Criticism has been aimed at ‘Down from Londoners’ in a Kent town after a road sign was switched to 'Welcome to DFL’ – prompting a lively debate over the matter.

In a dig at the rise of Londoners in Kent, the ‘Welcome to Deal' sign in Sholden has been modified with white tape.

As those responsible remain tight-lipped, a noisy debate has swirled on social media since the image surfaced last night, attracting 500 reactions alongside a 200-strong mixed bag of comments.

It comes as tens of thousands of city dwellers have moved to the county in the past three years amid rising housing costs and bolstered transport links.

Dan Brent wrote: “A lot of young people in the South East will have their time in London.

“After graduation and before children, then as they get older most will move back out and either return home or look for somewhere more affordable.

“They bring their wages, start a family, start a business, spend money locally.

“DFL might give you the shivers but towns would not survive without younger people moving back from London.”

Responding to the Facebook post, Mike Brown added: “Some people complain if their town gets no investment.

“Then they complain when their town does get investment.

“Some people just like complaining.”

Spencer Griffiths labelled those making disparaging remarks towards Londoners: “Smallville idiots who hate anything different to their own myopic bubble”.

“They are moaning and irrelevant, ignore!”

But Emma Roles voiced concerns over a potential lack of infrastructure as the county’s need for new homes ramps up.

“Not just by the coast, most of Kent (is) being built on, but no schools, doctors, dentists, roads or water supply to cope.

“Kent is no longer the Garden of England, it’s the building plot.”

Nick Young offered up a new phrase, saying: “Actually it should be DVL, ‘Down via London’ where they’ve moved here from the gentrified part of the suburbs.”

In a somewhat sombre tone, Mike Skinner wrote: “I’ve moved back to Deal after being away for over 25 years and it has changed so much.

“Too many new houses, and traffic – I loved growing up in Deal.”

But lightening the mood, Nick Smedley quipped “most of the Kent coast needs that sign”, with Paul Russell joking: “(It is) so nice to see someone welcome us for a change.”

Another well-humoured user continued: “There was a road sign just prior to the Kingsferry Bridge.

“It read ‘Welcome to the Isle Of Sheppey’.

“Someone added to it to read ‘You're welcome to the Isle Of Sheppey’”.

The phrase DFL has been banded around somewhat carelessly for at least 10 years, featuring in many a newspaper column and popping up in pub chats.

And while most people using it may not intend to cause offence, one former London resident says he believes it is an insult.

Stephen Snow, who left north London to live in Deal 28 years ago, has even gone as far as to say he thinks it is racist.

He previously told KentOnline: "I moved here 26 years ago and I'm still referred to as a DFL. It just seems to be the culture.

"It's an insult and I take it personally, when actually those that move here bring a lot with them.

"You constantly hear on the media about people being abused in the street for their colour or religion.

"What about people like myself?

"If somebody came to you with a derogatory remark about their ethnicity and where they are from, say from Ukraine, there would be outrage.

"It would be considered racist which is what I think it is. It's just yet to be tested by any law maker or keeper."

An in-depth KentOnline report recently looked into the remarkable seaside town revivals emerging as tourism powerhouses owed, in part, to their proximity to London.

Towns whose decline appeared irreversible - the likes of Margate and Folkestone - are, today, among the most vibrant, exciting and colourful seaside resorts in the country.

Whitstable, from nowhere, has emerged as a day-trippers paradise; Ramsgate has been revived, Broadstairs buoyed. Deal and Sandwich reinvigorated. Even Dungeness has been given a new lease of life.

Although each town’s path to reinvigoration took different and winding routes, there is one aspect, often overlooked, which has played a recurring role in determining the success, or otherwise, of our coastal towns - transport.

From the paddle steamers which first ignited the tourism potential in so many of our seaside towns, to the coming of the railways, our coastal resorts have capitalised hugely from the way in which tourists can access them.

And describing her own journey from Folkestone tourist to becoming a resident, journalist Rosie Percy said her experience was “the best thing I ever did”, despite encountering several challenges.

“When a friend relocated to the Kent coast from Brighton in 2017 I had two questions,” she said.

“Why were they moving when I loved to visit them there from London? And where on earth was Folkestone?

“It’s now been two years since I left London for Folkestone, and it’s still the best thing I ever did.

There was a little resistance at first, and I could see why.

“Rents were rising as landlords took advantage of an influx of London salaries, and some older businesses closed following the initial wave of gentrification.

“The change was tough for some and took some getting used to, but generally, I feel welcomed as a DFL.”