The pretty seaside town that charity fears will 'turn into UK's Skid Row'

Next year, a street homelessness law that has stood for 200 years is being abolished across the country. While some campaigners have welcomed the change, others fear it will see some areas devolve into something like the notorious "Skid Row" areas of San Francisco and Los Angeles.

The 1824 Vagrancy Act is set to be replaced by "targeted measures" that will "ensure police have the powers they need to keep communities safe".

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travelled to Bournemouth, which in 2022 had the worst homelessness statistics outside of London, to see how people in the town feel about the projected changes.

Andrew Talbot, who heads homelessness outreach group We Are Humans, angrily told him: "They are going to put more people on the streets. This is planned."

He says that by decriminalising rough sleeping, the government are enabling police forces to ignore the growing homelessness problem.

Andrew adds that his group are supplying free meals to around 800 people every week, with as many as 120 people attending the free kitchens on Saturdays and Sundays.

Joe says demand is increasing with "the numbers going absolutely through the roof" as the spiralling cost of living is driving more and more people into poverty.

Bournemouth's high street is also a sad-looking affair, with most of the large retail spaces standing empty.

That economic collapse creates a feedback loop, with fewer and fewer jobs and rising prices leaving more people with nowhere to turn. "When we're seeing pensioners and families being made homeless it speaks volumes about our country," Andrew said.

The original 1824 Vagrancy Act was introduced at the time in response to the huge number of British troops coming home from the Napoleonic Wars to find themselves unwanted and homeless.

That story has been repeated many times since, with veterans from countless foreign wars retiring to an ungrateful nation. But now, Andrew Talbot says, the demographics of Britain's homeless are changing.

He explains that he's now frequently seeing "schoolteachers and pensioners" at his free kitchens, and adds that, from his point of view, the changes in the law have only been introduced in anticipation of a huge increase in the number of people living on the streets.

He warns that towns in the UK could soon see the equivalent of San Francisco's "Skid Row," which is notorious for its homelessness, crime, and open-air drug markets.

But recent figures do show Bournemouth is turning a corner with its homelessness problem. Government stastics from 2024 show it's now the fifth highest spot for homelessness outside the London, below Somerset, Bristol, Brighton and Leeds.

And not everyone agrees with Andrew's assessment. Matt Downie, chief executive of homeless charity Crisis, welcomed the new legislation, saying: "This is a landmark moment that will change lives and prevent thousands of people from being pushed into the shadows, away from safety.

"For 200 years the Vagrancy Act has meant that people who are homeless are treated as criminals and second-class citizens. It has punished people for trying to stay safe and done nothing to address why people become homeless in the first place."

A spokesperson from Crisis also said that while the 2022 government figures suggested autumn rough sleeping was the highest outside of London, recent figures highlighted a marked improvement.

They also pointed out the total number rather than the rate per population.

A spokesperson from Bournemouth council also disputed those figures, and added: "The vagrancy act was a dated piece of legislation which had no bearing on our work. Both we as a council, and a partnership, are committed to helping those who find themselves without a home.

"Alongside our partners, we continue to take a compassionate and collaborative approach to ensuring everyone has a safe place to live."

But clearly, Bournemouth still has a long way to go. Joe explained: "Last year, I visited Bournemouth and witnessed a [drugs overdose] on the streets within minutes of arriving, as well as the shocking living conditions people are being forced to endure."

He spoke to one 59-year-old man, named Stuart, who regularly sleeps on a quilt in Bournemouth's Kings Park: "Last night it was cold," Stuart said. "Autumn's coming now."