Seaside Decline: Britain's Forgotten Paradise Island 🇬🇧

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I was shocked to discover crumbling and rotting grand hotels and a waning tourism industry on the once thriving Isle of Wight. From the Victorian era until the only 20 or so years ago, the Island was a booming south coast holiday favourite for Brits. Now parts of the island are a decaying shadow of their former selves. There are scarce employment opportunities for young locals and a significant problem with homeless people squatting in the abandoned hotels. Join me as I discover and meet the locals.
A big thanks to Oli for inviting me and showing me around where he grew up.
#britain #streetinterview #isleofwight #decline #seaside

[@WendallExplores]

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[@johncooke9964]

How's about doing a tour of the isle of man, it would be much appreciated.

[@WendallExplores]

@@johncooke9964 good call

[@dude9038]

I presume all the earnings from this sponsor will go towards the homeless people that have appeared in your videos, without whom you'd have zero content to make money on youtube from?

[@pooooornopigeon]

​@@dude9038 A puerile comment.

[@SabTheSeeker81]

It's only a decay to Humans -- For Nature it's Reclaiming ... Just my opinion !

[@olifromsolly6007]

Happy to have been a local guide for this, saw a comment saying I look like Michael Moore's twin brother, i've heard that before!

[@chandlerbingbong]

You are super chill. 👍

[@deborahellis8644]

Nice calm guide

[@David-uf8ex]

Thank you 👏

[@Strange_Club]

Howdy neighbour, I live two doors up from you! Small world! Great guiding, thanks!😄

[@griswald7156]

You gave Wendall some much needed balance..good format..

[@purebloodnordicroamer7955]

I’m from Australia, went to uk in the 90s. Went to IOW for a visit, Shanklin was one of the tidiest, clean places l had been to. Ended up staying for a month in holiday season. Sandown was buzzing with holiday makers, the whole island was so picturesque, the drive along the south coastal road to the east to west coast to freshwater and the needles was stunning. Speechless after watching this.

[@lukebignell7846]

Why would anyone go to an abandoned Island and pay £150+ to do so. When you can go to the likes of Bournemouth or Southampton which are wealthy and have lots to do, and not have to pay a £150+ tax to do so??? The Islanders want to be left alone, in their squalid expensive little bit of land. It’s a place where most people go to die, let’s face it. Nothing going on there…and any young people staying there have NO AMBITION. No wonder the only people under 40 he can find to speak to are crackheads

[@Milkyway109]

​@lukebignell7846 are you on drugs or just drunk ?

[@jameshodgkins559]

⁠@@lukebignell7846, I went to Southampton once it’s got about as much charm as Chernobyl. IOW has got a few rundown places but it also has loads of areas of natural beauty. It is expensive to travel to but once there what ever the weather is worth it.

[@commuterbranchline8132]

@@jameshodgkins559I’m positive that former residents of Chernobyl could rightly take offence at being compared to Southampton!

[@dominiccallaghan1176]

It is the most expensive ferry crossing in the world. Ridiculous. My sister lived there and it was absurd visiting.

[@WendallExplores]

😡

[@sandhurstwolves3956]

House prices on IOW have gone up massively since covid times

[@Scram673]

@@sandhurstwolves3956 which is crazy because it doesn’t look popular like the isle of Manhattan where property after Covid has increased 5 fold

[@Scram673]

Hi what is the price of a ferry ride? I’m trying to compare to where I live.

[@sandhurstwolves3956]

@Scram673 place to retire to I suppose

[@yogavindaloo]

Im 45 English teacher from Germany. I visited the island aged 17-18 and I liked the island immensely. It’s such a beautiful place.

[@neilboulton9813]

Trust me it still is there KZbinrs go searching for the things for their own narrow narative to monetise their channel. He will have purposly missed out all the nice places I am sure you visited on your trip.

[@danielbroadbent1362]

Walk with me Tim on tube just done a recent video on Isle of Wight , this guy has just shown all the rundown parts and that’s it

[@benhnatow4859]

Sandown is run down in places. However, the rest of the Island is beautiful, there are loads of great places to eat, and the people are the friendliest I have ever come across.

[@paulmcdonough1093]

liverpool as best people in uk

[@smithsRus83]

Yep agree I was there in July last year. Everywhere really nice but Sandown was run down.

[@chrissheppard5068]

I live in Estonia, a brit. They have many islands one of which is Hiiumaa. It is a 90 minute ferry journey it costs a fiver.

[@WendallExplores]

We are being ripped off 💀

[@ltrots2030]

I took a ferry from Corfu to Albania, it took 40 mins and cost 15£ I booked is last min too.

