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?

Really sad to see this thread degenerate again.

People are afraid of this virus. People are a threat to each other.

If and when it is safe for people to travel on domestic holidays, I’m sure it will be a welcome relief for many.

Of course we’re afraid of an influx in Cornwall. It makes the overcrowding of the summer months not just irritating but potentially dangerous.

I hope it’s safe enough for those who want to come here this summer to do so. And that the local population can feel safe while this happens.

I just drove along a stretch of the A38 near the tamar bridge and saw two cars with roofboxes heading west, and one motor home, and a handful of other cars that appeared to be local. Maybe mildly representative that the vast majority of people are continuing to be sensible and stay at home.

I have just spoken to the owner of where we are staying in July to ask for a refund and he once again has said he won't issue a refund unless he has to by law. He also said to ignore the 'locals' as we are more than welcome. Sorry but if the government advice is it's safe to come, then we will. I won't go in your shops, go into your towns and I don't want to speak to anyone who's attitudes are as awful as they have been on some of the posts on this thread. As I've said previously, I am medical, I work in a hospital and I work in science. I know how to keep you safe from me and me safe from you. Maybe as a previous post has said take the time to get your towns in order before your summer visitors come because they will come regardless if there is no instructions from our government otherwise. I think given the choice a lot of people would cancel but if they are being refused their hard earned money refunded back to them by some of your 'locals' that is not going to happen. You can't just say to people not to come. It's a free country. I do think your hostilities and concerns should be raised within your own communities against holiday letting agencies, hotels etc etc rather than to the people on here that have done nothing wrong except to book a holiday and then ask for their money back.

The R number is three weeks old, with all our computer whizz bang technology we really are dinosaurs in the UK re: data.

Italy is a lot further on as far as the virus goes than the SW of England. Just because they are doing it now doesn't mean the SW should now.

Hopefully this will be a storm in a tea cup and we can get schools open ASAP and tourists to the SW can be welcome once again.

Not talking about now @ITonyah, talking about July, or when the government say so!

Well then tourists would be free to go wherever they want. They might not be welcomed by all, but they'll have to weigh that up against their need for a holiday.

No Tonyah, it is not about their need for a holiday as you insinuate, it is because fello locals are refusing to refund their deposits. Suggest you have a word with your neighbourly holiday let owners.

Nobody thinks the SW should do that now.

Italy have been 3-4 weeks ahead of us throughout I think. Some would argue less.

Perfectly reasonable that some hope the SW might follow Italy in 3-4 weeks. That means prom for some of the season.

What’s unreasonable about that?

fello locals are refusing to refund their deposits

It should be noted that a great deal (maybe even most) holiday accommodation is not owned by locals.

Yes the two holiday lets in our village are owned by someone who lives in Cuba!

I know we're talking about trips out in May, not potential holidays in July, but unfortunately our National Park is heaving today. The hordes started arriving this morning, with car parks already filling up early, and a constant stream of traffic since. The word out there is that social distancing is often not happening or not possible, and our little village shops are inundated with walkers, cyclists, motorcyclists and daytrippers looking for toilets and refreshments because nothing else is open. Thanks covidiots and thanks Boris. It is being reported that the R rate is already on the way up again, so why they allowed unlimited travel this weekend, I do not know. Herd immunity? Actually wanting a second peak?

There is going to be a second wave, trick is to Maher sure it’s not going to overwhelm the nhs. Given that the first wave didn’t, I think we can crack on, cautiously.

Oh wow @ITonyah, Cuba is lovely, try doing a swap with them?

Oh wow @ITonyah, Cuba is lovely, try doing a swap with them? they won't want my house for 2 weeks!! I'd love to go to Cuba though.

You're going to have to buckle up - camp sites can open in July.

And if people aren't getting their money back they are going to take the holiday. If people don't like that then have a word with the holiday companies. We have nothing booked but I'm buggered if someone would get my money for nothing.

We've had an email from haven saying the holiday parks will look very different. They'll only have the shop and launderette open and no pool, arcade, club house etc.

They can only open if 5 criteria are met ie no risk of a second peak. Will be interesting to see what happens after schools go back.They will also clearly be restricted in numbers and operating at lower capacity so there will be less people in Devon and Cornwall than normal in summer hopefully and social distancing restrictions will be in place. I think most people in Devon and Cornwall would be happy with that. If there is a risk of a peak it won’t be happening they’ve made that clear.

Had an email from airline yesterday saying my flight to Newquay for 4th July has been cancelled. Wasn't intending travelling but was waiting for airline to cancel us. Rebooking accommodation for next summer

@ballsdeep - have you been offered a refund?

Yeah full or rebook. We will rebook for next year

Original op, I would defer your holiday to next year as there is just still so much uncertainty and I can't see much changing in the next few months.
We were meant to be coming to Cornwall at the start of July but have postponed it, got a credit voucher to rebook, hopefully for next July.
I totally understand why locals are so nervous of visitors coming when nhs resources are so thin on the ground. We will go to Cornwall again when it is safe to do so, might be be next year might be 2022 - it will still be as beautiful.
We always go at beginning of July when our schools have finished up (Scotland) and it's fairly quiet - ds has autism and epilepsy and can't cope with crowds or busy places. I've always felt welcomed in Cornwall but then always have the attitude that if you're nice to people they'll be nice too.

why they allowed unlimited travel this weekend, I do not know. Herd immunity? Actually wanting a second peak?
Good question. Why are we in the UK one of the only countries in the whole world allowing unrestricted travel in to our airports? Unfortunately a second peak seems to be exactly what our government wants. As if having one of the highest number of deaths and the higher death rate in the world isn't good enough for them.

We shouldn't have any unnecessary travel. The priority is the airports. London's R rate was down. It can't stay down with wide open no checks or quarantine airports.

People could have holidays and tourist reliant businesses could start to recover if the airport situation was dealt with. The R rates could stay low and consequently holidays could be safe. The airport issue is our collective problem.

Original op, I would defer your holiday to next year as there is just still so much uncertainty and I can't see much changing in the next few months.

Chance would be a fine thing.

We've booked a cottage in Suffolk from 4 July. Because Boris has indicated that everything will reopen from that exact date, we've been refused a transfer to next year, and any refund is also out of the question. We desperately do not want to go, but no way can we afford to donate £1200 for nothing, especially as we're now struggling financially for reasons that we couldn't possibly have foreseen when we booked in January.

Sorry Suffolk people, but will be going, however very reluctantly. We'll take everything with us so that we don't have to mix with any locals - not because we're at all worried about bringing the virus with us. We're much more scared of catching it from you.

Before anyone starts banging on about holiday cottage owners living in Cuba, ours is definitely owned by locals.

Before anyone starts banging on about holiday cottage owners living in Cuba, ours is definitely owned by locals

I'm not "banging on". It was an interesting observation - and true.

Before anyone starts banging on about holiday cottage owners living in Cuba, ours is definitely owned by locals

It's irrelevant who owns them! They employ local staff to clean and maintain them and get people to contribute to the local economy by holidaying there!

Cornish people may be jealous of second home owners affording them, but that's life!