Teesside, a cluster of towns in the North East with a proud and pioneering history of steelmaking and chemical manufacturing, has long been one of Labour's traditional strongholds. But over the past decade, those industries have fallen away leaving a void that has shaken the region's sense of identity and shifted deeply held loyalties. There are signs of changes everywhere, not least of all in Saltburn. In the space of a few years, this Victorian seaside resort, just a few miles from the smokestacks on the banks of the Tees, has quietly become an enclave for artists, outsiders and environmentalists.
At the town’s third annual vegan festival, held in a local community centre, you can find stands selling crystals and dreamcatchers, take part in a yoga session or volunteer to join a conservation group. “Saltburn is full of hippies,” says Egypt, 23, an arts student, browsing the stalls with her friends, Ted, 23 and Sky, 22.
The upcoming elections, however, have shattered any guise of harmony. “My Facebook feed has been filled with arguments,” says Ted, a chef who moved from Brighton when his rent became unaffordable. All three are previous first-time Labour voters and are planning to vote for the party again on Thursday, but not all their peers share their enthusiasm. “Some think politics is all bollocks,” says Egypt.
