My first day of filming in Great Yarmouth, U.K. was marked by getting lost on winding side streets and protecting my camera gear from pouring rain. There was not one moment during the day in which the sun peeked through the thick, grey rain clouds.

Despite the poor weather, I made it my mission to gain my bearings in this unknown town I would be covering for the next 2 weeks. I gathered mostly initial footage – video of pre season tourists scavenging the beach in front of Britannia Pier and of glittering arcade lights at all of the mini casinos. My first impression – Yarmouth was like something out of a movie.

Modern nightclubs were intertwined with decades old arcades and pubs. I could see the history without even knowing it yet. During a full English breakfast (egg, sausage, hash brown, beans, and toast), the man running the Bed and Breakfast I’m staying at mentioned most buildings here in Yarmouth are over 100 years old. It makes for beautiful scenery and also adds to my main story – the relatively stagnant local tourism industry.

I met one gentleman, a north-Londoner named Chris, who was staying at the same Bed and Breakfast as me. On my first morning, he was just getting ready to take off. We happened to pop down to breakfast at the same time – fortunately for me – I got to pick his brain about the local tourism culture. Chris represents a dying breed in British coastal areas – residents of Britain who choose to vacation in the country. During the 70’s and 80’s tourism on the British coast was booming – one could make an entire year’s salary in just 3 summer months.

But now, that’s all changed. People like Chris come to places like Yarmouth less and less often.

I look forward to meeting more people who have lived and learned this local industry and how they are facing the economic, social, and cultural changes brought on by the decline of an industry that has defined the area for so long.