bars etc you will meet almost entirely working class people, and not the people that own or live in the high-end places. Quite where they go to entertain themselves, I'm not sure. It's quite similar in Exeter. On paper average wages are high, but in practise it's because the fairly small percentage of very high earners push the overall average up to make it seem like the area is more affluent, but again, a fairly large majority of earners are making do with NMW, or if they're lucky, Living Wage. The biggest employment sectors are hospitality, retail and social care.

[@peterstaples1]

When l was a kid (1960's), we used to go on holiday to Skegness or Yarmouth. Then my dad got a new job and we started going to Torquay. It was really posh.

[@retiredpainter259]

Not really into hip hop stuff ,, BUT I have to say that young man was excellent at it

[@TravellingTorunn]

Great to get some insights from places I have only heard about. I remember Torquay as the town of the series "Faulty Towers" and that a lot of young people from Norway used to travel there in the summers to attend summer language school. 😊👍🏻

[@WendallExplores]

Thank you for watching the real seaside Britain Torunn. This is the real UK how most live.

[@TravellingTorunn]

​@@WendallExplores as long as I visit several places in the UK at least once a year, I should learn a bit more than what everyone can see in Oxford street and Notting Hill for a long shopping weekend 🙂

[@tenniskinsella7768]

Every bloody place has its bad parts In every country

[@Ken_oh545]

Fawlty (named after the owner)

[@TravellingTorunn]

@@Ken_oh545 thank you. I should have remembered 😁

[@Glen-ft8ch]

UK tourism suffering due to unchecked massive immigration.

[@scottscott232]

Too Bless TV is a seriously smart guy. i can see where his Hip Hop inspiration comes from - He was talking wise when he spoke about the pub's history, the homeless, and the current state of the pub. That pub is lucky, man, to have him.

[@ColonelForkEyes]

yeah, he seems like a real one.

[@brentwestbrook]

I live at the top end of Torquay and it is quiet and neighbourly. I've lived in many places. Nowhere escapes levels of affluence and poverty. Be it larger cities and towns, there are always distinct areas.

[@davesmith4804]

That fish looked nice 🙂

[@waynesmith4612]

Its about the only thing that did........

[@sunnydays9403]

Will you ever pay me back 😔

[@southerner4566]

Its been a long time since I last visited Torquay , I didn't realize how bad it had got, The same could probably be said about most UK costal towns .

[@geoffallibone4026]

Or any town

[@km-gi4lw]

Most notable thing for us was the faded white lines on the Torquay roads and streets (2016) Had the best espresso in the UK in a small Cafe there . Thanks Wendall more education for us .

[@KatieBlue16]

I was a Bluecoat in Pontins Wall Park, Brixham, 22 years ago (I'm now 42), and on our days off, we used to love going to Torquay and Paignton . It was beautiful 😍. Shame to see it the way it is now. Such is life unfortunately, everywhere is going downhill 😢

[@heatherwhittaker6169]

I love Britain so much 😢..I pray 🙏 thingy will be right again.

[@user-ty5ys2zz8d]

It's true the council look after the front but anywhere behind it is awful. Blackpool is a prime example.

[@thathurt]

I used to visit Torquay sometimes as it had cheaper hotels for a little break. But last time was my final trip. Felt rougher than ever and less safe. Always been problems with alcohol and drugs but its worse now. The council are running things down and asset stripping which my local council did years ago. I would stay in Teignmouth or Shaldon instead which are safer and under a different council in south Devon coastal area. The south hams area is lovely too but more expensive.

[@garywright4233]

Lots of holidays in Brixham. Always enjoyed our time.

[@rustynail1194]

Used to go on holiday in that area when I was a kid cos part of my family was from there. I absolutely adored Paignton when I was a kid, it was a lovely town, so much stuff going on, I loved seeing my family and going out and about. I've been back a few times with my good lady in the last 10 years. It's steadily got worse, it's so sad. Torquay is definitely a bit of a dump now and Paignton is even worse. People don't have the cash to go away now and a decade of austerity has crippled holiday destinations.