[@JazzFunkNobby1964]

@@ltrots2030 They would have to pay me to take a ferry to Albania.

[@Yodaspirit45]

@@WendallExploresWell and truly we are i don’t call it the Ununited Kingdom of Hell for no reason.

[@griswald7156]

Well somebody’s got to keep the boys supplied with money…

[@davidpolkey3193]

Hi, my wife and I spent a week and walked the 65 mile coastal path 5 years ago. We stayed at B&Ds and pubs along the route. The coast is amazing, as are the people I met. The food was generally good and at times exellent. We left our car in portsmouth and can't recall how much the ferry cost. The decline of sandown and some areas of Shanklin were a shock to us, as I had spent holidays there as a child. It is still a beautiful Island, I would recommend any walkers to do the coastal walk or sections of it. The decline and the social problems are replicated across the Uk and is such a complicated issue we need to get a grip of, but politicians over 30 years have failed.

[@spacehoppermark6161]

The slow demolition of The West 😞 Such a shame

[@corneliuscornia3189]

The West is fine ,is the UK mate

[@jonmould2946]

​@@corneliuscornia3189no its all of the west

[@agnosticevolutionist3567]

Implosion

[@griswald7156]

The Remainers wanted to carry on Lording it over the Brexiters.. Entitled people destroyed the country..

[@newsbender]

Definitely all of the West. We are being replaced. It is not even subtle anymore, it is overt and happening very rapidly. That is how they will remove the inherent rights of Europe's populations... replace them with "asylum seekers" who have no inherent rights and will happily roll up their sleeves for a place to live and something to eat.

[@BrianSmith-lj6ug]

That Squatter at the Ocean Hotel I'm part gardener part Security....😂😂😂

[@WendallExplores]

Sceptical 🤔

[@darrena2625]

South-facing, nobody bothering them, they could grow all sort of "exotic" plants

[@thatsamshow]

Probably means he smokes pot and is always down to fight intruders.

[@stevostevo1980]

@@darrena2625 They do. Especially West Wight. The first methamphetamine factory was discovered in Ryde. Infamous & notoriously known as a place that supplies/supplied A lot of drug trades. Look at Jamie Green etc.

[@Soulboy63]

Lol

[@paulheavisides9764]

My wife and I have been going to the Isle of wight for over 25 years, have had many happy times with the kids growing up, Sandown beach is one of the best on the island but it is sad to see that most of the buildings facing it are so run down. There are lots of beautiful villages and coastal views around the Island, and is great for wildlife and people cycling or walking. I hope that the Island gets some much needed investment before its too late.

[@TheGBoutdoors]

I lived in London and Oxford for many years and traveled the UK a lot. After a good friend of mine and my Mother moved to the IOW I found myself visiting them very often. Then post COVID I decided to buy a house and rise my son somewhere safe with nature on the doorstep and IOW fit perfectly. At start I wasn’t keen on moving to Sandown as it does look run down in places, but living here for 3 years I can say it was a good choice and it looks like Sandown will become aesthetically better in upcoming years. There are really nice towns such as Bembridge, Seaview and Yarmouth where only those who can afford a house there live. Island is offering plenty and most people don’t need to do trips to the mainland

[@maverickhistorian6488]

I went to the Isle of Wight for many years, always to Stonewood camp in St Helens, with the St John ambulance. Truly I'm heartbroken to see what has become of a place I love so much. Now I go to Quarr Abbey and stay with the monks as a tranquil retreat from life in general.

[@rumdo5617]

Watch out for the pervy guest master - he likes young boys

[@rumdo5617]

Watch out for the purr-vy Guest Master - he particularly enjoys ogling young boys / men

[@rumdo5617]

Watch out for the Guest Master - he particularly likes young bois / younger men

[@maverickhistorian6488]

@@rumdo5617 I'm not even going to dignify that with an answer.

[@rumdo5617]

@@maverickhistorian6488 what are you talking about? I know because I’ve stayed there myself. If you wish to remain in denial, that’s fine - but don’t have a go at me for telling the truth. Good day to you.

[@stewartfooter3580]

You did not spend enough time here,you should have gone to yarmouth,cowes and some of the small villages with chocolate box charm that we have plenty of and more history than you can shake a stick at,yes there are buildings that have been left to rot and the pandemic really did not help,but what you saw really was a small dot of bad in 144 square miles of amazing island,so glad you told people to visit at the end buddy

[@southerncross3638]

As a kid I grew up in Portsmouth in the 60s, We used to take the Hovercraft over there, it was beautiful and slow paced.

