Will Devon & Cornwall be ok to go to in July?

[EinsteinaGogo]

We are in a real dilemma.. We have to pay the balance on our holiday in the next couple of weeks which is about another £800 on top of the £400 deposit already paid.

We've gone for a self catering holiday flat on the Devon / Cornwall border for last week of June /
first week in July.

Don't really want to go if the touristy places we'd usually go to aren't open but our holiday company are only offering a reschedule so will lose our money if we cancel. We have a family wedding next year (hopefully) so we don't want to rebook.

We were pretty sure we'd still be in lockdown and be able to get a refund but now that the new rules are in place, I don't know if we are or aren't allowed to go.

AIBU to think we should be able to get our deposit back?

I agree, it's selfish. I'm desperate for a break. Haven't had a holiday in the last 3 years and put up with so much stress and abuse and loneliness. I'd booked to tour the Yorkshire coast line with my boys like I did as a kid. I've changed it to next year.

It's scary the amount of people who will flood to Spain when travel restrictions are lifted too.

Your husband has a partner so no need to tie your ds up outside.

The vast majority of people in the SW don’t rely on tourism and don’t work for it. Those in the financial services, Met office, agriculture, NHS, schools etc really aren’t going to be impacted by the selling of novelty tee shirts. We’ll be all out buying the ice creams this summer instead of abroad which will help some.

Aside from that cafes continuing to prosper doesn’t trump lives lost unnecessarily to CV from the entitled insisting on their annual holiday.We’ll have to suck it up.

Exeter and Cornwall are hardly comparable are they.

I think they are!

Polar0pposite quite.

No! Never go anywhere ever again or even think about Devon and Cornwall again. Absolutely dont look at photos or worst of all watch any television programmes with them in. It's the height of selfishness honestly how could you even consider it.These are local places for local people and we'll have no trouble here. Get off my laaaaaaaaand

@BetsyBigNose
Stay home, don't be an asshole.
Is that available on a t shirt or car sticker?

I know everyone wants things to get back to normal but this is not the time for mini breaks or holidays. It would be incredibly selfish.

Do you not think maybe tourism will be allowed slowly again as in holiday parks operating at lower capacity so therefore allowing people to go but keeping numbers down?
What if it's still here next year people may be survive just at the moment due to furlough but that won't And can't last forever if fact from August I believe companies have to contribute
I've seen several small business online saying they are struggling all across the uk business will shut down to think this won't impact your economy is very Unrealistic .
To think also that 20% of your economy is a small amount bearing in mind that our economy in general is going to be pretty bad as well and it won't have a huge knock on affect .
I agree you don't want people in the masses but if and when it is announced it's safe to travel maybe some plans should be being thought of , just like how Spain etc are thinking of how it can be managed

Yeah, those bastard supermarkets only letting people in one a time and making them q! And the schools! How dare they not go back!

Perhaps people and businesses should do things differently during a pandemic?

Unfortunately elderly DF lives in Cornwall so I have to visit occasionally though always out of season. Also because DF has lived there for about 25 years he is friendly with the locals though he is still an outsider, they are not too friendly down there to tourists anytime was the impression I got which is similar to many locals on this thread.

Also do you really think no one from Cornwall will cross the border once travel is allowed , I know many will and as more return to work as well
I think the we are shut stay away until next year is not a totally realistic either as you don't know that we will be all Free of this next year either . Maybe looking at how some tourism could be allowed gradually when things are allowed is better than a go away attitude

How many were born in Cornwall that are complaining as well

Do you not think maybe tourism will be allowed slowly again as in holiday parks operating at lower capacity so therefore allowing people to go but keeping numbers down?

I can imagine that being a possibility @Easilyanxious. Maybe a sensible one.

@rookiemere and yet we were able to claim. People must try their insurers first - whilst many people will be sacrificing the cost of their holiday deposit (which I appreciate is not ideal in the current climate) many of these businesses are looking at losing an entire years' income (particularly as the tourist season in Devon/Cornwall comes to an end in October.

“ Do you think the residents haven’t been campaigning? Realistically, there’s not a lot we can do. It’s up to the owners, who just seen pound signs and don’t care about the community.”

This is not the fault of people who booked holidays in good faith before the virus broke out. Why should their money be worth less to them?