[@tivvy9708]

I'm an Englishman living in Canada, homelessness is rampant here also. I believe that Finland is the only country that has little, or no homelessness

[@plasticbucket]

Also Austria.

[@chloeb3430]

Reminds me of Ipswich great at the marina and not great behind that 😂🙌🏻♥️

[@NicEspear]

Brixham one of my favourite places ever.. ❤ been only the last two years and love the place.. 😊 great video guys 🎉

[@Slarti]

These are fascinating - it's lovely seeing real English people.

[@TheA8lee]

Nowadays no pub is THAT rough... because the proper wrong uns cant afford to drink in a pub.

[@shodopoet]

There are poets everywhere! Great video

[@brianmarshall1637]

The sad thing is it may get worse before better.

[@stunman1000]

Such a shame how Torquay has gone ,I used to go with friends in the 80’s and it was a lovely place to go to and Paignton. I took my family down there in 2022 and couldn’t believe it and I think Bournemouth which we’ve been going to for 30 years is going that way too as we recently visited two weeks ago . The retailers closing down and the drug problems and homelessness seems to be the biggest problem

[@alr68]

Do you believe the drug addictions and homelessness is an issue with the individual or an issue of the state?

[@stunman1000]

I can not comment on other countries other than my own experiences in Britain and apart from a smaller percentage I would say it’s a social issue mainly but not all caused by the state and disinvestment in areas of my own Country. I grew up myself in relative poverty but managed to err away from a life of drugs etc and be successful,but I do remember people who didn’t manage to survive a life of drugs or crime . However again back in The 60’s and 70’s Britain was a very different place .

[@49cchris]

That pirate drinking his rum has probley been there forever like the ship boat! Took family on holiday back, when we had that heat wave, the places round torquay are frozen in time from the 90s

[@christopherwinstanley1348]

I previously lived in Exeter but relocated in 2005, and I've never returned even for visits. It was a prime location for the seaside towns. It has changed a lot. I don't think I would want to live there again. It doesn’t appear any different from anywhere else in the UK 🇬🇧 😅. It wasn't too saturated in the time I was resident, and I really loved living there at the time. Thanks for making the tour video. I've been resident in Blackpool, and the seaside resorts do follow the fold.

[@geoffallibone4026]

Exeter is lovely. 🤨 Thank you for leaving 😉

[@michaeltanner4159]

i remember a family holiday in torquay in the seventies.good time.astounding how places change with time.

[@andrewbarry6702]

Get more Turkish barbers and Iranian vape shops

[@xweetokfairy]

I love your videos and your energy. Keep up the good work.

[@WendallExplores]

Thank you so much 🙏

[@jackd8747]

Ah Man! You missed two cracking things. Assuming you were in Torquay on Saturday 2nd September? There was a banging party going down and owning the front down by the 'bird nets' you can see in many of your shots. The other, is The Hole in The Wall - literally down a back alley nearby and the oldest pub in Torquay - great beer, great staff, great welcome and yep, great music. Next time, check it out. Cheers for the vid dude!

[@marcoroams]

Loving these videos! ✌🏼

[@G4RY1159]

Some people are sunbathing while your wearing a jacket that Ernest Shackleton would have been proud of

[@WendallExplores]

Used to more tropical climates

[@G4RY1159]

@@WendallExplores I'm the opposite mate, think I'm going through the manopause 😅

[@OneWayTicketToTheMoon]

I grew up in Torquay. It was a safe, beautiful victorian town. As kids we would be out and about on our own. The Pavillion was the hub, for young people. The high street which was charming looks like a dump and the street market, which you think is a great thing, is NOT. There used to be an indoor market. So sad, but you have to put some of the blame onto the council.

[@os2383x]

Love your content. The best part is I get to see the UK without ever visiting which is truly the greatest gift of all. I’ve never seen anything in the UK I’d ever want to see for myself.

[@chizzler2248]

Those Fish n Chips looked amazing!! Greetings from USA, we don't have good fish n chips here !!🤣

[@BackpackerBen]

Top times in Torquay🎉🎉 happy travels mate

[@WendallExplores]

Great day out in Torbados!

