To think Cornwall has gone down market?

[ispofbaid]

Not my opinion - that of my friend. She said she was down in West Cornwall for the bank holiday weekend and the crowd seems go have changed a lot over the last five years.

I really dislike the 'the Cornish are unfriendly', 'northerners are downmarket' etc generalisations that threads like this produce. There are half a million people in Cornwall - some of them are friendly and some of them aren't. Like any other sample of half a million people. We're people, going about our lives, with our own concerns, daily joys and worries - a bit like you.

I know right?, also there is most likely a word for tourists in every language, it is not an insult just a word. I feel like these threads are an annual part of Mumsnet now. although I haven't seen anyone commenting about the entire population of Spain are welcoming to tourists yet. I wonder why?

I'm originally from Cornwall and it's not a Rick Stein theme park- it's an actual place where normal people live, including lots who are quite poor, famously. Maybe she just bumped into some locals who weren't cosplaying for her benefit.

When I was growing up people came to Cornwall because it was cheap, so maybe it's also getting back to its holiday roots. Imho that's a good thing. Last year when I went to my mum's (popular tourist place) it was totally dead, in July/August. Some resetting of the tourist trade is a good thing, including a reduction in overpriced, poor quality holiday lets.

My mate is a teacher on a 30 grand salary and has stayed there.

I find it baffling that your friend is describing one of the most deprived counties in the U.K. as a bit downmarket. Would she like all of the families who have lived their for generations and seen mining, farming and fishing decimated whilst house prices soar due to second home owners moved out of the county for five months or the year so that she can enjoy her holiday more? Or would it simply be easier to exterminate then?
But then it turns out she's not saying that it's due to the locals but to the "northerners". What would she like? A gate on the A30 and everyone has to answer some questions about their income and social connections? Most people were happy when road over Bodmin Moor was turned into a dual carriageway but let's introduce massive delays into the county just so your friend can mingle with the right sort of people for a few days a year.

Interesting.

I'm a midlander and hadn't realised that my presence in a seaside town renders it downmarket.

Emmets are ants or what the Cornish call tourists. Similar to Devonians calling tourists Grockles.

Definitely upmarket. Properly posh people are either broke or tight as fuck.

I agree with your friend. Lots more loutish drunken behaviour in S'nives last summer than I've ever seen before (Cornish).

I live in Cornwall. There's definitely been a weirder bunch of miserable tourists in the school holidays this year. Can't say I blame them - spending a small fortune to stay in a caravan in the rain would put me in a bad mood too... Still no need to be rude.

We are not rich and we holiday in Carbis Bay.

There are holiday lets for around 1k for a week.

St Ives is always full of Brummies. It's the reason I avoid it now. St Mawes is where southerners and posh people go Although last time we were there a drunken local was ruining the peace at 3 pm on a Saturday afternoon.

"Emmet" is the Cornish language word for "ant". By extension it's applied to tourists since they swarm everywhere.
Sometimes used in a lighthearted way, sometimes not.
It's not racist. It might perhaps be equal opportunities hatred...

There have always been "rough" parts of the County like there are in any county! I wouldn't recommend Redruth or Cambourne for example. Towns generally have their "rough" areas. Like many a high street anywhere atm there seem to be a lot of charity shops in Helston.
If you want to enjoy the real Cornwall you need to stay away from the touristy spots and enjoy the remote and often hard to find spots that the locals enjoy.....and no, they probably won't tell you where they are!
Also Cornwall out of season is lovely. Christmas in Cornwall is beautiful - especially Mousehole with the harbour lights.

I don't see the problem.
She's come to Cornwall and didn't like and hopefully won't come again.
She's telling her friends so hopefully they won't bother coming either.
Now her friends are putting public post out there to put people of coming.
All pro's from here.

@Beezknees well lots of people don’t like tattoos.

There’s always been the working class types on holiday in Cornwall, l think the allure of holiday lets which could potentially house more guests than officially allowed draws a varied demographic. You see groups of rowdy types more than ever, but that’s the same where ever you go.

There’s a lot of international tourists, many Europeans, lots of Chinese/ Thai / Japanese and recently more Indian families. It’s a very diverse mix of people nowadays, everyone is welcome.

Yes, but it doesn't mean that people with tattoos are awful people that should be avoided.

I live in Cornwall have done all my life and I don't think I've gone down market nor has the town I live in. I also dislike the stereotypical nonsense about Cornish people, 500,000 of us do not fit into the same little box, and we cannot be that bad as 5 million tourists came to Cornwall last year. If you should get into difficulties surfing or swimming or kayaking it'll be my DH and other Cornish people that'll rescue you so no we're not all bloody rude, some of us maybe but then a lot of tourists are bloody rude, especially when they rudely park on my driveway, drop litter everywhere or let their dogs use the beach as a toilet.

Hmmm. Interesting you should say that. We’ve been going to Cornwall every year since about 2015, and for the first few years we stayed in self catering accommodation in Watergate Bay. Then one year I left it a bit late and ended up having to book a place in Porth instead, just down the road. Despite the apartment being managed by the same company as the one we used to rent, and being objectively better (closer to the beach, larger, better facilities) it was cheaper and I couldn’t really work out why. It’s true that Porth beach isn’t as good for surfing but it’s better for families… now I’m wondering if there’s a snobbery/poshness ‘tax’ at Watergate Bay!

@Beezknees of course not. But generally speaking people with neck/face tattoos and/or “kyran, rheece, Kayleigh” with birth dates on their chest might just possibly be more likely to want Butlins type holidays, smoke and be quite loud.

I am aware that tattoos do not mark people out as working class/loud/drinkers.

I’m also aware that the neck tattoo brigade are just as likely to be kind and lovely as the next person.

But I love St Ives for the peace, the art, the light, the food, the surf etc. If I wanted arcades, chips and lager I’d go to Skegness.

I’m a northerner who visits West Cornwall every year- three times this year. Our cheap housing in back to back slums and family to help with child care means we have more disposable cash to go on holiday there. 😉

I don't know about upmarket / downmarket and don't know Cornwall very well (have been once many years ago).

But I have noticed that since the pandemic everywhere is packed and crowded, from bars to various tourist destinations. And tourist behaviour is more inconsiderate. It could just be because of the overcrowding effect but something has shifted. And not for the better.

OP why start a thread based on what your friend thinks? That in itself is pretty odd behaviour

I live in Cornwall and this “northerners” thing is silly. Most of my colleagues are from the North because of their damn good universities. it really isn’t an issue

The downmarket comment is also a bit silly since we have low wages here. So, the whole of Cornwall is actually “downmarket” and the only people with money are the people on holiday regardless of their accents. And good for them! I hope they have a great time.

Carbis Bay probably has suffered a little because of this tiny little thing that’s been happening all over the world. Since Carbis Bay is indeed part of the “world” it is also affected. You might want to Google “Global Cost of Living Crisis”

But I’d also try and become an independent thinker as well and stop wasting your time causing arguments with strangers on the internet because it’s pretty sad behaviour.

Reminds me of that 2020 anti Cornwall thread started by a sad loser who name changed several times to fill up a thread about hating Cornwall. Mumsnet called out the sock puppeteer- Are you back? ☺️

youre kidding me? They let NORTHERNERS in to Cornwall these days?

I’d also like to note that not a single Cornish local has ever been rude to me or my family ever. I do try quite hard to respect the places we stay in and not to piss people off though!