To go to Whitby beach tomorrow

[BubblyBarbara]

I’ve gone to Whitby every year for the past decade or so and I’m missing it dearly. I’ve read Boris’s PDF and it says you are allowed to drive any distance to “open space” from tomorrow so my plan is to go to Whitby and spend the day on the beach - social distancing of course.

But I did a search on Facebook about car parks etc (it’s ok the parking inspectors are furloughed so I can park anywhere I like) and found lots of angry posts on local groups about how the people of Whitby don’t want people coming into their town yet

It’s legal for me to go tomorrow but the locals don’t want us to go.. who is BU here? I say the law is more important than what the locals say.

All this hostility and ‘the locals don’t want you’ makes me cross.

We live in a picturesque village with lovely walks. It has become a Mecca to people (coming from who knows where as we’re not near anywhere) walking since this began.

It’s pretty weird to see so many people about in what was a place where you could walk for miles and not see anyone, but as long as they are observing distancing, I have absolutely no problem with them enjoying the area. We don’t own it and the locals don’t own Whitby. The rules have been relaxed regarding travel so they just need to accept it.

@TheGreatWave The problem with certain (most?) rural / semi-rural places is you could live literally a stone's throw away and still be considered "non-local" by some people. To be honest I think this is closely linked to the universal tendency of places utterly dependent on visitors to also not-so-secretly resent visitors.

YABU, I live in a seaside town, and we don’t want visitors ! If we had our way, the train stations would be closed and the sea front blocked off.

I'd be careful. I live a mile from a beach but have to drive to it as DH is disabled. Car park is locked but we can park on road with blue badge but locals were threatening to damage cars parked there. We don't go as don't want the hassle.

Bubblybarbara - A whole day without needing the toilet!!!

@SomewhereEast ain't that the truth. I've lived in a seaside town in Devon for over 20 years but still get hassle, I would love to move back to a nice city with people who don't give a damn where you come from.

Of course it's not illegal. Really selfish, but not illegal.

Not really worried about the toilet. When I go up Scaffell Pike there is no toilet up there and that takes nearly the whole day. More worried about my car getting keyed or something to be honest

Then why post and ask? You clearly don't give a shit about anything but your own needs / desires.

Honestly it is not rural or semi rural and absolutely not a tourist area, I'm a complete outsider anyway It is my local area, not my town, but in my area.

YABU, I live in a seaside town, and we don’t want visitors ! If we had our way, the train stations would be closed and the sea front blocked off

WTF. You live there, you don't own the place. You are welcome to stay isolated if you wish.

Go for it
Have a lovely time
And please report back because I’d love to go on Friday!

Is there a decent beach at Whitby?

Yes. It's mostly accessible via the west cliff.

Does anyone think all these precious people in little seaside towns will rush off to the city as soon as the shops open without a second thought? I know plenty did trips to the city to strip the supermarkets before lockdown, didn't seem to think there was anything wrong with it.

please report back because I’d love to go on Friday!

I haven’t decided yet due to the potential danger from the local riff raff but if I do it’ll be tomorrow as I imagine it will be busy at the weekend due to everyone being off work

Where are you going to go for a wee on your day long jaunt to Whitby if everywhere is shut?

I live by the sea so maybe this is why I don't get it, but nothing is open, its chilly, there is nothing to do but walk along a beach or sit in the cold wind. No toilets, most car parks shut. Pissing off local people that don't really deserve to end up stuck inside cause tourists want a walk on the beach. Whitby is not the place to social distance, the streets are so narrow, the beach isnt that great. I imagine there are plenty of nice places closer to home that will be quiet.

We are still meant to stay at home as much as possible and act with common sense. Day trips to the beach are really not what you should be doing. Maybe you should tell Boris he's got it wrong.

More worried about my car getting keyed or something to be honest

Absolutely not condoning it, but you know the level of feeling. Your risk to take 🤷‍♀️

What is it you're planning to do at the beach?

We too live in a beauty spot, it gives me as a local great pleasure to see families coming back flying kites, having picnics again and having fun. It has given me a sense of normality that has been missing for so long. I don't begrudge these people - or consider this to be 'my' space and only for me. As long as everyone sticks to the SD as they have done up to now anyway, I am glad to have so many happy faces around me.

I am blessed to live here, and to be honest I think it is so selfish to say to people you can't come and be happy. Stay locked up in your small airless flats for another six months, maybe a year and then you can come. In the meantime I shall enjoy it all to myself.

It is not the visitors at fault at all, it is the locals that are claiming something that is not theirs.

Op, do not listen to the posts that say don't go, they are either locals enjoying the peace (my neighbours included) and want it to last as long as possible, they are not interested in your wellbeing, or your legal rights to be there. So go and have a lovely day - and know that there are many locals that are delighted to have you back :)

I haven’t decided yet due to the potential danger from the local riff raff

My my, we do think a lot of ourselves.

Whitby is shut - the police are stopping people and the wish and chip shops etc are asking for ID

I live in a seaside village, very, very popular with people from Sputh London & the Home Counties. The toilets are all locked, the cafes & shops are closed, but our two supermarkets are open although stock is limited. I fully expect there to be nothing at all on the shelves after Saturday morning. And usually if the more unpleasant of out visitors can't be bothered to walk to the beach toilets (which along with the massive car park will not be reopening yet), they will do what they usually do and shit & piss in our beautiful sand dunes, leaving their shit stained Kleenex to blow across the beach in the wind. We are used to it, to picking up the detritus and having you completely block out small residential roads completely so the emergency services can't get it and we and we can't get out. We are used to neurotic visiting dogs harassing the wildlife and crap being left hanging in bushes (if it's picked up at all) by their owners...
Usually we cope & nod & smile and appreciate how lucky we are to live here after they have gone home. But this season is different. Our supplies are limited, we don't drive to the city to shop. Village stores have enough for us, the local people and we will suffer. We don't want you filling out shops and blocking our doorways, forcing us to queue even longer and blocking our roads as the car parks are all closed. Please, don't come. We don't feel safe, you won't be welcome.

I haven’t decided yet due to the potential danger from the local riff raff but if I do it’ll be tomorrow as I imagine it will be busy at the weekend due to everyone being off work

^ So it's a goady thread rather than a genuine question.

Is there a decent beach at Whitby?

Yes. It's mostly accessible via the west cliff

Ahh thanks, it’s slowly coming back to me now, when we visit for the day we tend to stay in the town but we have stayed over and beached it before, yes.