[@milesbrown8016]

Excellent video footage. The fish and chips looked really to dive for…👌🏻

[@shaunpreston2839]

Couldn't agree more the cornish are full off themselves! Fucked up there fishing mining and farming and they want too be independent! Wankers torquay is alot better than people think I'm moving there! And people off devon are proper English as unfortunately are the people off kernow! Shame that! Cream first!😂😅

[@johnr.b.murray3417]

70’s tower block epitomising ....What? That time was a far cry from the Marxist degeneracy that surrounds every single aspect of current white culture with its genuflecting genders and genteel skinheads.

[@williamcarrington61]

Makes a change from 1950's when it was full of snobs.

[@michaelhyde9070]

I watched a very old film called, that summer. Different world then in 79 ❤

[@mickymouze1224]

Lol, you must be around 12 years old if you think 1979 is 'very old'. Not a bad watch that film, a young Ray Winstone.

[@trooper64428]

My ex wife came from Torquay , I remember going into the Castle pub (1985) it was a gathering point for all the Jocks and scousers who had moved to Torquay for the summer work but never left, it was a place to get acid, weed and Heroine unfortunately, in the 80's it was never violent but there was money to burn back then, nothing was closed and it was full of the upper middle class for the most part.

[@quokkapirquish6825]

Love the magnolia walls and Union Jack on the ceiling of The Castle. Classy

[@user-cu9gg2wz9c]

Hi Wendall, Been following you. So I'm a Californian with a Brummie husband of 15 years looking to retire in Cornwall with our cash $$ from overpriced home. Appreciate your take on the Cornlife. It's a cakewalk compared to Oakland CA. We have murders and crime unchecked daily We can't call for help, so we have guns at the ready for invaders. Oh I've been through Torquay on a drive through. Looked liked a 60's carnival town. Shame no investors to turn it around.

[@WendallExplores]

I’m quite aware you guys have a more violent vibe over there in the states when it all goes wrong. Obviously the presence of firearms ramps things up a bit. I’ve been through Oakland many years ago. It was edgy back then and I’m sure probably worse now. I’d like to go back to US and film, as I know it very well.

[@geoffallibone4026]

Google is feeding you this bs to sell it's adverts.☺

[@DCALLUS23]

I’ve just got back from a trip to devon and cornwall. Stayed at the bodmin jail hotel for 1 night after watching your video. We also stopped off at paignton. I was there on Wednesday. Also visited. St ives but couldn’t park anywhere. After 40 mins we left 🤦‍♂️ and obviously had to do newquay 😆 we stayed in a lodge in leonards cove near stoke fleming. Lovely part of the south west

[@WendallExplores]

You are living my life a week behind 🤣

[@DCALLUS23]

@@WendallExploreshaha , would have been nice to bump in to you. I know you don’t drink these days but maybe lunch would have been on me 👍all the best oli, keep the vids coming mate, there brilliant 👌

[@WendallExplores]

Thank you for the support and kind words 🙏

[@christinebeames712]

All going to plan

[@user-sf8xb8wr1y]

great videos wendel, i think its sadly the very same in most towns, city's all over uk, some worst than others but on the whole homelessness drug and drink problems, lack of investment in areas bring places down and visitors tend to stay away, once the ball starts rolling in that direction its hard to stop and declines further. tough times.

[@XraySpectacles]

Imagine what could we achieve if governments and local councils collaborated, we could bring these seaside towns back to some modicum of glory

[@simonhooper6528]

I lived most of my youth in Torquay from 1975 till the mid nineties, it was a blessing to grow up there , endless summers fishing or just generally messing around on the various lovely beaches Torquay has .. Torquay took a turn around the late 80s when there was so much high employment in Merseyside and the scoucers and Glaswegians flocked to Torquay to live ..let's face it it was better to be on the dole in Torquay compared to Liverpool !. unfortunately alot of drug dealing started to happen around that time ..and things started to get worse I'm the bay ..as many local people are or were employed in the hotel and catering industry it usually ended up working the summer and spending the winter on the dole also ..I still love the place ...but I'd never move back ,once the sunshine stops shining in Torquay...it is a shithole!

