Do you think Cornwall will be 'open' in July?

[NoSoapAndGory]

Hi all.

A purely speculative post to gauge opinions, as I know we don't know, don't have a crystal ball, etc etc.

We have booked a self catering holiday cottage near Bude for the first 10 days of July. We live in the South East, so it's about 5 hours drive to get there on a good day. We have a dog so would need to stop at a service station at least once.

As part of general future-focused conversation, DH and I are ruminating about

1: will we be 'allowed' to go
2: if we are, would we want to anyway?
3: if it's 'allowed', will the Bude community welcome us or hate us?
4: will the tourist industry want revenue or not?

Etc. Etc. Etc.

Anyone else having similar discussions, and if so, what are you thinking?

We’re in the same position but for mid August (also Bude) xxx

Nope. Unless there's a vaccine. We don't have the medical facilities.

Not for holidays

There’s 12 weeks ish between ‘now’ and ‘July.’ If nothing changes, we will be the only country in Europe not to have lifted some of the lockdown.

July is just over 8 weeks away.

If nothing changes, we will be the only country in Europe not to have lifted some of the lockdown.

Notwithstanding a second lockdown, why would that be?

Because the situation in the UK is not the same as the situation in the rest of Europe. We are at a different stage and have different resources. Isn't this blatantly obvious?

You also seem to be very confused about the difference between 'coming out of lockdown' and 'everything going back to normal'. There is no part of Europe where the tourism industry is open.

Why is what's happening now at all relevant?

Because the situation we are in now - still in lockdown, not enough tests, no strategy for tracing - will affect where we are in July.

No. It won't. We have a holiday in Cornwall booked for Sept and I am not expecting that to happen either.

No I don't think it will be possible to travel longer distances than you need to until there is a vaccine

We also have a holiday booked from last year this July to Cornwall. I would love to be able to go then, but I suspect we will not yet be open for holidays. The holiday company are being reluctant to confirm what will happen if things are open but we are advised not to go (I have MS so need to be very careful - and told them this). Our balance payment is due at the end of May, and reading their terms and conditions, which their website state are still applicable, at the moment if we cancel we loose the deposit, after we have paid in full, we stand to loose more, so we need to make a final decision before we pay.

Thing is, I also worry about the knock-on effect. The cattery we use, was struggling before the lockdown with their loss of trade. All the businesses in Cornwall that are tourist based, will struggle the longer this goes on. All the charities relying on their donations, which they will not get. I know the government are offering help, but is it enough to make up for the significant loss of trade.

And yes, I worry about the hospital situation in Cornwall, having had to use it for my accident prone son and mum, I well know how limited it is, and worry that it will not cope if floods of tourists arrive unknowingly with this illness and pass to others before succumbing themselves.

I do believe it is very unlikely we will visit this year, but will wait to see how things develop.

From the perspective of someone from a small Cornish town, also on the North coast, please don't come!

I completely get the need to get away but we have one hospital in the entire county (I'm not sure tourists realise that). If everyone has the same idea (which I fear they will) we'll be flooded come July and if we get a second wave of Corona (which is likely when you look at other countries) our one hospital won't be able to cope.

My town has a population of 20,000, in the summer that rises to 100,0000. Now multiple that across all the Cornish towns everyone will want to visit and imagine a second-wave dealing with all those people in just one hospital.

I'm not planning any holidays or even trips up North to visit friends until very end of the year/2021.

Cornwall businesses which rely on holiday makers will be bankrupt and will close if no holiday makers are allowed. So Cornwall businesses will be pretty desperate before long. Mass unemployment will follow there if holidays are not allowed.

We have a holiday house we rent out. 20% of the rent goes to the agent and there’s cleaning and maintenance people too. The agent will have virtually no income. The local restaurants and hotels will be on the edge financially. Our house will I suspect be empty for months. We can take the hit. Others will be desperate due to loss of earnings.

