Is a UK cottage holiday safe?

[confused202]

I’m sorry if this is an odd question but I’ve a cottage booked for a week in South Devon in June- I was really looking forward to it! With things the way they are do you think it will be safe to go by then? Thank you

Also, I think it's funny that people are going to be driving several miles from home to second/holiday home without, apparently, making no stops on the way! So you're not traveling with a little superspreader in your car? Someone who will want a toilet or an ice cream every five minutes?

@Wannabangbang 'should you bring coronavirus to the country side' do you really think this virus is currently confined to the cities? it is everywhere - all over the country, kids & young will of had it, got over it and not showed any symptoms, 1000's of daily deliveries and people interactions visiting where you live. Let's see how many of the over 70's (Countryside or urban) actually start to self isolate on Friday as requested.

We cancelled our weekend away in June.

I’ve got no kids so won’t be making a stop on the way during the 1.5 hour drive. I still want to go for nice walks in the countryside, government advice allows for that.

@Holothane how much cancellation charge did you have to pay?

Noticed last night that cottages.com are allowing bookings that are before the 21st May to be rescheduled up to 12 months later without charge. Whether that cut off date gets extended into the summer remains to be seen.

There’s a balance to be had.

No, you wouldn’t want a family of five going to a holiday complex with three en route stops. You wouldn’t go if you were unwell. If you’re not stopping, are going somewhere isolated from other properties and spend locally then it’s potentially a good thing. I suspect BJ is still going to Chequers and the Queen’s off to Windsor.

You might want to keep rural businesses afloat though. All our local second homes are occupied now and that has brought healthier, younger people to support the very elderly population. The local shop and pub offering takeaways are being supported to survive.

The mental health boost going away brings is a definite advantage.

Rural areas already have the virus. Some rural areas have better health care access than the major cities and fewer immigrant staff have been pushed away by the Brexit culture or a desire for home, at this time.

Part of me thinks as a family of essential workers in London by June we’ll all have had it and be immune!

Seriously though, I have a June booking for a cottage. It’s a tricky one. I’ll follow whatever advice is out by then and I’m not speculating for now what that will be, if there’s still a warning out against travel I won’t go.

Cherry, how are these young, fit second home owners supporting the local elderly? Have these young, fit healthy been tested clear for CV? If these people are keeping local businesses such as pubs going, does that mean both the business and the clients are practicing social distancing? Doesn't sound like it to me.

Not all rural areas have the virus yet. No cases yet locally to me, but tourists and second home owners will bring it in.
Honestly think anyone doing this should be ashamed of their callous selfishness. We don’t care if incomers shop locally. We want our residents to stay alive. Causing deaths by only thinking of yourself.

Wait until closer the time before doing anything. The advice will be different then. It will either be safe to travel or we'll all be in lock down. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst.

I would hear in mind what happened in italy.
All in tourist areas. And ski chalet
But also planes.
How many people got it from the people before them on the planes and chalets?? And in the bars.
Devon etc already seems harder hit than it should be, likely due to tourists over or after half term.

We are booked for the first week of April. About to cancel it.

Got a booking for something at the end of August too, so hopefully that one will be okay by then. We know the owners of the cottage we've booked in the Summer so I'm fairly sure we can make some sort of arrangement if needs be.

I just wanted to say that cottages.com have been very good about this and we've now changed our Easter booking until October half term and keeping our fingers crossed. Give it another month OP and I'm sure you'll be able to postpone your booking.

Some will think I am being selfish but we intend on going to the cottage we’ve booked in a couple of weeks as long as the company don’t cancel. I don’t think we can claim on the insurance otherwise? Does anyone know?

I don’t want to re-book in the next 12 months and don’t see why I should have to. If they cancel, I will want a full refund, either from the company or from my travel insurance provider.

Selfish doesn’t cover it. Risking the death of other people.

We had no cancellation charge it was a weekend at a premiere inn, in Wales.

Sir Vix, my District Council area of 4 very small towns and numerous villages and hamlets is, so far, clear. I would like to keep it that way! Our shops and cafes wouldn't survive too long anyway, with lots of sick or dead residents. I'm awaiting with dread the expected influx from London and Bristol, no doubt with a liberal sprinkling of virus carriers. Do they not look at the news? Italy, France and Spain have all had exponential spread due to people leaving the capitals just before the lockdowns. What seems clear to me is that the people in those countries (and the posters on MN) say they are younger people, often with children. So ones not particularly at risk themselves, but prime candidates for spreading the disease. The only reason they're heading our way is that they don't want to 'endure' any restrictions on their personal freedom.
Utterly selfish.
I'm hoping Cherry might tell us how these people are helping the elderly in our areas.

Why was it ok for vulnerable disabled and elderly Londoners to be put at risk? They probably didn't want everyone flying into London (before heading out to their homes across the UK) bringing the virus there. Or commuting into London after ski holidays in Italy. Their concerns were dismissed as hysterical, overreaction, or insularity.

Don't go OP. The danger is the locals driving you out with pitchforks. Coronavirus is everywhere already but there's a lot of anti London attitudes in places. Presumably they're jealous of the deprivation, unaffordable housing, and high levels of homelessness.

Trying to prep, No, it wasn't ok for people in the cities to have been exposed to the virus. All comings and goings should have been stopped weeks ago.

I agree @Gorse

I also agree no-one should travel from anywhere right now (excepting essential workers and emergencies like fleeing abuse). I was uncomfortable with the unnecessary hostility towards Londoners expressed by some here (something I see a lot) but I appreciate the genuine concerns about unnecessary travel. It all should have been stopped weeks ago.

Until the government actually ban travelling, with proper sanctions, then people will continue to travel - delivery drivers, working people and others are coming and going all the time across the whole country, including holiday makers.

I fear it’s all a bit “too little too late now”.

Like I say, if there is no travel ban and no refund then we will be going - this is the current advice from the holiday company so it’s not individuals you need to be getting cross with it’s companies and the government.

We often go to the seaside for the day now we are retired and we intend to carry on doing so. But we will pack a picnic instead of buying pub food locally and only get out of the car in remote areas.

A kind of life has to go on.

Gorse. Younger not young!
Delivering hot meals
Collecting produce and circulating it
Checking on very elderly twice daily

Providing logs
Organising virtual activities such as book club and WhatsApp chat group
Organising delivery systems for people’s prescriptions etc
Dog walking
Volunteer drivers to take to essential appointments
Buying take away from the pub
Buying from local shop
Running email group between close villages where people can ask for or offer help.
Lending laptops and iPads with support to use them for FaceTime etc

The majority of second home owners are already well integrated and know everyone anyway. It’s a very small community.

You won’t know whether it is already in your community.
Most people- even the most vulnerable survive (92% of over 70s from Chinese figures). That’s not dismissive but suggesting a need to resist mob mentality.

Wow, Cherry, proper wartime spirit where you live! I just hope all these volunteers aren't carrying CV around as they go. Our 2nd home owners are far too aloof to actually participate in the community.