Over the next few days I will be developing a discussion about the particular challenges faced by football teams in resort towns. These include the presence of a large seasonal workforce; a high retired population who, if they are interested in football at all, may have allegiances elsewhere; and, in some cases, high levels of socio-economic deprivation.
Over the next few days I will be developing a discussion about the particular challenges faced by football teams in resort towns. These include the presence of a large seasonal workforce; a high retired population who, if they are interested in football at all, may have allegiances elsewhere; and, in some cases, high levels of socio-economic deprivation.
For the purposes of the discussion, a rough classification of three types of resort will be used. First, there are small, up market resorts, attracting a wealthy clientele and with high levels of second home ownership. Salcombe in Devon would be a classic example. These do not provide an environment in which football can flourish, as the younger male population is often depleted, but if there is a club, it will tend to be in the lower reaches of the non-league system.
Next, there are large, multi-purpose towns in which the resort function is simply one of many that contributes fo the town’s prosperity. Brighton is a classic example. It continues its historic role of ‘London by the Sea’, Southern Trains permitting, but it also has a substantial financial services industry.
Thirdly, there are towns that grew up largely as resorts and have suffered with the decline of the traditional British holiday. They often have large proportions of the population on benefits, they sometimes have substance abuse problems, and they have high scores on various indices of socio-economic deprivation. Along the coast of eastern England in particular, they are often strongholds of UKIP. Clacton (in the one UKIP constituency) and Great Yarmouth are classic examples.
If we were to look for an example of a successful team in a resort, AFC Bournemouth is the prime example. Bournemouth very much fits into the Brighton model of a town which serves multiple functions. It has diversified away from an over dependence on tourism, particularly evident in areas like Boscombe. Nevertheless, tourism is estimated to account for 15 per cent of all employment, the town does well in the lucrative conference market and it has a strong night-time economy.
The town is very much dominated by the services sector with a strong financial services presence with companies like Liverpool Victoria and JP Morgan. Good links to London help, as they do with atracting English players to the club. There is also a strong education sector with two universities (Bournemouth and the Arts University of Bournemouth) and many language schools. The town is adjacent to possibly the wealthiest community in the country, Sandbanks in Poole.
Historically, Southampton attracted fans from Bournemouth and the area to the west of Southampton, but the pull of the Cherries is now strong. What they need to do is to find a site to replace the Vitality Stadium (formerly Dean Court) with its 11,000 capacity.
Non-league clubs in the area like Poole Town and Wimborne Town are complaining that the sucesss of Bournemouth is detracting from their plans for the future.
A subsequent article will examine the case of Torbay where Torquay United has recently changed hands.