[@Boyce1964]

Another excellent report and having grown up in Slough and now living on the island, it is very interesting to get an outsiders view on different places. Ferry prices are a good example of 'Rip Off Britain' and I believe the islanders should be much more vocal against the ferry companies. It is a lovely safe place to live and the positives far outway the negatives.

[@malcolmemsley7176]

There is a lot I miss about the Island but I left after five years living there and came back to Cheshire. I can now cycle and motorbike to my hearts content in wide open spaces. The Island is far too restrictive, I was going round in circles. " Oh I think I will go over to Seaview...not been for a week"😉🤔

[@victoriacorcoran1258]

Watching from Australia, find it totally unbelievable these beautiful buildings are empty and run down. Great work Wendall!

[@alanhibbs2627]

Had many a holiday in shanklin and Sandown.from the early 70s when i was a toddler and the places were heaving to nowdays, a lot less busy. But the island has charm and a great pace of life. Sandown council really need to get the derelict hotels sorted.,and ferry crossing need to be a lot more affordable.

[@chriswalford9228]

Should have built the bridge years ago

[@griswald7156]

Tunneling is easily possible..that would fill the island and make it a success again..it would start a realtors bonanza..instead of spending money on London .Spend it on the “Wight tunnel”and while they’re at it get rid of smart motorways and build a motorway to Aberystwyth.

[@jonnyp7740]

Was just there a couple of weeks ago. Walked from Shanklin to Ventnor along the coastal path. Absolutely stunning and didn't see any decay at all apart from the cliffs falling into the sea. Infact it was extremely affluent around certain parts and plenty of tourists out enjoying the sunshine. Didn't bother with Sandown though.

[@darrena2625]

The ferry/hovercraft companies have strangled tourism to the island and it is dying as a consequence. Saying that, a group of us are going back in September as we had such a great time there last year, although we're traveling by train and going as foot passengers on the ferry. Even so, the cost is extortionate.

[@thejoin4687]

The hovercraft is a rare experience in itself. Must be one of the only hovercraft services left anywhere.

[@simodo11]

The really needs to subsidise the ferry crossing to encourage more tourists to the island ,it’s like the uk pub industry,people will not pay for over priced drinks and travel

[@neil-nx3ei]

I think the same business happened with the IOM They got rid of the Hover The ferry doesn’t seem to do regular trips , and it’s expensive. Of course my memory isn’t too good, I could be wrong about that . I have a feeling that the IOM don’t like being bombarded with tourists.

[@sandhurstwolves3956]

I was born on IOW and i had to move to get work .Sandown has gone downhill but other parts are still nice. Ryde on a night out is decent.

[@Gary-vx7gp]

Used to love going on holiday back in the late 80s/early 90s to the Isle of Wight as a kid. Wandering around Shanklin, Blackgang Chine. I expect it still is, but that ferry crossing was the most expensive in the world at some point. Same old story with this country, getting stitched up on prices.

[@WendallExplores]

Big rip off

[@wibblyteapot]

Gareth Icke also talks about how expensive the ticket prices are, and that it's such a short distance, he's actually swum to the mainland before

[@Lonewolf__666]

Blackgang chine was my favourite as a kid.

[@henriikkak2091]

I took an EF language course in 1999. My host family lived in a semi-detached house just outside of Ryde. The family lived on the father's income (Tesco) and whatever they could get for hosting teenagers such as myself. It was a modest home but nothing essential was missing so I figured that that was pretty normal. Actual poverty you could see in the housing estates nearby. The pier, the pavilion, the beach, the arcade, and the high street were very busy. We spent all of our time there.

[@Stevonthemove]

Good memories of shanklin,1977,my teenage years...good fun to be had back then🎉

[@phina8392]

I absolutely love the chine …

[@ducatimann]

Went to the isle of wight 2 years ago ...was shocked at the demise Sandown and Shanklin,esp the the Ocean view hotel ...met a jeweller just up the road from the hotel ...east ender who told me the story about the hotel ....as a ted i saw he was selling copies of the ingersol 1940,s watch bought for a tenner ...still best timekeeper i got!!

[@StephenDixon00]

Another excellent insightful video keep up the good work dude.

[@ArcAudios77]

Respect for what you tackled here, was a useful insight overall. Appreciate your works. Regards

[@halflife620]

I live in Sandown, but I'm originally from Birmingham. Moved here when I was ten, and I'm now fifty two. It's such a shame to see the Island decline the way it has over the years. I've met Oli before, but for the life of me, I can't remember where.

