Canterbury is one of the UK’s most fascinating cities — but it faces a conundrum

Canterbury’s shops are dying. The local ones, at least.

As a UNESCO Heritage City with more than 800 years of history, Canterbury has long attracted tourists from around the world. Thanks to its Gothic architecture and winding canals, it’s sometimes described as a ‘mini Venice’.

Just a one-hour train from London’s St Pancras International, it’s a popular day trip from the capital. A direct train from the Port of Dover also draws holidaymakers from the cruise ships that stop there.

Wander down the high street on a summer afternoon, and you’ll find yourself swarmed by crowds of people, with cameras and maps at the ready.

But Canterbury faces a conundrum: while more people are visiting, times are getting tougher.

Since the pandemic, interest has soared, with 7.5 million day trips to the city in 2023 — up 5% from 2019.

Ask local business owners, and you’ll hear a mix of gratitude and frustration towards this rising popularity. 

Small businesses are being priced out by high street chains and tourist shops selling mass-produced paraphernalia.

‘Shops are dying’

Canterbury’s 1,400-year-old cathedral is its crown jewel. But the £18 entry ticket and souvenir shops that surround it leave tourists reluctant to spend cash in smaller independents.

‘They just go to the cathedral and then they’re gone again,’ Liz Wellstead, owner of Rock Paper Scissors, says. Sales at her shop have dropped by nearly 50% since last year, despite the tourism boom. ‘We’re just not seeing the tourists like we were before.’

The shop selling handmade, ethically-sourced crafts relies on community arts workshops for survival. Over the past five years, Liz has seen local shops like hers collapse under the weight of tourism.

‘Independent businesses are closing at a phenomenal rate. Shops are dying,’ she says.

Independent art gallery owner, Dawn Lilford, describes the situation as ‘absolutely dire’. ‘Business is incredibly hard. I don’t see a good future. How much longer we can survive, I don’t know.’

‘People don’t have the time to browse. They need to be encouraged to stay longer and spend their money on what Canterbury’s got to offer.’

Even the city’s most historic businesses are not immune.

Housed in an 18th-century building, with over 20,000 antique books, The Chaucer Bookshop has been around since 1956.

Sir Robert Sherston-Baker, who has run the shop for almost 50 years, has witnessed a fundamental shift in the fabric of Canterbury.

‘The whole city has changed,’ he says. ‘It used to be a country, quiet city, it’s expanded immensely.’

While his bookshop has weathered the storm, the building next door has been derelict for seven years.

Many threats

Canterbury’s reputation as a day-trip destination doesn’t help the situation. But there are other threats, one of them: short-term rentals.

Independent hotels and B&Bs are losing out to these budget-friendly options, and many have been forced to close.

With boutique hotel occupancy rates falling below 60%, Canterbury’s local accommodation options are on the brink.

‘The B&Bs are so important to the heart of the city,’ Dawn says. ‘The little ones are what we need back — the personal touch.’

Airbnb is arguably the biggest name in short-let platforms, but it’s not the only one to have an impact on places like Canterbury. Brands such as VRBO, Booking.com and TripAdvisor Rentals also play a part, as do rapidly expanding chain hotels.

Metro asked Airbnb to comment on the situation in Canterbury.

A spokesperson replied in an email: ‘Two thirds of UK [Airbnb] hosts say the additional income helps them keep up with the rising cost of living.

‘Almost half of guests on Airbnb follow host recommendations for local cafes, shops and restaurants, and travel on Airbnb brings £674 million to the local South East economy, helping keep over 8,500 people in jobs in the area.’

Green shoots

Not everyone is so concerned about rising visitor numbers.

At the Canterbury Punting Company, an agency that runs boat tours along the Stour River, guide Sebastian is optimistic.

‘For us, it’s a boom. The more tourists that come into town, the more work we’ve got. I can’t see any way that tourism has negatively affected the city.’

‘We live in a tourist city. Our economy would fall apart otherwise.’

One organisation working to improve the local economy is the Canterbury Business Improvement District (BID), which has supported the business community for 10 years.

CEO Lisa Carlson says these days, against the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, more visitors does not equate to higher spending.

‘The city has incredibly resilient businesses but they have endured a lot. We all have to use the shops we know and love to help them survive these challenging times,’ she says.

The BID tracks footfall to assess Canterbury’s city centre performance. In May 2025, footfall was down -14.1% from the previous year.

With a £19.9 million investment being plugged into the city centre this year, Lisa hopes visitors will be encouraged to stay longer and spend in local businesses.