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 are supposed to be going to be heading to Cornwall that same week, but I sceptical it’ll actually happen. We have already cancelled a long haul holiday for DH’s 40th in May, so although I am expecting it, will be disappointed if it’s not possible.

I don't live in Cornwall but I live somewhere that gets packed with tourists in summer. I'm dreading it this year. My worry is that a lot of asymptomatic people will come down from big towns, and all getting packed together in small shops and cafes...I'd never be unfriendly - all our little teashops and curio shops rely on tourists to stay open all year - but I think I'll just avoid the touristy bits as much as I can.

There is 15 icu beds in Cornwall.

Devon does have more than one hospital plus it also has capacity to build a Nightingale type hospital on the outskirts of Exeter, and planning went into this as a hub for the SW. So, much as I know people are concerned, there is more capacity than they are stating.

I have friends with B and B type businesses and they are taking out the government loans- so someone, somewhere, will have to pay if the tourists don't come.

@enterwith wolves
I think you are right. It is literally driving me mad.

Why do Cornwall and Devon only have one main hospital each? For about 70 years + tourists have about doubled the population there in summers. Why are these increased numbers taken into account regarding medical services?

It would be great if they were! But funding is allocated based on permanent residents, not tourists. Hence the one hospital.

OP, it's very kind of you to actually mull the topic over and not just put your needs for a summer holiday first. I suspect it would be unwise to travel down this summer though. As previous posters have mentioned, there is just one hospital and a very elderly population who likely wouldn't fare well.

@Chiyo666 I think some people who’s livelihood depends on tourism would disagree with you.

Stay home. No one needs a holiday. You will not be welcome anywhere in the UK where there is a tourist trade.

I live in a high tourism area and our local economy is going to really struggle without visitors. The permanent residents just don’t provide the footfall to the businesses. So they’ll be a choice between increased infection and death rates and a significant economic downturn.

Nope. No one I know wants tourists coming down this year.

Not being welcome somewhere is not covered by travel insurance. If the government say we can travel then people will lose money if they cancel as it won’t be covered by their insurance.

I saw this morning on FB our local hotel/hospitality assn. members are tentatively taking bookings for September, they are not expecting anyone before then unless government advice is otherwise. As for holiday lets cottages etc. no chance until the government approves it. This is in Wales though, England may be different.

I live near Bude.

We aren't a theme park. Real people live here, with their shielding and lack of access to shops and delivery slots and GP surgeries and long miles to any hospitals. At the moment everything is shut. Although there are still daily fines being handed out to people driving to Cornwall for a "nice little break".

Only come if everything is totally back to normal (as if), otherwise please come back later.

You will not be welcome anywhere in the UK where there is a tourist trade

Well that’s not quite the case, for people whose livelihood depends on tourists, situation permitting they will welcome them with open arms!

As an aside and purely as a matter of interest (and please before any says anything I am NOT considering going anywhere) are service stations open and if so how does one maintain social distancing?

Put it this way - I'm in Cumbria. We have just under half a million permanent residents in the entire county and 30 permanent ICU beds. That's been temporarily doubled to 60 to help us deal with Covid.

Each summer, 15.8 MILLION people visit the Lake District. That's a huge influx of people and we simply don't have the hospital space for all those people. There's two ICU units in the entire county - Whitehaven and Carlisle. That's it.

We simply don't have the medical infrastructure to cope with that kind of influx this summer. Where do you think these millions of people will go if they need medical care? The nearest Nightingale hospital is over two hours away in Manchester.

I am assuming our July long weekend will be cancelled.

I hope it is OP.

I think it's unlikely but who knows how things will go? If they get it under control and start testing, it might be ok to travel? After all, countries like Taiwan that aren't locked down don't have travel bans.

Fingers crossed for you.

I live in Cornwall and the mood is - normally yes but during pandemic nooooo. Please wait til next year.

I'm not sure the hospitals could cope with the influx of tourists, I think realistically we will be back at work and school by July but being asked not to travel further than necessary.

We aren't a theme park. Real people live here, with their shielding and lack of access to shops and delivery slots and GP surgeries and long miles to any hospitals. At the moment everything is shut.

Precisely. When you come on holiday you're visiting people's homes. They have as much right to be safe and healthy as you do.

I think it might be allowed - but there may be caveats eg no mixing of families who don’t normally live together, please bring your own food to last the entire time etc. I actually think self catered holiday homes might be one of the earlier things to be permitted as people need the income and there is little risk of cross infection provided people don’t go out to shops a lot etc. But I know not everyone will follow the rules so maybe not. It’s particularly tricky when it is someone’s second home as they really do have a right to be there and live there.

There seems to be a lack of comprehension that visitors support businesses and local services that would otherwise cease to exist and be available to the local population.

From the vitriol directed at visitors from some residents, we will be lucky if they ever come back.

@FuzzyPuffling

I completely understand. Although I don't live in a place that attracts visitors, I can completely imagine how I would feel if anyone unnecessarily came to deplete our currently limited resources.

We are just day dreaming, I think. It does seem that the reality is we are likely to be still on the patio here in July.

I do LOVE Bude and your part of the world x

I think it's unlikely it will be ok by July - the risk won't have gone. Even if restrictions are lifted it will more probably be a slow relaxing of the guidelines to stop the economy completely tanking - maybe local travel, or travel to see family. There's a way to go before non-essential travel across the country will be acceptable I reckon.

Yes. I think it will be open and you should go.

As a pp said, they rely on summer revenue to get them through winter.