People living in tourist spots should probably be concerned right now.

[MonkeyToesOfDoom]

Now that Boris has said people can drive for exercise and leisure, you know they'll flock to seaside's, lakes, peaks, etc.
Which means if they're carriers they'll be spreading the virus to petrol stations pumps, gates, railings etc.

I don't get the logic behind him saying that tbh.

Surely they’ll get people to stay within their county.

My county is tiny and mostly a city- so we regularly cross into the neighbouring county, the boundary is a residential street. If you restrict everyone to their own county then I suddenly would not be allowed to shop in the local supermarket I have been using up until now. Not all counties are the same!

You are correct op but you can't argue with stupid.

People seem to think there are two choices: eternal lockdown or just getting on with it.

In fact we should be working to get it under control now we can come out of lockdown properly. The PM's announcement absolutely puts these tourist places at much greater risk.

As an owner of a business in a tourist hotspot that relies totally on tourists, I doubt there will me a mass influx of tourists. All public toilets are closed, restaurants, pubs, hotels, b&b's and cafes are closed and the only shop open is the supermarket.. Anyone that wants to drive from their home better be prepared to use the countryside as their toilet.

@MMN123

I've read what you've posted, several times as you keep repeating yourself.

You come across as very easily offended. The fact that you keep trying to prove that you're not kind of speaks for itself.

Surely they’ll get people to stay within their county.

How on earth would they police that?

Plus - my nearest supermarket is in a different county to my house.

“Lucky enough to live in tourist spots” ...actually living in a tourist spot has huge drawbacks. Where I live has become much more touristy in the past few years, and Summers are much less pleasant as a consequence.
But the issue with the virus here is that we have an older population than average ( lots of people retire here) and no hospital anywhere near. So a surge in cases has always been a worry.

Definitely, OP.

@supermanisdead

Not sure why you think I’m easily offended. Is it because you live in North Devon? That’s where my family was from. You keep saying I’m offended at having to stay away during COVID. I’m not. I’m offended at the attitude I’ve seen from posters in Devon and Cornwall over the past few months, which confirm views I’ve seen in person - but ignored because I’m not easily offended.

Why do you find it so difficult to accept that people in the southwest have been offensive? I’m offended because they have been offensive. That doesn’t make me easily offended.

Anyone that wants to drive from their home better be prepared to use the countryside as their toilet

They sell special trowels to people to do just that. It's exactly what backpackers do on long hikes. 👍

@MMN123 I think supermanisdead is a good example of the people and the attitudes you are describing. A fair few pp have also mentioned the rudeness and hostility from residents of the SW, so your certainly not the only one to feel this way. Your coming across as very balanced and reasonable in comparison to super who just sounds like a bully and clearly can't read as you stated a couple of times this isn't about a reaction to Covid but their general hostility towards tourists.

Honestly the Gov could be sued or something letting people into the Lakes - a pp has said most people aren’t admitted to hospital. That is true! But please please consider we really aren't being miserable buggers for the sake of it... we’ve never had a worse thing fuck us...

A) we really really seem to have a terrible strain here. It is so serious, I know healthy fell runners still (after 6 weeks) bed bound. I’m saying this for your benefit - it couldn’t be more serious. It won’t seem like it if you’re in a normally affected area, but the Lakes are fucked. As in, pretty young people being felled by this. If you’re over 50 please consider yourself high risk. We’ve just had a friend out of ICU which was considered a mega victory (her lungs are buggered now though) as we have a high mortality rate and yes have lost a lot.

B) most of those I know have had it, you’re at risk from us (not vice versa).

C) And a lot of those have had it seriously bad... ie have family caring for them. If you visit and get it, who’s to care for you? Also consider practicalities - if you’re renting holiday cottages they’ll want you to pay if you’re ill or not and if you need to overstay (it is a business).

D) It doesn’t matter if most aren’t admitted to hospital, it still pushes up our numbers and the hospitals are basically geared to local numbers only.

E) those who’ve had it/ still have it are really worried about dying in a second wave (fell runner included). And we’ll need all resources available inc hospital beds.

F) we’re genuinely grieving. We’ve lost friends and neighbours. No it’s not the plague, but it feels like it’s not far off. One week we had just too many, it has been heartbreaking. Last time I went for a walk in the woods I found our neighbour crying in secret there, because she’s just lost her husband and didn’t want her family see her break down. So a walk in the woods doesn’t feel so merry or a relief, we’re all a bit raw.

