Stunning UK seaside town that locals and visitors 'never want to leave'
One stroll through this picturesque seaside town and you'll want to pop into every quaint, independent café and stop for a chat with all of the friendly locals on the beach.
Known for its breath-taking cliffs, beautiful coastlines and peaceful way of life, you'll struggle to find a tourist that doesn't want to stay in East Devon forever.
While the coast is not the easiest place to visit without a car, the lack of public transport doesn't put people off - it just adds to its secluded and intimate charm.
As Devon Live reports, visitors often describe the tranquil town as their 'home' - no matter how long they've been there - because, for many, it very quickly becomes that.
The East Devon paradise has an abundance of charming shops and rugged cliffs (Devon Live / BPM Media)For retail assistant Nikki Morgan, it's the welcoming and warm community of Sidmouth that she loves the most, and has ever since moving there nearly five years ago.
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"Community in Sidmouth is wonderful. On Church Street, we all know each other, and we take in each other's parcels. It's a very gentle place to live," Nikki said.
"A lot of people like to call Sidmouth olde worlde, but actually it's got everything you need and it's as modern as you need it to be.
"It doesn't have a lot of arcades, there's no casinos or nightclubs, but for a lot of people, that's what makes it so nice."
Though with all its perks, it has become harder for locals to afford to stay and compete with the money second-home owners bring.
Nikki feels very fortunate to live and work in Sidmouth and called it the 'perfect life' (Devon Live / BPM Media)"I rent, and I was very lucky to find where I live. In the last year, I have only seen four properties in Sidmouth come up for rent, which is not great," she explained.
"So once you come here, they don't leave, which is lovely, but we have a lot of people who work here who can't afford to live here, which I think is a real shame.
"You get all these holiday homes in Devon, we get all these holiday homes, and they are all very welcome.
"We rely on them for an income and they keep the county going, but it's a difficult one because there's nowhere for the locals to live."
The latest census data revealed 215 properties in the area are second homes, either rented out to tourists or used as holiday retreats.
Nikki revealed only four properties have come up for rent in the town in the last year (stock photo) (Getty Images)Nikki, who works at The Old Sweet Shop, added: "Apart from that, I am very lucky to live in Sidmouth. I walk to work, I walk to the beach in the evening and work in the best shop in the world.
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"It's the perfect life, I couldn't ask for anything else."
The centre is made up of locally-run businesses, with a handful of chains, which makes it stand out from other Devon seaside towns.
Phil Weaver, owner of The Barber on Church Street, runs his shop on his own to keep it a small and intimate place for his customers, which is appreciated by locals as well as tourists.
"Sidmouth is a unique and wonderful town," he said. "There's everything you could possibly need and has a bit of a café culture as well.
"It has the beaches, the views, the walks, the Donkey Sanctuary and a very long holiday period."
Phil said it's easy to get chatting to a stranger and instantly feel like they're your best friend (Devon Live / BPM Media)He added: "It has a certain buzz to it, albeit at a slower pace. Sidmouth has a great community. There are lots of things for people to do, lots of clubs and meeting places.
"Everyone is friendly, you can walk up to somebody and they can be a complete stranger, but within five minutes you're chatting away like they're your best friend."
Sidmouth Lifeboat station's operations manager, Phil Shepperd, 54, has been working at the local station for 21 years, and feels proud of the locally-run lifeboat.
"My wife is a Sidmouth born-and-bred girl. I'm originally from over the hill in Taunton and we met in Plymouth, so we have been here since 2001," he explained.
"Sidmouth is nice, relaxed and it is a pretty town. It's just the right size, there are people who you haven't met before, while also there are people who you know to chat with."
Phil said Sidmouth is very much a tourist destination and gets very busy throughout the summer, but it's still a "vibrant town" during the off-season in winter.
"The shops are still open and things are still going on all year round. There are plenty of local businesses and it always seems to be busy," he explained.
Do you love or hate living in Sidmouth? Get in touch. Email [email protected].
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