Note: the pier seemed twice as busy when I went back a week later during school holidays; it’s really great for kids

By Mathew Carr

July 13-14, 2026 — While Nigel Farage makes millions of pounds while being an MP for Clacton, Clacton itself continues to struggle.

Business is partly shuttered in Clacton-On-Sea and the famous pier is surprisingly devoid of customers during the height of summer (though locals expect it to pick up for the school holidays).

One fisherman Dave (who lives just outside the constituency) said he struggled to understand why people voted for Farage, leader of Reform UK, who is being investigated by authorities for accepting £5m in crypto prior to him becoming MP in July 2024.

The pier is not in bad shape but many rides were closed when I visited July 13.

At the pier’s far end is a massive, empty event space that is seeking to “reimagine” what can be done with it, according to posters on its outside.

Moving away from the coast, the nearby Moon and Starfish JD Wetherspoon pub is fairly busy. One local I spoke to said Nigel might show up there and he sheepishly indicated he might vote for the sitting member who apparently resigned to prove his electoral popularity.

One shopkeeper even further away from the cost said business revenue was quiet, as I made a purchase.

A couple jumped off a bus and headed across the street to McDonald’s, one of the few businesses that appeared to be thriving that sunny Monday evening. Taco Bell and Subway were both nearby, too, less busy.

The beaches are nice, the temperatures are milder than heat-wave suppressed London, so why does Clacton-On-Sea not thrive? OK, it’s windy, which is why windfarms blanket the offshore horizon. Farage hates them, I like them.

A lot of locals don’t have much cash – Clacton’s economic inactivity rate sits at 47%, vs 22% nationally. Marks & Spencer and Sainsbury’s have closed their town-centre locations.