I really hope that you can’t travel, we are due to pay £3000 for a fortnight in Newquay in July, we’ve both lost our income as our own business is closed and I can’t get a hold of anyone at the holiday company to rearrange or cancel. I’ve sent emails but I’m terrified they are going to hold us to paying 50% of the cost due to cancellation!

Many agents are rearranging for next year. I’m surprised the agent isn’t responding. We have allowed rebooking for this year but expect (hope!!) the film crew will have it next year as they are scheduled for another series of a well known comedy drama!

Oh no poor Cornwall. Please don't come to Wales we are CLOSED 😁

I would be surprised really .NT properties are often quite old buildings and dont really lend themselves to Social Distancing! We live by the South Coast and all car parks /loos and so on are closed . Will have to see how things go but best not to plan anything just yet maybe

I think I’ll ask the holiday booking agencies I’ve used to look at this thread and give us some advice then.

No.

I think it's very sad the way a lot of people are reacting to this. It's brought out the most narrow-minded, xenophobic side of people.

We have loved visiting Cornwall every year, but now I know the mindset of most country dwellers, I will find it really hard to ever visit again without feeling that hostility.

It feels much worse than anything to do with coronavirus, it feels like a general air of misanthropy. A hatred of "town folk" as if we are a different species, especially Londoners for some reason.

London welcomes and celebrates diversity, celebrates visitors and tourists. Our hospitals welcome people from all over the country for specialist care, and in fact sometimes the world. There is never any resentment aimed at "outsiders". I would go so far as to say that there is no such thing as an "outsider", just people you haven't met yet, who are just as likely to be great as anyone else you know.

This has left me with an incredibly poor perception of people who live out there in the country. Little Englanders, you can keep Cornwall and I will go elsewhere.

Well according to Gordon Ramsey it was never closed! His move from London to there had my blood boiling.

I agree with you cloudspotter. I do not necessarily find the Cornish welcoming. It’s a strange mixture of business people who are inclined to over charge for house maintenance, poor service (4 months to make and fit basic curtains) and the general feeling that you shouldn’t own a house there. I’ve met people who have moved there and love it. They say they like being cut off from the rest of us busy people but at the same time hate the EU who funded road upgrades and tourists who pay their wages. I do find it an odd mix!

However I love people like Nathan Outlaw and others who offer a genuine welcome.

Nowhere will be open normally in July !

I'm assuming not for holidays but hoping we can get to Exeter to pack uni daughters flat as lease ends at the end of July!

I'm Cornish and live in Cornwall and am happy to have people come and visit, (live in very popular village) but will only welcome it when it's truly safe to do so!
We live between two holiday homes so yes please come and visit Cornwall but only when it's safe please

Quite literally none of us have any clue whatsoever. I don't know why you're even asking.

None of us can gauge it because the picture changes weekly and none of us can read the minds of government officials. Funny that.

Anyway, who cares about flipping Cornwall? Some of us have spent 3 x as much on holidays to spain/Caribbean/America etc.

Pfffft. Cornwall indeed.

London welcomes and celebrates diversity, celebrates visitors and tourists.

Londoners moan about tourists all the time, particularly if they meander slowly along the pavement or get in the way on the tube, and plenty of Londoners don't celebrate diversity.

44% of people in Cornwall voted remain and 40% of Londoners voted Leave. There are people with different opinions in both areas.

I see that owners of second homes in Cornwall have been claiming the £10k grant to cover losses because they’d registered their holiday let as a business.

I’m sure if the properties lie empty all summer then the government will continue to cover this, won’t they?

And they’ll extend the furlough scheme, yes?

So effectively, Cornwall will still be getting paid, even if it’s all closed up, for the foreseeable future.

In which case, you’re right to object to tourism. It’s just spreading germs, and perhaps you really should get a police road block on the A30 over the summer. And if actually lockdown is lifted, perhaps just stand on bridges over the A30 chucking eggs at passing cars hoping that some of them hit tourists.

Or something.