"Our community is fantastic," said Barry Ashley. "There are loads of great things going on in the town.
"When people get together, they are strong and resilient. There's no choice but to be."
Barry Ashley runs the not-for-profit Grumpy Cook cafe in Hastings, East Sussex.
His cafe is located in the 14th most deprived local authority in England, according to recently released data by the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government.
At the Grumpy Cook people are able to pay what they can afford or even eat for free in a way that he said gave them dignity if they were struggling to make ends meet.
A Hastings Borough Council spokesperson said the East Sussex town was a "great place to live, work and visit, but like many coastal towns, it faces its own unique challenges".
They added that over recent years Hastings had received "significant investment" from central and local government.
Several ongoing projects, such as revitalising the town centre, would ultimately ensure decent, well-paid jobs and increased health and wellbeing, as well as economic prosperity, the spokesperson continued.
Jordan Walid, who grew up in Hastings, said the town was a "good environment".
"It has been a smooth ride," he said.
He said he "totally disagreed" with the government deprivation data, which did not reflect the reality on the ground.
Mr Walid said community spirit was "alive" in Hastings.
"Everyone likes each other. It is a friendly place."
Lucy Brett, another Hastings resident, added she was surprised by the data.
"I would not have thought it's that bad," she said.
Yasmin Ibison, of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, said the high level of deprivation reflected a combination of unemployment, housing costs, low incomes and poor transport infrastructure.
She also said that changing holiday habits had led to economic decline in coastal areas like Hastings.
Darren Cripps, another Hastings resident, said the town had "a lot of potential, but no one seems to do anything with it".
"Things could be a lot better," he added.
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and the Conservative Party have been approached for comment.