[@Louis-eh7mo]

Wendall you nailed it on the head, £30 return for a 8 minute trip on the hovercraft, by foot! It needs sorting fast to bring back tourism and connections!

[@jamesavenell1205]

Wonderful memories of the Island for me as I first visited in the late 1940s, as a child. My future wife & I had our first holiday together during 1963 at Totland Bay, superb walks from there, along the Warren to Alum Bay, Freshwater & Tennison Down. Always loved Shanklin & we did that for a couple of years until marriage. Later took our four children on the ferry from Portsmouth Harbour. In all it was two & a half hours by train, ferry etc but always worth it. The Island tours from Ryde were quite magical. There are long stories I will not bore you with & of course with the passage of life I have not been over for some considerable years. I guess time marches on & I am really sad to see that lovely place looking the worse for wear. In fact pretty heart breaking remembering it's vitality those years ago but that can not diminish it's natural charm.

[@tonyska]

I knew a few people who moved from the West Midlands to live on I.O.W when they were in their early 20s. They nearly all ended up in a bad way through either drugs or alcohol. There's a massive drug problem there. The place has a very dark side to it.

[@olifromsolly6007]

I'm the fella with the bad haircut in the vid and I will say that drugs and young delinquents are a problem, when I met Wendall on the pier I could smell weed lol

[@tonyska]

​@@olifromsolly6007I haven't been to the island for quite a few years. I used to attend the Bank Holiday scooter rally in August and would meet up with my old friends who moved there. They didn't paint a happy picture of the place. Don't get me wrong, it's a beautiful place. It just has that dark side to it. Probably the same as a lot of other seaside towns. I really this video Olly, thanks for contacting Wendall.

[@LeeJohn70]

Great video Wendall 👍😁😎 the problem with the island it is Lawless and the Ferry fares are the most expensive per mile in the world. Drugs are everywhere and the Council charge one of the most expensive Council taxes in the country and the island is eve charging people 50 pence to use toilets in Sandown.

[@angelajane1038]

I had one of the best holidays ever staying in Sandown years ago. It was a very reasonable coach holiday, all inclusive food and evening entertainment. We also had arranged coach trips all around the island included. One of the coach trips was cancelled so we had a boat trip through Portsmouth harbour instead. I fell in love with the island. So sad watching this video

[@accountsdepartment9815]

I live on the Isle of Wight and used to work in drug and alcohol services here and I can tell you that the drug problems over here are no worse than anywhere else in the UK. People who turn to drugs/alcohol are usually self medicating for other issues in their lives and would turn to these wherever they live. To paint the Isle of Wight as in the way that you have is totally incorrect.

[@rorz999]

Visiting IOW is like going back in time a bit, but not in a bad way. Like most of the UK, it has declined over the last 10-15 years but there are way worse places. The ferry prices are a joke, but if you can be flexible about what times you travel to/from the island, you can save some money. You can get tickets from Southampton for less than £15 each way if you don't have a vehicle

[@oldmanbanjo]

Got my butt kicked by the raiders junior team when I was like 16. I lost all credit as a Canadian that day. Miss that Island a lot - very nice people. I can't believe they closed that rink - it had the best ice in the whole South of England.

[@TravellingTorunn]

I visited the Isle of Wight for a few days in August 2016, and I loved it. I walked some long sections of the coastal paths and I also took a trip with the steam train from Smallbrook Junction via Havenstreet to Wootton. I also visited the Needles and did some fossil hunting on the beach in Sanddown 😊 I loved my stay there and would really like to visit again some time. But it is really sad with the empty and decaying hotels. The IOW is a lovely place for a holiday.

[@nicholasbell9017]

The ferry companies have taken out loans to pay back owner companies, who are also paying back loans, to other companies who, in turn, own them, paying back loans to the ultimate owners, all the way to China. That's why the ferries are so outrageously expensive. The Isle of Wight is still a beautiful island to visit, with above- average days of sunshine. Like many of the UK's coastal communities that used to rely on tourism, it is suffering from a lack of investment. Some parts of the island, like Cowes and Bembridge are affluent whereas other places are pretty shoddy. Like anywhere in coastal UK. But, really. It's the ferry prices that are killing the opportunities for entrepreneurs willing to risk investing in these empty hotels, phew! What could they do? Retirement villages? Probably.

[@Scram673]

That’s a good idea. If the council with fund senior housing you could have a real “Villages” situation there. Just try not to bring in private investors because they will leave you high and dry.

