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?

@Polar0pposite no but you live in a county that relies heavily on tourism that's a fact . So with that comes negatives to , this year is an exception but other years you do have to put up with it I'm afraid
I wonder how many Cornish people moaning bout tourists are actually Cornish born and bred

Not by me they won't @Amatteroftime !

Yes they should be refunding, but that’s not the residents of Cornwall/Devon’s fault! Don’t punish them by potentially killing their family members because greedy holiday operators won’t refund.

I understand that everybody is on edge at the moment and that it won't by any means be all of the people who live there, but I really cannot understand the widespread nastiness from many in Devon and Cornwall towards tourists from the rest of the UK (or from abroad, for that matter).

We haven't made it there for quite some time, but we love it down there. We've never knowingly experienced any unpleasantness at all, but this is now starting to make me wonder if all of those apparently happy and welcoming people were just wearing fake plastic smiles and inwardly despising us, thinking "Just give us your money and get out of here".

It seems to me like a domestic version of all the BNP/EDL sort who want to have all the takeaway options, the corner shops open long hours, the overseas-born doctors, nurses and care workers, the fruit picked, all of the cheap consumer goods etc. but at the same time it's "F-off, foreigners, back to where you came from".

Plenty of businesses and individuals have managed to be perfectly pleasant during the enforced or advised restrictions and closures in telling people not to come, without angrily wielding flaming pitchforks and hurling abuse.

I'm starting to wonder if, once this is all over, we should have a secret ballot of all of the permanent residents of Devon and Cornwall to ask if they genuinely want to welcome respectful tourists and their money or if they want them all to stay away and leave the place strictly for the locals and their own internal economy. That way, at least we'd all know where we stand. Obviously, nasty, rude, boorish people are not welcome anywhere - tourists or not.

Maybe the poll could be taken in all of the popular UK tourist destinations. Just supposing we discovered that the majority of folk in the West Country didn't want us but the majority of those in, say, North Yorkshire or Pembrokeshire were happy to welcome well-behaved tourists and appreciate the big boost to their local economies that they also brought with them, we'd know where to go and where to avoid and then everybody would be happy. Just don't start complaining about deprivation or London and the rest of the country not caring about you if you've made it abundantly clear that you'd rather go it alone.

@amatteroftime of course not all will stay away but do you honestly think all holiday places will survive no one staying this season
If a couple go bust then that's less tourists for next year as less places to stay etc
It may well be that there is nothing open this year but if you don't think that will have a knock on affect for next year
Not all places will survive

@TeddyIsaHe but many of them are owned by local residents

Of course not everyone in the South West hates tourists. It is truly amazing that people can't get their head around not being welcome BECAUSE THERE IS A PANDEMIC.

@ITonyah but people are only on about coming if it is safe to do so
If travel is allowed and holidays etc ,people will be going Cornish people included don't think they won't

Why do you think it will be safe to ignore social distancing in 6 weeks?

First you should request to defer the balance payment until 2 weeks before the arrival date.

Second I would consider rescheduling for either a. September or b. next year, wedding notwithstanding.

I don’t think you will be likely to be able to stay anywhere until at least July, but it’s hard to tell with the government’s shambolic approach.

Third, it’s very quiet in Devon hospitals at the moment, there are few cases in Devon. The Exeter Nightingale is being constructed next week.

Fourth, tourist areas will have to open and some point otherwise the local economy will die and the virus will be with us for likely at least another 18 months.

For those thinking of a UK holiday- when and if that might happen- why not consider other locations.

We have a house provisionally booked in Shropshire in July. No deposit as we've stayed there before and in the words of the property manager - it wouldn't be fair to take money until we know what's happening and we'd just be delighted to have some visitors.

It's a lovely part of the world- far less crowded than Cornwall- and also people are very welcomed as there are much less tourists.

Fingers crossed we can go - but if not we're definitely booking for next year.

Plenty of businesses and individuals have managed to be perfectly pleasant during the enforced or advised restrictions and closures in telling people not to come, without angrily wielding flaming pitchforks and hurling abuse

And what if those businesses’ polite messages were blatantly ignored. They would get even a teensy bit pissed off? Because that’s what’s happening in Devon and Cornwall. People were asked repeatedly not to come but they still did.