Basically..... We’re an area where lots of people work in tourism, and I don’t know anyone who wants the Lakes opened. C19 is the worst, it’s taking people too early, it’s ruining people’s MN (I mean those trying and still failing to kick it), it’s leaving us all feeling like shite. C19 can do one!!!

@MMN123

You've taken the view of one relative and a few posters on Mumsnet and decided that you will never visit a vast swathe of the country again.

That makes you easily offended.

But like I said before we will survive and you will too.

I have a sneaking suspicion you will also return to the west country once you have got over being called names on the internet and pulled yer big girl pants on.

No hard feelings - enjoy your other trips.

The sun does not kill the virus in India or Spain or Africa so I don't think it will here on the Isle of Wight.
We're one of the safest places in the UK at the moment...until the ferries and beaches are open...

The sun does not kill the virus if it did we wouldn't be having outbreaks in hot climates where the weather is currently 40c everyday

Except it does seem like the level of infection is lower in hot climates. Certainly here in Mexico we have a really good epidemiologist in charge of the reaction to coronavirus, but the curve for the entire country is starting to flatten at about the same number of infected people as the city of Chicago has.

Surely they’ll get people to stay within their county.

I don't live in a county.

@purpleboy

Thanks!

@supermanisdead

You’re deluded. Sorry to have to say so. The West Country really isn’t that special. A large part of why I always used to take trips there was because I know how dependent the economy is on tourism and for a weekend break it’s ok. It’s a difficult place to earn a living.

But it’s no easier to get to than Wales or the Peak District and folk in those places really are nicer and more welcoming generally. Devon and Cornwall folk seem convinced they live in the best place on earth and everyone should be grateful to get to look at it occasionally. I really won’t be returning. I’m delighted you love it there. But don’t be surprised if you’ve put a lot of people off. The UK is a big place. Plenty of other counties to choose from.

@AlecTrevelyan006 lol, thanks for the laugh! They are building wicker men as we speak!

I don’t work in the tourist industry, but all the people who live in my village who do are desperate for visitors. I’ve neither seen nor heard any hostility to tourists, only to selfish people, local or otherwise, who flout the rules to suit themselves.

I have also had many, many conversations with fellow locals who rely on holidaymakers, along the lines of ‘even though I’d love to be opening up to the tourist trade again, I am enjoying seeing the village/countryside etc like this (so quiet, good weather etc).

These two ideas can co-exist here without it meaning that people in Cornwall all hate tourists, which is nonsense imo, and goes against all the evidence I have seen year after year.

amber763

That doesn't include all the money spent by the UK Gov on behalf of Scotland - foreign aid, defence, diplomatic service, infrastructure, borrowing, etc etc

As you know Scotland isn't independent, so clearly there is money spent here that isn't spent by the Scottish government. For the last few years we have not been net contributors. The same as most areas in the UK that are not the south east of England - it's no big deal that we are subsidised, nation states normally share out resources between higher and lower earning regions. Best not to spread misinformation.

I agree also with the above point that all of D and C ain’t all that. Some parts of Cornwall in particular are grimmer than grim. I live in a bloody beautiful place, and consider myself very lucky, but loads and loads of people here are not so fortunate.

@ Notmyrealname855

It’s a truly dreadful illness. I’ve been spared so far but my neighbours on both sides have had it and as I was going out to the shops this afternoon a lad was being loaded into an ambulance further down my road - couldn’t have been more than early 20’s, clearly struggling very hard to breath. Very shocking to see. One neighbour is seven weeks down the line of recover and still breathless with slight exertion.

Everyone should be staying close to home for the foreseeable.

A large part of why I always used to take trips there was because I know how dependent the economy is on tourism

Yeah sure you did.
I know when ever I go anywhere I do detailed research on their economy and how my £250 can help.... 😂😂😂

Imagine not visiting a place because somebody from there said something you didn't like on the internet once.

One of our friends does holiday cottages (again... in Lakes... sorry for yammering on :) )... she’s not too worried about losing this season, as thinks international travel will be hard for the next year, so more likely that people will (if allowed) holiday in the UK.

So if you hate the Lakes/ Cornwall / Peak District / wherever after this, you might be a bit stuck and have to choose another hated area :) I’m gutted as just want to get away and forget all about this... dreaming of France! :)

I think there will need to be a limit to how far people can drive for exercise otherwise some people will drive for 200 miles down the M5 for exercise.

If the weather is rubbish there is literally nothing to do here. Everything is shut. I don’t think there was anything about hotels, caravan sites, etc opening up on Boris’ speech so I don’t know where people will stay if they do come. Devon is not that great when it’s raining for days with nothing to do!