[@jackwatsonepic626]

The reason there is no bridge or tunnel to the Isle of Wight from the mainland is to do with money. So that's why the ferry service can charge what they bloody like. But yet the government can spend £80 million on drawings for a garden bridge over the Thames or £37 billion on track and trace. What didn't work even ,and up-to-date, nobody has been held accountable for it. But they ,CAN'T . pay for a bridge over to the island.😡🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

[@lukebignell7846]

They have not built a permanent crossing due to corruption. The IOW local council in do corrupt you couldn’t afford to build a permanent crossing. How much money would have to pay the ferry company too? They are coining it in, and building a permanent crossing puts them out of business

[@sharonformella9433]

Day trippers don't equate to higher earnings for local businesses. The island might have more traffic, but not necessarily more revenue.

[@jackwatsonepic626]

@@sharonformella9433 I do understand what people are saying about the Isle of Wight. But what I'm saying is this government can waste money on other projects? So why don't they spend it on Making the Isle of Wight more accessible. Steve marsh, the KZbinr from Scotland got a ferry from the Isle of Skye to the outer hebrides for £44 one way . And that is a lot further than Portsmouth to the Isle of Wight , I know. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

[@sirrathersplendid4825]

I suspect many islanders don’t want a bridge. It would bring more people and spoil the unique atmosphere of the place.

[@user-rr8yp8nw3q]

Once the old school has passed i fear more for the islands future,the tourism is hanging on to what was. Such a beautiful place naturally & sad to see it's decline.

[@Scram673]

It’s your government turning to capitalism

[@Kbats733]

Used to work as a waiter in the Ocean back in the day. Joined the royal marines, worked in london and now work in saudi but kept my house on the island. Love going back there. Lovely place in the summer. Down the front for a couple of Britney's 😎

[@Bkkiow]

I was born and grew up in bembridge and went to high school in sandown. Always grew up wanting to travel so did so after leaving school but returned to the island 15 years later and have used it as my uk base for the last eight years. The ferry costs and the service reliability are a joke creating a difficult obstacle when it comes to employment and earning opportunities. Salaries on the island are generally lower than on the mainland. If the commute was more affordable and reliable it would benefit the economy on the island and make it easier for enterprising individuals. One thing I’ve noticed about the UK since seeing different parts of the world is that it is by far the best at extracting money from people at every opportunity possible. The county council here aren’t even worth discussing in any serious way. They’ve always been a joke.

[@neilboulton9813]

The difference is what the county councils etc have to pay to support people here with the level of dependencies compared to elsewhere. Every person in that film had a disability or suffered from a condition. It is a tsunami of people with problems real or otherwise, and it is the councils who are expected to pickup the pieces. Elsewhere in the world people are more self-sufficient and do not expect handouts as a matter of course. So it is NOT the councils it is the individuals until people take responsibility for their own actions and don't always expect the authorities to sort their lives out we are in a circle of decline. The irony always is despite getting the most they are always the quickest to complain that they get no help. The man or woman who gets up at 7:00 in the morning goes out for 8+ hours to work 5-6 days a week pays their council tax and never claims a penny andjust gets on with it, but who is the sap really?

[@griswald7156]

This is a good format Wendall get a local onboard every time..it helped that you got a top guy..

[@andrewhutchinson36]

I spent a week in Shanklin in August 2020. It was the height of the pandemic when overseas travel was banned. It was absolutely bursting with visitors. All the hotels were fully booked. Those owners who left hotels vacant and rotting during that time can really have no excuse.

[@paulabennett4788]

You are showing a small part of the Island which doesn't represent the whole Island. There are beautiful places to visit such as Osbourne House where Queen Victoria lived and died. She loved the Island and spent a lot of time with her family and entertained many important people. There is so much more to see and do. The countryside is amazing and Cowes famous for incredible Yachts which race around the Island competing with huge beautiful Yachts from all over the World. I could go on with so many more interesting places to visit but it would take forever. The countryside walks with views overlooking the sea are beautiful. Just get there and see for yourself. 🎉🎉🎉🎉❤

[@MrNick600]

My parents took me on many happy holidays on the Isle of Wight in the 1970s as a boy. We didn't have a car so one of my dad's work mates Dennis would drive us down from Berkshire to Portsmouth in his Ford Corsair and pick us up after the week's holiday. We used to stay at B&Bs with evening meal in Ryde and travel about to the other towns on Southern Vectis green double decker buses. It was a great adventure on the hovercraft for a small boy and at night in bed I would listen to the last hovercraft fading away until I could hear it no more. Great memories and it is sad to see those lovely hotels in decline. Thanks indeed for the video.

[@Richy91]

Great video and was great to have Oli who was a local showing you around, nice colab!

