Would you visit Brixham right now?

[Me20176]

Well, not ‘right now’ exactly but in mid-June. We have a holiday cottage booked in the area where the boil water notice has been lifted but it remains in place elsewhere for the time being.

Looking at the news, it appears Brixham remains a ghost town with bookings cancelled up until August. I’m concerned about the parasite still working its way through the community (individuals can incubate for up to ten days before getting symptoms). It’s highly contagious meaning it may be continue to circulate for a few weeks and eating out could be a risk.

What would you do? Would you go? The holiday company tell us we aren’t entitled to a refund because the water in their area is now safe. AIBU to consider cancelling regardless it should I just get on with things?

I don't know too much about it, buy I thought it was only contagious via injected faeces?

If that's the case I would be tempted to go and just be scrupulous about hygiene, and maybe rely on m&s dine in/finest meal deals if I didn't want to cook.

Have you asked if you can reschedule rather than cancel?

Infected!!!

I would drink bottled water but beyond that, yes. Cooking isn't an issue because boiling kills it anyway

You say you're in the area of Brixham, so why not eat out elsewhere? The rest of Torbay - Paignton or Torquay - was unaffected. Or there's Totnes if you're the other side.

I'm in Torbay. I haven't been to Brixham lately so don't know if it's a ghost town at the moment. But the rest of Torbay feels pretty normal.

What did you decide to do? I'm booked for July. The water problem is still ongoing with a boil notice over several areas. It's more the person-to-person transmission that I'm worried about, particularly in a seaside town where zero hours contracts forces people to work when not well.

Today's tests are still showing parasites in the water. Locals are not convinced they have found the source. I don't want to lose my entire summer holiday budget but I also don't want to go away and be anxious for a week!! @Me20176

I wouldn't risk it tbh.

@WishIMite We are going. We’re not staying in the part of Brixham that remains affected but the plan is to drink only bottled water anyway.

The holiday company told us our payment is not refundable because the water in the cottage is fine. It is a worry though…we won’t eat out in Brixham but will do in nearby areas. I’m not convinced the impact isn’t still working its way through the local community. It’s all utterly rubbish, really…

@Me20176 It's very rubbish... we also have a non-refundable payment.

Videos a couple of weeks ago of sewage being pumped into the harbour so the usual fun things of swimming in the sea and eating fresh fish are also seeming less appealing. It makes no sense to me that the boil water notice is lifted for the lower town but not the upper town - I assume it's just because the upper town is still testing positive but surely it's the same source? Public health have said people will keep getting sick for two weeks after they've isolated the issue (which as of yesterday they still hadn't done).

I feel as though I'm going to be anxious for week!

@WishIMite Oh my gosh I didn’t know about raw sewage being pumped into the harbour…I’m really feeling anxious about going. We’d lose so much money though, and our son is so looking forward to it. I’m going to drink only bottled water, wash my face in water that’s been boiled, not eat out in the local area…and hope for the best. I have health anxiety anyway so I really can’t see how this holiday is going to be very relaxing!

@WishIMite I wonder whether there’s any way we CAN be refunded?? I have no idea of what the law would say but I imagine we have very little hope…

@Me20176 I have emetophobia so this is not my ideal holiday....

I've found out that the main town is served by a water line that wasn't affected, so that's reassuring I guess. But it's just the levels of sickness in the community that are high, which is grim. I don't want to drive for evening meals - parking and driving is horrible there!

@WishIMite We are en route to Brixham! I’ll let you know how it goes…🤞🙏

Bottled water for drinking and teeth brushing. Consider what you eat in and out carefully - I would avoid salad/raw veg/washed fruit, ice in drinks when eating out. I'd basically just treat it as I was if I was on holiday in Turkey in terms of choices.

@WishIMite We are back! My son and I used bottled water for drinking/brushing teeth/washing faces. We ate out in Brixham a couple of times - fish and chips, seafood, and had lots of ice cream.

I avoided tea/coffee out and about (because I am extra). My husband drank coffee from a takeaway place and washed/brushed teeth using the brixham water. He did have a dodgy tummy twice during the week. Could have been the holiday diet though! (Lots of rich food/alcohol.)

I had no issues, I wasn’t worried, and many places were busy, with people happily eating and drinking.

Definitely go on your break and don’t worry about getting sick.

Thanks so much for the update @Me20176 !!

I'll definitely stock up on bottled water... We'll have the car so can bring lots. Hope you continue to remain in good health!!!

Did you manage to relax and enjoy yourself, or were you a bit anxious?

@WishIMite i wasn’t worried at all - which is quite unlike me! I think maybe I was a bit anxious at the start but after the first couple of days I properly relaxed and forgot about it for the most part (except when drinking the bottled water and faffing to wash my face in it)

There was nothing to suggest there were any issues in the area; life was going on as normal, town was busy, pubs and restaurants at least half full. A local cab driver said his wife was avoiding drinking the water but swimming in the sea everyday. He was happily drinking the water with no issues.