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Covid

If you live in a tourist area how do you feel about lockdown easing?

16 replies

Bramblespoint · 28/06/2020 20:08

Are you worried about the influx of visitors bringing cases in?

Or do you run a business that needs tourists to survive so welcome people coming back?

We are thinking of booking a cottage somewhere we been many times over the summer but just trying to gauge how local people will feel about visitors coming back

OP posts:
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lljkk · 28/06/2020 20:14

Please come give our local people employment that isn't care work.

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GalOopNorth · 28/06/2020 20:15

I’m fine with people visiting as long as they are considerate. Love visitors enjoying the place and they are what keeps it afloat.

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Hophop26 · 29/06/2020 23:20

I live in a coastal area that is very reliant on holiday makers and a short season - mostly welcoming here, there will be some that won’t be best pleased but they are the same people that complain about everything and would be the first to complain about lack of local amenities and businesses without joining the dots that need the influx of people over the summer to support our local economy.

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Hophop26 · 29/06/2020 23:22

I won’t lie though, it is daunting to think how busy it could get here and what the consequences of that could be, but reality is the locals avoid the holiday makers and local tourist traps for the summer hols anyway

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Pipandmum · 29/06/2020 23:28

Businesses need them desperately. I Iive on an island so even more isolated than most but I'd welcome any visitors back.

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Herdwick · 29/06/2020 23:42

Fine as long as they are considerate.

Sadly we have seen lots of absolute arseholes the last few weeks.

Be warned, we had over 40 enquiries just today to book our two cottages for the next few weeks. The Lakes are going to be rammed for the foreseeable, and if you haven't already got something booked you might be out of luck.

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Beatrixpotterspencil · 29/06/2020 23:53

@Herdwick great username 😁

I’m in a lakes hotspot. Although I’ve heard about issues in past few weeks, I haven’t experienced anything untoward myself. Where exactly is most of it going on?
It’s been weirdly quiet here...

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womaninatightspot · 30/06/2020 00:10

I own a cottage I'd echo a pp about bookings as August is now full already. Despite the rush for holidays abroad in the news I suspect a lot of people will book a stay in the UK. I read an article today about the Irish saying non essential travel abroad is just too dangerous as you risk bringing covid 19 back to your community and I quite agree.

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Herdwick · 30/06/2020 00:29

200 campers spoken to by police

Visitors asked to take rubbish home rather than leave in beauty spots

Lake District Litter Picking

renewed warning as deliberate fires continue

visitors urged to be more respectful after parking restricts ambulance access

don't take your goats for a walk on someone else's property

like a mini Glastonbury

Right now there are two camper vans parked up in field gateways near our farm. One has been there for 3 days. He drives off every time we go to try and talk to him but comes back again later. The other has no signs of life and hasn't moved but we suspect is a mate of the other one.

We don't mind that he's there particularly, just want to let him know that as of tomorrow morning there will be 40 cows and their calves and a bull needing to be through the gateway he is parked in.

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BumbleBeen · 30/06/2020 00:50

I've been wondering this same question. I live in a tourist area, and believe me the locals are really not looking forward to the tourist influx. There's a mixture of fear that they will bring the virus, fear that they will curtail local people's freedom to move around and anger at those who have already been and engaged in similar behaviour to what we've seen in the news - leaving litter everywhere and shitting in bushes.

But at the same time I'm longing for a holiday to Scotland. But I don't want to go if the locals are as pissed off with tourists as the locals are where I live

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Beatrixpotterspencil · 30/06/2020 12:59

@Herdwick, I wonder what makes them so keen? I know we’ve been cooped up, but it was only a matter of weeks. The desperation and obsessive behaviour surrounding beauty spots and ‘holidays’ really puzzles me.

I’ve honestly thought about going staying with relatives over summer to get some peace, but then I do live in the hub of it all. And I work from home.
I like the tourists and visitors generally, but am expecting a crush!

Anyway, I hope he likes bulls!
I’m remembering withnail and I .......

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PhantomErik · 30/06/2020 13:35

Pretty concerned.

I'm in Cornwall & we've all been staying in etc & just when we might be able to get out & about it looks like tourists will arrive & it'll just be too busy to go anywhere.

My parents (vulnerable) have barely left the house & definately won't when it gets busy. My dd (yr6) has recently gone back to school but my 2 ds's haven't. I'd love to let them enjoy some time on the beach but not when it's packed full.

I know people rely on the tourist trade but plenty of us don't so we just have to suck it up & miss out on our own summer experience.

Cornwall seems to be getting bad press at the moment but I think people are just worried. Feels a bit like locals have to stay in another kind of lockdown to allow for tourists :(

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Orangeblossom78 · 30/06/2020 16:04

I like in a small touristy city which has a lot of elderly people living in it. It seems quiet amt, local shops and museums are missing them I think however it is quite good to have a break from the big crowds who arrive on the bus. It feels odd seeing mainly locals - long term it could be hard for the area

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fadingfast · 30/06/2020 16:50

I've just booked a week in a cottage that we've been to numerous times over the past 10 years, in a popular national park. We've never been in August before and I'm now starting to realise it might not be the relaxing get away we were hoping for. It's usually a very peaceful spot, and we usually enjoy lots of nice long walks and eating in local pubs. I love the place and would hate to think that the locals don't want us there. But I can understand why they might be wary.

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Borisplums · 30/06/2020 16:53

Excited to see normality (tourists in summer is normal)

But anxious about it too. There’s no win win.

Smile sending happy holiday vibes Flowers

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MrsAvocet · 30/06/2020 16:58

I have very mixed feelings. We don't live right in the main tourist zone being on the outskirts of the most popular visitor area, but the economy of our whole area depends heavily on tourism. Whilst I don't work in the hospitality sector myself, I know a lot of people who do, and they are suffering. Plus we all suffer indirectly if local businesses close and the area becomes (even) less prosperous. I think that most people who live in tourist areas would be affected eventually if the industry suffers. Maybe not as obviously or immediately, but there will be knock on effects eventually. I can't deny that I quite like the idea of being able to drop into a shop, pub or cafe whilst I am out for a walk or bike ride myself - I'm well and truly sick of my own cooking now! So from that perspective I really want things to open up and get back to something approaching normal.
But we have limited resources here. Our hospital is small and a long way away and we have a severe shortage of GPs. We also have quite an elderly population as there's a higher than average percentage of retirees here, so more at risk people. So I do have worries about the health of the local population and the ability of our services to cope if the infection rate starts climbing steeply.
Plus we have seen quite a lot of antisocial behaviour recently - wild campers leaving piles of rubbish around, people crapping in gardens, that kind of stuff. (Not all visitors of course, and some locals have been seen doing some stupid things too.) I don't want to see any more of that. But, on the other hand, opening things up more widely may actually help. Lack of services encourages antisocial behaviour I think. A friend of mine recently found someone had been camping in some woodland that is basically part of his garden and had left a real mess. Prior to this, I don't think people would have been that cheeky. They would have gone to a proper campsite and used the facilities provided. Being visible to others, they would have been more likely to tidy up after themselves and there would probably have been a warden to chase them up if not. If public toilets are open people won't use bushes. If car parks are open people are less likely to block narrow roads with their cars.
The reality is that people have been cooped in at home for months now and are getting stir crazy. Overseas holidays are going to be difficult so it is very likely that UK destinations will see more visitors. That brings risks but also benefits. It needs to be managed properly and the current "you can come but nothing is open" situation is probably the worst of all worlds. If I had confidence in our government's ability to accurately monitor the situation and put speedy and effective controls back in if things deteriorate I wouldn't be too anxious. But sadly I don't, so I am.

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