'We will decide when the lakes are open' AIBU to be irritated?

[Aberforthsgoat]

Just been on the phone to my cousin who lives in the Lakes. We were discussing how Cumbria has been really badly hit; I was saying how gutted we are to miss our Lakes holidays this year but how I hope it gets under control for the residents, and we are so looking forward to being able to go when we can.
My cousin said 'IF you can come'
And I acknowledged that of course, we would absolutely not come until it's safe for everyone to do so and government says we can; even then we would make our own risk judgement
My cousin responded by saying, quite smugly 'it doesn't matter what the government says,the people who live here will decide when its open, we are keeping people out at the moment'
She proceeded to tell me how much they all hate tourists and how they would blockade to keep people out if the government lets people visit too soon

I understand it must be scary and I would be worried if I live there too but AIBU for thinking this is quite a nasty reaction?! It's made me feel like actually maybe I won't go back, which I know is petulant and cutting off my nose to spite my face, but it's left a bad taste.

I had no intention of finding a loophole so I could go, I was talking about next year or the year after hopefully!

I have a family member who lives in Edinburgh, she hates tourists there.

Her livelihood does not rely on tourism so to her they just make transport, restaurants, events etc uncomfortably busy and she sometimes finds them either annoying, disrespectful to the area they are visiting (littering, poor parking etc) or downright rude to locals. She does realise without these tourists she wouldn't have the same choice of restaurants, events and transport would be less frequent etc.

When you live in a tourist destination there will always be a bit of love/hate conflict going on.

I wouldn't have taken that to mean blockading the roads. The people who provide holiday accommodation or services will of course be the ones to decide when they want guests.

YANBU to be annoyed that your cousin was rude and unfriendly towards you.

As for her views on the Lakes, leave the residents to battle that out amongst themselves. Some locals are dependent on tourism, others aren't. That's an interesting conversation for them to have amongst themselves and, their representatives with government.

Your cousin obviously has her own personal irritations. She obviously knows, that all the locals can't blockade all the roads and paths in the Lakes, to stop the tourists.She will also know, that it is bad for business, not having thousand of tourists seeking out all the natural beauty of the area.

Given the green light to travel there now, will mean that people,will more than ever, want to travel to beautiful places, which will annoy the locals, who have had a more peaceful time of late.

Please don't label us all the same, many of us can't wait to see you back when it is safe to do so. There is a section of community, mainly retired with this viewpoint who bought houses before they got expensive. The majority of those of working age work or support the visitor economy and this is having devastating effect. We love our jobs working with visitors and showing them what makes this area special and can't wait for you to return when it's safe.

I suppose the charitable view is that she yearns to feel "in control" at a time when so many of us are feeling powerless ... or failing that she may just be a tosser

Anyway you'll have the last laugh when the cost of living there gets even higher to make up for the loss of tourist income

Because whenever I'm there i hear huffing and puffing about how slow they walk, how they stand on the wrong side of the escalator etc etc

and rightly so, but that applies to anyone who feel they are too superior to bother with basic common sense, not especially the tourists
Anyone can walk as slow as they want, as long as they stick to the side..

Tourists are EVERYWHERE

If you really don't want any, stop all hotels, restaurants, B&Bs, campsites... as long as there's anything open to welcome them, they ARE welcome. If people don't like it, they can move to a more quiet place.

I used to live in a seaside town. I was quite gobsmacked about the way some people referred to tourists - one lady ran one of the seafront fish and chip shops which absolutely relied on tourists to keep her going. She was awful about them and didn't take kindly to anyone mentioning that they were the reason she was able to survive.

I live in Cumbria and this has recently kicked off a row on our local FB page. Someone has been out putting posters up telling visitors to go home. Another local saw them and disagreed - took a photo and stuck it on Facebook.

I was actually pleasantly surprised to see everyone agreeing with the person who put the FB post on. The vast majority thought that if you can can come to the Lakes and social distance safely, then why on earth should it be a problem? The person who put the posters up got a lot of stick for it.

A lot of car parks are closed, though, as are public toilets so if you drive up for the day you could struggle, especially if you have children.

Well we have a property in the Lake District so we will be going up this weekend for 4 nights...we have no choice as our Insurance states that the property can only be unoccupied for a certain amount of time or they won't cover. We can't and won't risk that!!

Meh. They can keep it closed for me. Went once and that was enough for my lifetime. I found it (the parts I visited) very oppressive and soulless.

Italy and Greece seem to have a more welcoming attitude as they come out of lockdown .

@littledrummerbouy I didn't realise that going to a second home is now allowed? Is it?

I can see both sides.
The lakes depends on tourism.
But at the same time they don't have the amount of hospital beds that other places have which makes people scared if hotels etc are going to reopen.
But your cousin was a bit ott in the way she spoke to you especially as you hadn't said you were on your way immediately so to speak.

I am very torn on this, yes, it is irritating but on the other hand I live in rural Yorks, not a v attractive part and we have had endless problems with imbeciles roaming all over our farmland, leaving gates open, and generally being a massive burden when things are hard enough.
But the lakes will be impoverished without tourism, and they are struggling now.

@littledrummerbouy well I'm sure if you speak to your insurance company they'll be able to make sure you're still covered, considering that if you went, you'd be going directly against the guidelines.

You should not be going to your second home and staying overnight. It's this kind of attitude that pisses people off.

My brother lives up there. Not born and bred, just happened to be fortunate enough to be able to buy a property up there. He HATES tourists. Hates them clogging up HIS fells and HIS roads.. He's incredibly fortunate he does not make his living out of the people he sees as such a pain in the arse. Attitude would be different then, I suspect.

I think these attitudes which seem prevalent in 'beauty spots' like Cornwall, Cumbria and Wales will come back and bite these people. Personally I feel everyone should boycott these hell holes and then see what the local population thinks about tourists/grockles/emmets as the locals see their economy tank even further than it has already.

Well it's not my "second home" technically....it's the only home I own and we rent at the moment nearer to Dh's job. Temporarily and only for another 6 months.

I will be driving up with food and walking in the door and weeding the garden...I don't plan on going anywhere else to be honest. I don't know what current guidelines are in regards to second homes but it's my home and it needs tone looked after unfortunately.

Maybe I will try the peak District next year or the year after

It's not the not wanting people to visit, I understand that. It's the ' we'll decide when visitors can come' attitude

I don't know what current guidelines are in regards to second homes but it's my home and it needs tone looked after unfortunately.

You shouldn't stay overnight away from your primary residence, regardless of the reason.

"Essential travel does not include visits to second homes, camp sites, caravan parks or similar, whether for isolation purposes or holidays. People must remain in their primary residence. Not taking these steps puts additional pressure on communities and services that are already at risk."

www.gov.uk/government/news/covid-19-essential-travel-guidance

I AM staying home @GrandAltogetherSo im talking about next year or the year after

Driving up for the day and then driving home (which guidelines allow!) is more risky imo as We will be too tired to drive at night.

My brother runs a hotel in the lakes and they are VERY keen to open and get their jobs back. Not everyone is the same OP - your cousin sounds awful