Polzeath, a picturesque Cornish seaside village known for its golden sands and surf-friendly waves, has been overwhelmed by a wave of anti-social behavior during the first two weeks of July, a period locals have dubbed the 'fortnight from hell.' The influx of teenagers, coinciding with the end of private school terms, has transformed the usually tranquil resort into a scene of chaos, prompting police to issue a rare dispersal order.
Residents and business owners have described scenes of drunkenness, vandalism, litter, public urination, and illegal sexual activity on the beach and in holiday homes. The behavior has been so extreme that the neighborhood policing team was compelled to implement a dispersal order, typically reserved for more serious public disturbances. This order covered the beach and surrounding areas, a measure usually associated with protests or riots, highlighting the severity of the situation in Polzeath.
"The noise – 300 odd teens partying through until 4 am makes quite a din – but a litany of other anti-social behaviour: broken glass, litter, vandalism, young men urinating in public and more than one couple disappearing for liaisons that shouldn’t be public and quite possibly, given how young they look, aren’t legal," one local told the Daily Mail.
Holiday home owners have also reported extensive damage to their properties. One rental property was trashed by teenagers who were not registered as guests, leading to broken glass, beer bottles strewn about, and significant damage. Parents of the partygoers, who were reportedly not present, admitted they had not been home during the incident. The issue of properties being rented to teenagers, sometimes for as much as £8,000 a week, only for them to be subsequently trashed, has become a recurring problem.
Since 2019, Polzeath has employed a beach ranger to manage the annual influx of young visitors. The problem has escalated in recent years, particularly since the pandemic when outdoor socializing increased. In 2022, beach rangers initiated night patrols due to out-of-control partying, and police imposed a two-day curfew. This led to measures such as CCTV installation and floodlights to monitor the beach.
Local authorities are struggling to contain the situation. Police have been observed confiscating alcohol from underage drinkers, only for them to retrieve stashes from public toilets. Incidents reported include a 13-year-old boy found incapacitated by alcohol whose parents were too intoxicated to collect him, and a mother requesting the return of a confiscated bottle of wine intended for her 15-year-old. Last year, a girl nearly drowned after passing out on the shoreline alone.
Businesses are also feeling the impact. The owner of Surfside, a popular beach bar, reportedly spends over £17,000 on extra security during the first two weeks of July. Staff have described cleaning up smashed glass bottles on terraces each morning and dealing with underage individuals attempting to use fake identification, often with parents demanding their return.
"The way they behave is just so selfish," said one shop assistant. "The other day when we opened the whole street was just covered with shattered glass."
Despite the disruption, the period is also lucrative for the local economy, with an estimated £1 million pumped into the area during these two weeks. Inspector Adam Stonehill of the local police force stated that the dispersal order was an "unusual step" and that the "behavior of a few" was detrimental to the wider community. "We will continue to take a proactive approach across summer, with officers maintaining a visible presence in the town, engaging with visitors and residents, removing alcohol from any underage drinkers and responding robustly to incidents reported to us," Stonehill said.
Locals are looking forward to the end of this period, when the focus shifts from drunken antics to the more typical summer activities of enjoying ice creams and pasties on the beach.