[@WendallExplores]

Appreciate that mate 🙏

[@medley4375]

Scattered my dad's ashes on the island love the place

[@geebee6737]

Far too many on the South coast who don't want to work for a living but believe they have the right to a home for free when others work really hard to enjoy their life there. It's people like this that bring down areas and have a negative impact on tourism. Still visit after many decades but have witnessed the decline first hand and saddened that it's heritage slowly being eroded by the lazy self entitled drug abusers. The truth and the whole truth never a pretty picture.

[@neil-nx3ei]

It seems like 3 decades of infiltration in the uk have turned us into a type of soviet state These beautiful Art Deco buildings will eventually bite the dust and be replaced with soulless flats . Soviet bloc style probably

[@CherylFrancis-fn1uf]

Love the IOW, we went there last year and the weather was glorious. Beautiful place.

[@ThisWontEndWell]

You would have thought with the advent of remote working the IOW would become a popular place to relocate and live a slower lifestyle, that ferry price must be holding the island back from exploiting it.

[@DementedFish11]

Excellent video mate, really interesting and informative

[@griswald7156]

I like listening to Noddy Holder when he sings..

[@user-se6hw4lz1m]

Slade was a great band back the days !

[@KnowzsPenge]

Yeah we have bigger issues fella, Take a look around... Our culture is under attack, there wont be a country left at this rate let alone a town or two in decline

[@SimonEllinas]

A bit of a one-dimensional view of the IoW, concentrating on the few run-down areas, all on the south-east side, this video won't represent most Islanders' and Visitors' impression of the Island. While you mention in passing that there is beauty there, you don't spend any time showing it, preferring to show the negative aspects. Perhaps, for the sake of balance a follow-up video could explore all the picturesque villages, pubs, businesses, beaches and the vibrancy of the Island's capital, Newport. Ferry fares are costly, yes, but at least it helps to avoid gridlock on the roads that blights the mainland! (If you do this follow-up, please avoid the obsequious tones of AlanTitchmarsh in his recent series on the IoW!)

[@lukemccrohon5152]

Love your channel mate. I love the way you are so considerate and caring to some of the deprived people you meet. Keep doing what you’re doing, mate. Top channel 👍🏻

[@WendallExplores]

Appreciate the kind words mate

[@heatherpullan9519]

I live in Portsmouth and love going to the island but the ferry prices now make it very difficult to afford going there. I hope at some point they will bring these down as it would definitely bring more people to the island.

[@wellerjam]

Agree Heather. I love visiting from Gosport but the ferry makes it hard to justify the cost.

[@gilessteve]

Maybe the local businesses should chip in and organise a subsidised ferry service. Fix the fare at half of whatever the other one charges.

[@wellerjam]

@@gilessteve some do I believe. Holidays parks for example give a discount on ferry travel. I don't think businesses should meet the cost. It should be met by local government in Hampshire. They should invest in a toll bridge.

[@kimbeaney6747]

Another masterpiece Wendall, well done!

[@WendallExplores]

🙌

[@kimbeaney6747]

@@WendallExplores Your welcome to visit and explore Newfoundland. I think you'd love it here and not want to leave. I grew up in the Cotswolds and left UK for Ontario in 91, moved to the far East of the New World 25 months ago with no regrets (apart from the weather😹)

[@johnbinding9214]

My family went on a summer holiday to the IOW in 2019 and we have been going back every year since 2021. Great local beer and gin, a steam railway, nice donkey sanctuary, great pies..... we love it.

[@sunnybeachwalks4k2022]

Another banger video 👏🏻

[@WendallExplores]

Cheers 🙏

[@btlab]

Been watching your videos for a while now and it's interesting to see you visit my hometown. The decay in town is a shame but the beaches are great and still a lot of scenery to take in.

[@KateC51]

I love your videos 😻📷 I am so happy for you how many people have subscribed to your channel and it's totally understandable! I remember you when you just started ❤️ your personality and manner shines through so brightly 🙂 you have definitely found something here that you are brilliant at ! Keep it up Olly 😊

[@Forthought44]

Two good things about the Isle of Wight. Beautifull nature and David Icke.

[@tobyjackman3212]

I visited the IoW a few years back & absolutely loved it. Can't quite get over the price of that crossing though - incredible

[@davt8615]

Used to love going as a kid was a cracking place in the 90s

[@theabandonedhunter3604]

Wendall I have never been to the Isle of Wight so this is my first proper look at the island. Cracking video as always and so many contrasts, so many seaside resorts like this now as you touch on Wendall. Thanks as always mate and big thanks to Olly to (hope I got the spelling correct) ….Smithy

[@garth8979]

Luv that tight knit community vibe. They all even share the one tooth to eat with.