I have to admit that I am being facetious here. I just think it’s unfair when people are reasonably speculating about something due to happen weeks away that is worth a lot of money to them (and realistically the holiday is likely to be cancelled in due course one way or another) to be met with TOURISTS ARE LITERAL MURDERERS NOT WELCOME HERE. The problem is not people wondering and speculating. The problem is the lack of certainty about anything generally

I just don't understand this.

We have a virus that kills maybe 0.7% of the people it infects. Maybe 1%. We know that (very sadly) the average age of deaths is about 80 and that those who are at risk of dying are either mostly older or vulnerable in some other ways. We know that if you are under 65 and healthy you are extremely unlikely to die from it and that many sufferers will not even experience any symptoms, with a minority feeling rough for a few weeks and still more just feeling very mildly ill.

But the tourist areas of our country would rather lose 1/5 of their income and see local people fall into poverty which might last decades than open up to visitors. Poverty which will lead to people losing homes and experiencing dreadful domestic abuse and suicide among other things.

I just can't get my head around it. Cornwall is poor even with tourism, surely?! And you were already going to lose EU funding, I thought? Even if we fully come out of lockdown tomorrow, we are already heading into a pretty dreadful recession at best - so that means the remaining 4/5 of your economy potentially being very badly hit in complex ways. It's not all going to remain the same with local businesses thriving.

I get peoples' fear. I really do. The virus is invisible and can be indiscriminate on the very rare occasions it kills younger, health people. But sitting with that fear and making a decision which will utterly cripple your region for decades isn't rational. Surely it's better to have conversations about how to lessen the impact of people coming. Be very clear with signage in shops and restaurants and hotel that you would like people to be responsible and not gather in groups/queue separately/ etc. for starters.

I am happy to stay away if that is what people want, I want to do the right thing. I will visit in a few years time. But I think as an area you will massively regret telling people to stay the fuck away.

It is SO interesting to me that across Mumsnet you see people responding to even the vaguest questioning of the rules and how they apply as though it is the height of immorality. As though to even imagine leaving one’s house is a mortal sin and makes you a LITERAL MURDERER. People are allowed to talk about things

I just think it’s unfair when people are reasonably speculating about something due to happen weeks away that is worth a lot of money to them (and realistically the holiday is likely to be cancelled in due course one way or another) to be met with TOURISTS ARE LITERAL MURDERERS NOT WELCOME HERE

Do you disagree that tourism from cities to the SW will increase the infection rate?

I wonder if parks will remain closed this year and open at a reduced rate next year. Very complicated this year as people would surely be entitled to refunds for reduced services such as pools.

You'd like your deposit back and I'd like not to die from you and other tourists bringing Covid-19 to my front door. I think I win - like I said; don't be an asshole - it's only money, not a human life.

and yet, slightly upthread, we read:

husbands auntie she does - says she may as well be dead with Covid if she doesn’t have an income for 2 years, and the assistance offered by the govt/benefits won’t stretch far enough to keep the business alive. Her plan in the next few years was to sell it on and retire but she can’t sell a business that’s not made it through the pandemic.

This lady is just one of millions who are suffering terribly, even though the vast majority will never actually contract or badly suffer from the virus itself. The financial and mental-health impact is real and it's massive.

There are lots of buinesses in the south west that don't rely on tourism! How extraordinary that you "don't believe it".

I elaborated on why I don’t believe it. Do you care to comment on/gainsay any of my supporting arguments or would you rather just repeat your original statement and assume that that proves it?

Your husband has a partner so no need to tie your ds up outside.

So there are no key-workers doing 12-hour night shifts whilst their partners and children need fresh food and supplies when the shops are open, then?

The vast majority of people in the SW don’t rely on tourism and don’t work for it. Those in the financial services, Met office, agriculture, NHS, schools etc really aren’t going to be impacted by the selling of novelty tee shirts.

Who pays the government workers’ wages, then? Where do the government get the money to do this (when they aren’t borrowing billions to deal with pandemics) if not from taxes? If all of the people who currently run businesses that do rely heavily on tourism lost their businesses and then, instead of paying healthy amounts of tax on their profits into the system, had to go on benefits to survive and take from it?

I live in a relatively rural county and am aware that we too cost the country more overall than the residents pay in tax - even down to maintaining a road network that will be used by possibly tens of people in a day rather than the metropolitan ones that will have tens of thousands of daily users. Personally, I hate the idea of living in a big city and am glad that I don't have to, but I fully understand that we, as a whole country, need them - just as the city-dwellers need us to grow their food.

