Seasonal & Holidays
Are East Hampton Locals Driving Away the Summer Tourists?
After years of complaining about the summer season citidiots, have the locals succeeded at stopping the growth of summer visitors?
The citidiots have smartened up and are taking their hard earned vacation money to towns that welcome them with open arms. It seems both many locals and the East Hampton town board itself are winning the battle to stop and reduce the influx of summer vacationers to the Town of East Hampton and the hamlet of Montauk.
In fact ,up island, Patchogue has a seen a huge increase in weekend traffic at their restaurants and live music venues. Many East Hampton locals are thrilled with these facts.
Business owners and restaurant owners paying huge Hampton commercial rental fees are not as happy. The business owners are hoping a huge 4th of July week can make up for “losses” due to a really poor June. With home rentals in decline or slow, depending on which real estate agents you talk with, the Hamptons summer season dynamics are changing.
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Is the change because of a bad economy? Is it a built-up reaction to the less-than-friendly attitude of many locals who despise the summer season vacationers? Or is it from some of the new zealous enforcement of East Hampton Town laws that have created a semi-hostile environment for folks who constantly hear whispers of, “I can’t wait until tumbleweed Tuesday when they all leave,” or they are “ruining Montauk?”
The fact that even Page Six of the NY Post has been covering stories like: “East Hampton Town Shuts Down Tourist Favorite Cyril’s Over Violations That Have Existed for 20 Years!” or “Surf Lodge Crowds Causing New Parking Rules,” or "SLA Banning Live Music in Montauk Until Proper Licenses are Awarded Through Due Process,” and “Montauk Locals and Town Wrestling with Lighthouse and Other Beach Erosion Federally Funded Projects!” Not the most positive press unless you want to discourage folks from visiting!
Find out what's happening in East Hamptonfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The incumbent East Hampton town board are all favored for re-election and East Hampton Town Supervisor Larry Cantwell is so well liked he may be getting another 70 percent of the vote in November, so how can anyone question his tactics and results? One thing for sure is the very wealthy south of the highway crowd is ecstatic. If they could have their way, even the East Hampton locals would be banned from East Hampton for July and August!