Nothing is open in Devon and Cornwall. No tourist attractions, no cafes, no restaurants - not even children’s playgrounds. Even some car parks are closed. It’s impossible to get any food delivery slots (because we have a limited number of large stores that deliver).

OP, try to get a refund or move your holiday date. You’ll have a much nicer time when this is all over, and you’ll receive a more normal and warmer welcome.

@ITonyah it's clear by some of this thread that the pandemic is a welcome excuse..... they should be careful what they wish for, no tourism will see empty shops, restaurants, holiday camps which leads to high unemployment and that brings another whole host of social issues.

Really good post @WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll.

Really starting to get annoyed with the
“no we don’t want you!”
Let’s face it ,the Cornish have never liked outsiders and this has always been the case!
I know that as even though I was born there my parents were from London so we were never allowed to feel part of the community.
You live in a tourist place , without tourists money you will suffer.
Understandable saying no ‘now’ but not 3 months down the line .
By July some things will be reopened so if you really don’t want anyone coming this summer ,please don’t then ask for sympathy when your businesses collapse .
Harsh but true

We have Cornwall booked for 3rd week of July - still intending on going. Not bothered if the restaurants are closed as we are self catering anyway or attractions. The beaches will be open and the coastal paths

If schools start going back 1st of June and shops 4th of July there is not reason not to go other than the locals (who should remember tourism makes up 20% at least or their economy)

@Itonyah we may be following social distancing for years yet who knows
But once the government say holiday parks can open. , pubs etc then people will holiday , yes it will be a different kind and it may not happen this year but then we may still be living with the virus next year .

Understandable saying no ‘now’ but not 3 months down the line

If the virus disappears and there's no second wave, then September seems sensible, yes.

Not in 6 weeks!

breatheandfocus

‘Until all this is over’

That could be two years, or never. The West Country won’t survive without tourism that long.

There are a lot of buisnesses in the South West that don't rely on tourism, by the way.

@breathansfocus I think people are aware that places aren't open at the moment as surprisingly its like that across the rest of the uk as well

of course not all will stay away but do you honestly think all holiday places will survive no one staying this season

No I don't think they will, and I'm hoping by autumn things will be different. A few holiday parks have extended their seasons until December to make up for lost months.

But the parks have plenty of permanent residents that pay tens of thousands a year for the priviledge. They just have to stay away for a week of the year for it to be fine.
They all still have their takeaways open, which people are using. Their shops are open.
People needing to isolate from families are renting holiday letsbat a reduced rate.

So they're short, but don't have no income. One of the parks my friend works at probably takes over 300k minimum in permanent residents.

I would pay the balance and go ahead with the holiday if holidays are allowed by then. I assume that social distancing will still be in place but if you are in self catered accommodation you can follow the rules as easily as if you were at home.

I live in the South East and in my town restaurants have already been open for takeaways and Cote Brasserie will even deliver! Those living in tourist areas would benefit themselves if a few visitors came giving enough clientele for places to open up on a takeaway basis.
We are waiting to see if our foreign holiday will be cancelled or not. If it is I will be tempted to stay at home rather than rebook in the UK having seen the unfriendly attitudes of people in tourist areas. It seems they are hoping the government will continue paying them to keep their holiday cottages empty. I would rather taxes are spent on paying people whose jobs genuinely can't happen at the current time such as those working in theatres, cinemas etc.

Tbh locals could torch tourists cars this summer and if the holiday cottages gave a discount next summer they'd be packed.

Agriculture plays a huge part in Devon as do the financial services and Met Office which are big employers, then you got all the gov jobs.

We’re not talking about next year but this year. We do put up with it every year thanks. Even though most of us don’t work in tourism Devon locals brace themselves for a summer influx and get on with it, no pitch forks.The beauty of the county makes up for it and all areas have negatives.

Flight prices are going to go up, international travel is going to be tough. The SW will do very nicely out of this in the long term. Other areas don’t have the beaches and mild climate.

Good luck with your secret ballot.

@ITonyah but there's too many that do rely on tourism and then things have a Knock in affect
This virus is unlikely to just disappear unfortunately so we may have to all live with a new kind of normal for new