*even down to maintaining a road network that will be used by possibly tens of people in a day

Obviously, not the main roads - but there are miles and miles of minor roads that don't carry a lot of traffic.

I elaborated on why I don’t believe it. Do you care to comment on/gainsay any of my supporting arguments or would you rather just repeat your original statement and assume that that proves it?

20% tourism and hospitality here. Thst leaves 80% of non tourism related business. Plus hospitality applies to locals.

“ Do you disagree that tourism from cities to the SW will increase the infection rate?”

I haven’t said anything of the kind. Has the OP actually been to the SW and infected you? If not she is not deserving of your hatred

“ Do you disagree that tourism from cities to the SW will increase the infection rate?”

I haven’t said anything of the kind. Has the OP actually been to the SW and infected you? If not she is not deserving of your hatred. FWIW my parents live in the SW, my mother is a doctor working on the “front line” and my father is self isolating from her as he is vulnerable. My mother is actually trying to help people like you and is putting herself and my father at risk to do so. I understand the worry. But I don’t understand the hatred and nastiness towards people who in all innocence booked a holiday well before they were at risk of being MURDERERS

I can't believe some of the comments on this thread! Mostly that reasonably intelligent adults are basing their opinions on a bunch of idiots posting on Facebook.

We've lived in Cornwall, near to a very popular holiday spot, for 20 years and can honestly say that I don't recognise so much of what has been said. We have never been made to feel like outsiders, and have friends who are both Cornish for generations back and who are incomers. We all rub along perfectly happily. One nearest neighbours (1 mile away) is in his 60s and was born in the farmhouse where he still lives. It wouldn't surprise me if he'd never crossed the Tamar but that doesn't mean his lived experiences are any less valid than mine. Him and his wife have always been very friendly and helpful and hopefully we reciprocate.

I think there was a lot of fear when the crisis hit, and understandably many people down here were concerned about the local health services ability to cope. Cornwall has been one of the poorest, if not the poorest county in England for a long time, which is not commonly known. I think it was perfectly understandable that people didn't want hundreds of thousands of people coming here purely for that reason. I sympathise with those who have lost money or the longed for holiday they were looking forward to, we are also in this situation having booked to go to Spain. I think the majority of people here are resigned to the fact that this summer will look very different to what we're used to but their reasons are not because they dislike tourists or "emmets" (to correct a pp "Grockles" are those who go to Devon I think) And if you find that term offensive I think you need to get a sense of humour- are you seriously telling me that no other regions in any other countries all over the world don't have affectionate nicknames for people from other places. I suppose I should refuse to visit my sister in NZ because I might get called a whinging Pom !

One thing this has shown me is that some like to respond with hysteria in a time of crisis- doesn't matter whether they're in Cornwall, Devon, Lakes or on MN (you've only got to read some of the crazy threads on here). In reality I think you will find most rational people appreciate that no-one wants to see their local hospital overwhelmed and although some may think it's just them, just for a week in a holiday cottage, the reality is that the population of Cornwall goes from around 500,000 to 800,000 in a normal summer. That's quite a big jump. No One is realistically going to be out with pitchforks, and if they are I would suggest they are very much in the minority (and quite possibly in need of help). Many of my friends and acquaintances work in the tourism industry and it is a hugely worrying time for them too. Their whole livelihoods are at risk and Cornwall does not have a wealth of opportunity in other industries right now (If ever) They work extremely hard and put their heart and soul in to ensuring their guests have a lovely time. For those saying they'll never return, of course that is your prerogative but it seems quite childish to make a judgement based on some social media sound bites. Would you also never visit France, Italy or Spain because they currently have closed their borders. Or should I never visit my sister in NZ because they've closed theirs.

Why is it so hard for people to appreciate that most of us are coping with this as best we can and let's try and be a bit understanding about others' perspectives sometimes differing from our own.

Will now get off my soapbox!

@dazed but you can't claim off your insurance if holiday is cancelled then who you booked with is expected to refund you and if you cancel you can't claim as it's considered your own fault
Insurance would only pay if you couldn't go because you were ill or something , deposits in general you loose if you forfeit but sorry if I had paid £600 to a holiday company and I can't stay as they are shut I want my money back as in have to also feed my family , many people have lost their jobs or income as well
You can't have it both ways , yes great if you can move it until next year but many may be dubious to do that incase the business goes out of business