[@geoffallibone4026]

I'm sure you are not missed.

[@MatthewChapmanYT]

Like most of the south west. The troubles begin with importing low skill northern folk :/

[@OoohAaah6603]

I went out with a girl from Glasgow late 80s early 90s,as I remember her brother had been living in Torquay for years..he got drunk and drugged up and punched my mother whilst I was away working, by the time I came home he was long gone And I never saw him again...such is life ho-hum.

[@micefeet]

I grew up in Torquay, The Castle was my favourite pub, used to go to the fair on Babbacoombe downs, early 80's the best time ever

[@matthewconnor6817]

I always had the idea Torquay was quite nice after watching Fawlty Towers and looking at the well to do looking places they used for on location scenes, little realising most of them where actually places in and around west london.

[@davebeech236]

I lived in Torquay about 30 years ago. Lovely place but even in those days, it was almost impossible to find work. I'm from York and there were people from all over the UK looking for a better life. Of course, we weren't overrun with East Europeans or 'refugees' in those days.

[@geoffallibone4026]

Well done for playing the racist card. You're a credit to your village.

[@markflatters9819]

I really think you could JUST as easily have given this 'tour' of Torquay a totally different slant! I was born and raised in Torquay & lived here for the majority of my life..... virtually 90% of the video was spent wandering around the grottiest part of town (every town or city has one!) Torquay may not be perfect but it IS by and large a very nice place to live and visit.There are many MANY areas of real beauty in and around the bay.....this video maker has just chosen to ignore the beautiful & concentrate on a small rough area of the town centre.Of course Torquay has its problems....just like EVERY town & city up & down the country but given the choice between living in say Stoke on Trent or Chorley,I know where Id rather live!!

[@grahamjonathan762]

There's far too many glossy videos of areas on KZbin that don't show you the other side to a town. This is far more refreshing to watch!

[@ericshaun6078]

It's poverty porn. Aimed at making viewers feel better about their own less-than-prosperous predicaments.

[@retiredpainter259]

Yeah but those polished videos don’t get the required amount of clicks to fund the ebegging , if people were genuinely concerned and interested in making these videos they would be add free . There’s a couple of clowns in Thailand apparently retired and just sharing their life experience with the daily click bait titles before the ebegging adds appear one after the other . Add Block plus is the way to go

[@davidnicholson1571]

It’s so disappointing my first holiday here in 1976 aged 9 and was the perfect holiday! Unfortunately having been coming a few years on and off it has seriously gone downhill and such a shame as is a lovely piece of the country to stay and visit. The councillors should invest money in the towns rather than their pockets. It’s heartbreaking to see all what’s changed 😢😢

[@MrJonboy]

Too bless tv, picked up one of the other guys a few times in my taxi, always respectful and nice guys.

[@MrPlanetman]

Davidoff - wow! What a legend mate!

[@WendallExplores]

True star quality

[@user-iw8mg4sg4l]

Hard to believe. Torquay and Brixham in Devon with one of the famous national parks - Dartmoor. Frequently visited and loved places in England. What is happening to the country, which has been so admired throughout the world. I would like to make this trip with you, pals!

[@QQ_241]

Nice piece in the Castle. Nice vid in general. I used to drive buses from Plymouth to Torquay and everywhere in between. Grew up playing in brass bands coming to Torquay every year and it's nowhere near as grim as Ilfracombe or Barnstaple.

[@BalearicBeatnik]

When that lad started speaking straight away knew he was sound, turns out he’s an emcee 🎤 spoke eloquently and with realness. Great video this !

[@Appnin89]

That old guy telling you to go away in a public place, as if you were standing on his front lawn. Cheeky sod.

[@PhilCarson-ge8nd]

Same in most towns across UK

[@illuminatedgalaxies7777.]

Yes your right ..

[@joycelawson6230]

Interesting video. Sad the way this lovely area is run down