[@sallybutler1005]

😂😂😂

[@ibrahimabdullah6865]

Really funny. Judgement.

[@greghanks170]

Great review mate you are doing a great job well done regards Greg keep the reviews coming

[@juliadaniels3871]

Good afternoon, Gentlemen ! Thankyou so much for the lovely video on the IOW! The IOW is a very special place for me ❤️ My Grandmother & G/Grandmother were born in Freshwater. A lot of my ancestors are buried In Freshwater churchyard !! I have a cousin/2x2nd cousins who were living in Ventnor( the last I heard) but sadly have never wanted to keep in touch.😢 One of my 2nd cousins is my Goddaughter ! That's how life goes. Poeople will forge and travel there own life's pathways in different directions. The dereliction / decay of closed down buildings /businesses is so sad to see. Renovations don't come cheap nowadays so it becomes an uphill battle to maintain what is already a struggling My Mum & I last visited ( sadly Passed beginning of 2016😢) in 2013. It was surreal but lovely to be back for a holiday we had. We were limited because of my Dear Mum's limited mobility. We had a really lovely time. We went to Freshwater church. Nearby was a house where my Mum was evacuated to during the war. The sea air was amaZing too! The food was amaZing & awesome too. The people of the Island are so lovely❤️My Twin brother and I use to come to the IOW with our parents & Grandparents on my Mum's side, as children. We had a wail of a time-) My son(iL) father lives on the Island too!! I believe it's Newport! Keep these videos going, Gents. It's lovely being kept in touch with the ISLAND🙏❤️ Take Care . Keep Safe &Well❤️

[@meglomania2001]

This applies to the whole of Britain. Overpriced and neglected

[@Big_AL_Nowitzki]

Love the channel mate

[@conorthompson943]

Having a local bringing you round the lands he was born and (in)bred was a nice touch!

[@WendallExplores]

Lovely guy too 👍

[@Talkathon408]

You mention the ferries but remember, Southern Vectis has a bus monopoly and the prices have always been much more expensive than Southampton or Portsmouth, despite the same parent company having a monopoly in Southampton now too. At one point you could get a weekly ticket on the two main routes in Southampton that was less than a day rider for the Isle of Wight.

[@ScreamingEagle101st]

Seaview is like being in Spain not far from ryde absolutely beautiful. If you want to enjoy isle of wight as it is incredible avoid ryde and the other central towns. The rest of the island is beautiful!

[@Mrpjm200]

Your channel is amazing, you dive in, find some friendly locals and really get to know the place

[@WendallExplores]

Thanks mate, I appreciate that

[@tommyd5238]

Have been to the IOW a few times but can't believe how expensive the ferry now is, I doubt if it was a third of the cost the last time I visited.

[@user-go2kw5lr2b]

I remember going into the ocean Hotel in late September 1996. They had massive roaring fireplaces. It was so grand very elegant, mega thick carpets , crystal chandeliers. Beautiful.

[@lorrainebennett7528]

Wow, that ferry was really expensive!

[@oceandrive7283]

I went to the IOW with my family in 1988- i was 16 and it was my last UK holiday with Mum, Dad, Brother. I have lovely memories of the place and it was fantastic to visit then. Great times. I think we stayed in Shanklin.

[@JenniferA886]

Cheers for the vid 👍👍👍

[@pagrant]

Me and my parents went to Isle of Wight 2 years ago, we went as part of a coach tour, we stopped in Sandown, hotel was average , we did the island tour , liked Ryde

[@daveyboon9433]

I'm glad you got the chance to visit the island. Now I can compare the videos you made of places I have not been to.

[@daveyboon9433]

When will people leave thier cars at home. Cost me £12.50 return to southampton hospital on the fastcat.

[@grahampitt8882]

You are spot on about the ferry costs being the primary cause. I live 15 minutes from one of the ferry ports but never go. Its over 30 quid for a day trip as a foot passenger. In august i am flying to the south of france for £70. Ive considered weekend trips there for a break with the missus but gone elsewhere because the ferry cost with a car makes it not viable when the accommodation costs are similar. The government are responsible for leaving the island stranded, beholden to private ferry companies that will extract every last penny they can until there is nothing left to go there for at all. Sadly that place is in the death throes because of it. On a positive note it doesnt have to be like that and it can change. Holidays abroad have doubled so theyre no longer quite as competitive. Still cheaper, but not ridiculously so. There is still massive demand. Just go to a picturesque town in cornwall and see the demand overspilling. Weve literally given up trying to stop places before because theres nowhere to park -- its full. There is a lot of demand for nice places to go at decent prices. The government needs to lead the initiative, but these places also need to modernise and adapt, not just give up and build flats. There is no offering out of season at all. The accommodation on offer is often dated and decaying. The food is always chips and burgers and grease. Try something nice. Try a few cocktail bars on the front. Live music. The uk is the king of world foods, yet it completely bypasses these places. When an attraction is available at all its always priced at the highest rate the market will bear at the very peak of season, then sits near empty for 11 months of the year. Maximising revenue means maximising usage of your facilities all year not just 6 weeks. There is hope. There is opportunity. It simply needs someone to lead it.

