“It’s already incredibly difficult with the cost-of-living crisis, but this now feels like the final nail in the coffin.”
Business owners in Dymchurch say they are fearing for their survival after the village’s beach was classed as having “poor” water quality.
Dymchurch beach is a popular summer bathing spot, but signs advising people against swimming will be put up this year
It was rated as “sufficient” last year but increasing levels of bacteria such as E. coli have resulted in the new ranking – and means people are advised not to swim there.
Now, those running businesses in the village are wondering how they will cope if less people are drawn in during the summer months.
Jacob Woolls, co-owner of Dymchurch Amusement Park, says the score is a very real threat to the future of the attraction, which has been at the heart of the village for decades.
“We rely on people coming to the beach because we only get a 10-week season,” he said.
“If we don’t get the day-trippers in the summer months, it’s going to hit us really hard.
Jacob Woolls of Dymchurch Amusement Park says the new water quality rating could be the “final nail in the coffin” for the businessDymchurch Amusement Park is packed with visitors in the summer months. Picture: Jacob Woolls
“This business has been in my family for 30 years, and it’s everything to us. It’s all I’ve ever known.”
Mr Woolls, 28, has worked at the amusement park since leaving school and says rising operational costs – such as electricity, minimum wage increases, and national insurance – have already made running the business increasingly difficult.
But he now believes the new rating could be the “final nail in the coffin” for the business.
“If we lose 40% of our visitors this summer because of the no-swim warning, you can imagine how damaging that will be,” he said.
“I’m here every day trying to improve the business and expand, but it feels like everything is going against us, particularly this year.”
New bathing water ratings released in November show the quality of some of Kent’s coastal waters
Elsewhere on Romney Marsh, Littlestone beach has kept its “poor” grading, meaning a do-not-swim warning introduced in January last year will remain.
However, just along the coast at St Mary’s Bay, next to Dymchurch, the ranking has been upgraded to “sufficient”.
This means the advice against swimming in the sea, which has been in place for almost two years, can finally be lifted there.
But Mr Woolls, a father-of-one, believes all businesses in the village will struggle to survive if Dymchurch’s rating stays in place.
“When you think of Dymchurch, you think of the amusements and the beach,” he explained.
Do-not-swim warnings have been removed from St Mary’s Bay, but will appear in Dymchurch later this year
“We’re now in a world where we could be stopping people from going to both.
“If the amusement park closes, I really do fear for every other business in the village.”
However, Mr Woolls is determined to find a way to encourage tourists to visit Dymchurch this summer.
“We’ve sat down as a family – me, my sister, and my dad – and we’re open to any ideas,” he said.
“We’re considering testing the water ourselves month by month and sharing the results. If it’s good, we’ll let people know.
Dymchurch Amusement Park has been in the Woolls family for the past 30 years
“The rating has done so much damage already because people see it and think the beach is unswimmable for the whole year.”
Dymchurch is one of three beaches in Kent – along with Deal and Littlestone on Romney Marsh – to hold the unwanted status.
It will remain in place until at least November 2025 when a new classification will be released following tests between May and September.
At The Smugglers Chest shop, part-time worker Glenda Head shares Mr Woolls’ concerns.
The 70-year-old has lived in Dymchurch for 52 years and says the shop depends heavily on summer visitors.
Glenda Head fears for the survival of the Smugglers Chest shop if trade drops this summer
“In winter, we might only get 10 customers all day,” she explained.
“In summer, we can have hundreds. If people don’t go to the beach, we lose that part of the business, and without it, we won’t survive.”
The shop sells beach goods and souvenirs, which Ms Head fears will no longer be in demand if visitors avoid Dymchurch.
“I think it affects all the shops around here,” she added.
“Dymchurch has always been a ‘children’s paradise,’ but if families can’t swim in the sea and the amusements are forced to close, that reputation is gone.
The Smugglers Chest shop relies on visitors in summer to keep the business afloat
“If I was visiting a coastal town in the summer, I’d pick somewhere where you’re allowed to swim.
“It’s just ridiculous that it’s been allowed to get this bad. The authorities need to sort it out.”
But not everyone in the village is entirely pessimistic.
Andrew Clark, owner of The Hidden Treasure Micropub, remains hopeful the village’s other attractions will keep visitors coming.
Mr Clark moved to Dymchurch from Lewisham in 2013 with his wife, fulfilling their dream of opening a pub in the area.
Andrew Clark, pictured with wife Marluce, remains hopeful Dymchurch’s other attractions will keep visitors coming
“The water quality was only rated ‘satisfactory’ last summer, and the beaches were still as busy as I’ve ever seen them,” he said.
“People can still enjoy the beach even if they have to be careful around the water. I think the amusements and the facilities here will still draw people in.
“Of course, none of this helps because it puts a negative view on the village, but I hope visitors won’t be put off completely.
“Dymchurch has so much to offer beyond swimming.”
Last year, data released by the Environment Agency (EA) showed 8.2% of bathing waters in the UK – 37 sites – were rated “poor,” almost double the percentage from 2023.
The monitoring found increasing levels of bacteria such as E. coli at these sites, leading to stricter warnings against swimming.
Dymchurch has been described as a ‘children’s paradise’ for a number of years
But the EA, which oversees bathing water assessments, says it is working to improve the situation on the Marsh, while Southern Water said last year the issues at the beaches in the area were not associated with its storm overflows.
“Dymchurch was among more than 400 locations across England meeting the required standard for bathing for several years,” an EA spokesman said.
“However, the poor rating shows there is much work still to do.
“Suspected pollution comes from a variety of sources, from bad weather to what’s put down the sink.
“Our specialist officers are working with Southern Water and Folkestone and Hythe District Council (FHDC) to find ways to improve bathing water quality along the south-east Kent coast.
There are fears for the future of businesses in Dymchurch
“The public can find out where best to swim by getting the latest information on water quality at Dymchurch, the rest of Kent, and England at our Swimfo website.”
FHDC, which is led by the Green Party, says it too is working to improve the situation.
The ‘do-not-swim’ signs are yet to appear on Dymchurch beach, but the authority has confirmed they will be in place ahead of the bathing season in May.
“We continue to champion the district as an extraordinary place to visit,” a spokesman said.
“While it’s encouraging to see the classification at St Mary’s Bay improve, we are very concerned about the quality of the bathing water at locations rated as poor, including Dymchurch and Littlestone, and the wider impact this has.
“We believe there should be out-of-season testing, between October and April, to try to establish the reasoning behind the deterioration of bathing water classifications.
“We continue to make this case to the EA and Southern Water.
“We will work with them both to bring about the necessary improvements to bring Dymchurch and Littlestone in line with the rest of our beautiful coastline.”