A once-bustling seaside town is losing its iconic status with shops closing, High Street giants moving out of town and “hideously unfair” parking charges.

Visitors and locals in Bournemouth, Dorset, warn the future of the resort’s centre hangs in the balance with department stores shutting up shop and boarded-up outlets peppering the town.

Carol Smith, 60, from Rugby, has been visiting Bournemouth since she was a child. She told Express.co.uk: “It’s changed so much. It’s not how it used to be. It’s just such a shame.

“The iconic bit about Bournemouth has gone. You used to come to Bournemouth for the [seafront], the sandy beach… the pier. Everything was clean and nice. Everything needs a bit of paint now.”

Travel agent Carol said she would still visit the town because she loved the place, but it has lost a lot of the shine she remembers from her childhood.

Pensioner Mick Jones from Christchurch said he has lived in the area for 30 years. He said of the town centre: “It used to be nice. I suppose all towns are struggling.

“We’ve lost all the big shops – Beales, Debenhams, M&S went… Things are changing. Department stores can’t do it anymore. Everyone goes online.”

Jane Allsopp, 64, from Litchfield, Staffs, was revisiting the town after first 21 years. She said: “I just remember it being better and cleaner. It looks a little bit run down now. I wouldn’t recommend it, not now.”

Peter Thompson, 84, from Oxfordshire, said he has been coming to Bournemouth for about 30 years, but the cost of parking was becoming an issue.

He said: “Car parking prices are absolutely hideous. [In summer] it’s £17.50 for six hours. It just changed this week to £12.50. It’s too expensive…

“To come here for three nights you can pay £75 to £80 just to park your car. We don’t want to rob ourselves of things we like doing… If they’re hitting their bread and butter like this people will stop coming.”

Richard Herrett, Portfolio Holder for Destination, Leisure, and Commercial Operations at Bournemouth, Christchuch and Poole Council (BCP), said: “Like most councils across the country BCP is facing an unprecedented challenge.

“Soaring inflation has driven up costs and many councils are facing an increase in demand for core services, such as social care, education and highways. Car parking revenue is a vital source of income that helps the council deliver and improve important parking operations.

“BCP Council’s extensive bus network , operated with partners More Bus, provides a sustainable way to travel into town and across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, as does hiring one of our community Beryl Bikes.”

Some car parks in Bournemouth have private owners who set their own fees, including the Marriott Hotel and the Pavilion. Some, like Castlepoint, provide free parking, according to the local authority.

Partners, Ray Tebbutt, 64, and Donna Allan, 59, from Leicester, said the town is an expensive place to visit and needs to be better maintained.

Donna said: “I prefer Weymouth. There’s more there. It’s got a lovely sandy beach. A lovely harbour. Weymouth is better.”

Others insisted Bournemouth still retains its appeal even after a number of years. Lynda Pople, 83, has been visiting the town for decades. On a day trip from Yeovil with her daughter, she told Express.co.uk: “It’s a lovely place. The beach is nice. A lot of shops have closed down, like everywhere.”

Bob Bannister, 80, from Swindon, Wiltshire, said he has been coming to Bournemouth for about 30 years. He said: “It’s quite nice – the beach, the shops, the general environment. Everywhere is struggling a bit, but I’m quite pleased with the place.”

The retired mechanic was speaking outside Bobby’s in The Square which is transforming an old department store building into a shopping, workspace and food hub. It’s testament to efforts to regenerate a large site in the town centre and lies opposite work being carried out to get a building ready to accommodate a branch of The Ivy restaurant.

Mr Herrett said: “Small businesses in Bournemouth town centre are supported by strong collaboration between the council and our Business Improvement District (BID) partners, Bournemouth Town Centre BID and Coastal BID.”

BCP Council said major plans are underway to restore and refurbish empty units in Bournemouth as part of a wider redevelopment strategy. Both the former Beales and House of Fraser buildings are being turned into commercial and retail outlets as well as student accommodation.

A spokesperson for the council said many new businesses have recently opened or are about to open in Bournemouth, including The Ivy.

Local businesses are also thinking on their feet to revive the town centre, with South Coast Makers Market occupying a floor of The Avenue shopping centre once occupied by Sports Direct.

Director Adam Brierley, 48, said: “We offer a different shopping experience by selling things people can’t buy online and making shopping fun and interesting.”

He added: “People will come into Bournemouth if you provide them with something worth coming for… The future is to offer something different to what you can buy online.”

Emma Fairthorne’s business, The Coven Bournemouth, is based at South Coast Makers Market. She said Castlepoint Shopping Centre on the outskirts of town had an impact on town centre trade, with its free parking tempting drivers away.

She said: “It’s down to the indepedents to create something interesting and new on the High Street, otherwise we will be overrun with nail bars, barbershops and coffee shops.”