[@gingertom2768]

We went to Sandown Two years ago and it was heartbreaking to see the state of the town which we loved it for family holidays

[@londonseanarsenal354]

You are absolutely spot on about the tourism industry being dead on the Isle of Wight because of ferry prices, I moved from there 6 years ago and have seen the decline because of the greedy company’s in wightlink and red funnel, it’s absolute robbery

[@HolyFreakinDragonSlayer]

Wendal you got had with the ferry - if youd have travelled from south hampton to east cowes with viechle even on a flexi return would cost on average if 50 - 80quid.. if that with Red Funnel even on a bank holiday. I have family on the island who have a meat cattle farm and a logistics distribution company. Although employment is somewhat seasonal, there are alot of jobs on the island all season round - maintenance, agriculture, retail, distribution. Its a beautiful place with the most gorgeous weather in summer, brilliant people and great fishing

[@gerardhackett4845]

Sad to see the York Hotel closed, Used to stay there when I visited the island in the late 90s and early 2000s,

[@Clivestravelandtrains]

Last year on my way back from France I popped over to Ryde for a couple of nights, and really enjoyed my stay at the Royal Esplanade Hotel, with super-helpful staff. I went to Cowes which was nice, especially the ferry between the two halves of the town.

[@inout3513]

Absolutely love olly's t-shirt., it's a belter I honestly hope the force is strong with him

[@sirrathersplendid4825]

Went cycling on the IoW back in about 1990 with a group of about 15 friends. The ferry was steep even then: so much so that we left the cars in Portsmouth, and took only a single vehicle to carry our tents and baggage.

[@kevinmott6205]

Wow Wendall. Catch you later hosting my sister at moment. BANK HOL. We lost our mum end of last September. 😊 lovin your work .

[@johnvaughan8011]

Good video. Sandown is run down, stayed at Bayshore Hotel couple years ago, but generally the rest of the island in pretty good nick; special mention to Italianate breathtaking Ventnor. The coastal scenery is beyond stunning, a la Cornwall and owned by the NT. The pace of life is slower, depends what you looking for. In general I found cost of living in shops cheaper than on the mainland.

[@HolyFreakinDragonSlayer]

The regatta and the yacht races bring in alot of people from round the world, if you get chance to visit in summer i recommend it.

[@davidwhelan1545]

Used to go to Vectis every year on my Scooter! Great place, ive explored the whole island and had some great times there.

[@paulbingham8921]

added to my bucket list wendall

[@karmachameleon7528]

I went to Prague last week and my return flight plus 2 nights in a 4* hotel was less than the cost of that ferry to the Isle of Wight. It’s just so expensive to holiday in the UK and with other countries in Europe that have more reliable weather etc it’s hard to see the situation improving. The situation becomes even more dire if you intend on getting to your destination by train too.

[@WendallExplores]

I do agree

[@trevormccabe8320]

Brilliant video keep it up 👍👍

[@deathbycocktail]

It's criminal that we've got so many places that are being left to go to wrack and ruin like this. We could be throwing a bit of money into redeveloping areas like this, but it's apparently easier to keep everything centralised and ignore the rest of the UK. Infuriating! Cheers for another great video 👍🏻

[@MarkmanOTW]

Shame to see such dereliction. Props to Olly for inviting you and being such a genial host.

[@snapdragon1194]

My family had many a happy holiday in the early 70s in Sandown, staying at the Grange Hotel near Lake. So many good memories, but it has certainly changed beyond all recognition from what it was then. Such a shame that so many seaside towns have been allowed to fall into this kind of decline. They have so much to offer holidaymakers, they just need the right kind of help to improve. 🤞

[@Rocker0375]

Sandown is a bit of an armpit and has gone very downhill in the last 10 years. Much of the rest of the island is lovely though. The ferries are a rip off.

[@Ste2023]

Managed Decline came there

[@resist.]

I love your work bro

[@WendallExplores]

Thank you mate

[@daviddoink872]

Nice sandy beach at Sandown.