We live minutes from the most expensive homes in the WORLD while we’re forced to use food banks – they live in a bubble
JUST a stones throw from the richest postcode in the world and a multi-billion pound mega yacht fleet lies a world of poverty and food banks.
Sandbanks in Poole, Dorset, boasts the Redknapps as residents and one street where 13 homes total £93 million.
But over the water in the south end of Poole, people are struggling to get by, and even accuse the rich of turning a blind eye.
Around 11 percent of the town and 18 percent of kids live in poverty, according to local council figures from 2021.
Standing on the quay looking at a fleet of Sunseekers as they roll off the production line was Joe who has lived in the town his whole life.
The self-employed financial services worker says the town is struggling to cope with unemployment and needs urgent regeneration but reckons it will be “ten years” before life gets better.
The 49-year-old dad told The Sun: “Sandbanks is in a bubble of its own. It is phenomenal, large properties, large cars, affluent.
“But Poole town seems very tired. It is struggling, look at the shops.
“The amount of people on Universal Credit, benefits, all that stuff, is on the rise and will be for sometime.
“Job centres are always busy, always busy – we will struggle for another ten years I imagine.”
Joe has a personal understanding of the strife of the Dorset town – revealing he’s seen life on both sides of the tracks.
He explained: “I have volunteered at food banks and I’ve struggled myself.
“I’ve received food from them sometimes just as a bit of help, I’ve seen it at both ends. It’s nothing to be ashamed of, many many do.”
Just 50 metres from the Sunseeker slipways lies Pool Food Bank + which has seen an “80 percent” increase in visitors last year.
“It hasn’t slowed down this year, most people are very independent and only come to us as a last resort”, deputy manager Mark Purchase told The Mirror.
Sandbanks resident and ex-England manager Harry Redknapp recently visited the site to see how he can help.
‘BURNING INEQUALITIES’
In fact the “burning inequalities” in Poole are so prevalent than entire organisation called ‘Poverty Truth’ has been set up to raise awareness across the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) authority.
Speaking on the high street, retired NHS worker Paul told how he moved to the town from East London 35 years ago.
He said it can be hard to see how the other half live, and was unsure if they really care or not as he blasted them as “self serving”.
He explained: “It doesn’t matter where you go, you’re going to notice the disparity between the wealthy part of town and the poorer part of town.
“What I question is whether the wealthier residents are putting anything into the town, or whether they are making a lot out of the town.
“It’s quite stark what is going on.
“They seem to be self-serving, but I might be wrong, behind the scenes they might be giving enormous sums to charity, we don’t know.
“To be perfectly honest I don’t care about what they’re doing.”
They seem to be self-serving
Paul, resident
Paul said the town has got “worse” than when he moved down and while saying Poole is not a bad place to live, the high street is “a mess”.
He added: “If it weren’t for the charity shops, there would be nothing here. But you know, you find this everywhere.
“It’s all about council priorities, the promises of affordable housing, it’s never materialised.
“Its difficult to know what I can do.
“I think a lot of British towns are like this, living right next to each other but not having anything to do with each other.”
One lady The Sun spoke to who did not want to be named laughed when we asked what it was like living next to Sandbanks while the rest of Poole struggles.
She said: “Welcome to Poole, it’s like another world over there.
“It’s not necessarily anyone’s fault, this is the reality of life in most UK towns.
“But it’s stark, very noticeable and symbolic in Poole and Bournemouth with those glass mega-mansions and huge boats.”
BCP council were approached for comment.