Cuts in public spending would deepen recession in traditional seaside resorts says TUC
The TUC has urged the government not to cut public spending in seaside resorts.
It said that the cancellation of regeneration schemes would push seaside towns further into recession.
Over the last year unemployment has more than doubled in some popular resorts.
Bournemouth, Weston Super Mare and Weymouth have suffered the sharpest rises in unemployment according to figures from the Office of National Statistics.
In Bournemouth, where 4% of adults are claiming unemployment benefit, the jobless rate increased by 130%, compared to the national average of 81%.
Other seaside towns had lower rises in unemployment rates, but had a greater proportion out of work.
Among the seaside towns with the highest unemployment rates were Southend (5.9%), Clacton-on-Sea (5.3%) and Margate (5.2%).
TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said: "Unemployment is at crisis level in many of our best-loved traditional English holiday destinations."
"Many seaside towns have made impressive and imaginative efforts to regenerate themselves - and deserve real praise - but even the most ambitious scheme cannot buck the effects of such a deep recession."
"Public spending cuts are the last thing we need, and run the risk of sending the economy into an even more serious decline."
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