So can we now go to second homes?

[1981m]

Exactly that really.

[TimothyTerrible]

If it’s wasnt for second home owners and tourists more generally large parts of the UK would be economically destitute. Maybe don’t bite the hand that feeds you?

Tourists and second home owners have diametrically opposed effects on the local economy and shouldn’t be lumped together.

Leaving that aside, no-one around me (Devon) is in any doubt about our dependence on tourism. But that doesn’t alter the fact that our healthcare infrastructure cannot cope with a big surge in people requiring its services. We are in a very difficult situation, welcome visitors and risk an intolerable strain on our hospitals, or ask people not to come this year and risk an intolerable strain on our economy.

There’s no easy solution is there? Maybe understand the position we are in?

[Wint3randSummer]

I don’t thing Devon is dependent on tourism. We have a big city with several different employment sectors and thriving towns all year round.I don’t actually know anybody reliant on tourism, not one. Locals are often tourists within the county themselves and seasonal work doesn’t pay mortgages if you don’t own the business. Second home owners missing out on revenue often live elsewhere and not in the county. On top of the big business and gov paid job sectors there are plenty of self employed people I know working from home or offices in non tourism sectors.

[AlohaMolly]

I have worked, on and off around teacher training and teaching contracts, in tourism for 13 years now. My current job is admin and social media manager for a holiday home management company, all of which are owned by ‘second home owners.’ My income, and many of those in the town and village where we are based, are either directly or indirectly completely reliant on tourism, both from hotels/B&Bs and yes, from those second homes used as holiday homes.

We are not stupid, we know that, ordinarily we enjoy people coming to stay. We don’t have the infrastructure, the food supplies or the attitude to welcome you all back at the moment. We are all scared, both of catching the virus, overwhelming our own health service and dying AND of the dire economic impacts this will have on so many of us.

Second home owners are less liked than regular tourists. Think of it like this, we are just one holiday home management company and we manage over 30 residences, most within seven miles of each other. That’s a lot of houses sitting vacant over the winter and a lot of houses unavailable for the children of year round residents. They also, if they are clever, don’t pay council tax on them.

We DO want you back, but when that is safe and that is increasingly going to be safe for US, not for you, as Perhaps wales and other rural/coastal areas have avoided large numbers of positive tests and deaths so far.

For what it’s worth, our devolved governments does seem
To have our best interests at heart and I think he’s continuing with the harsher lockdown because he knows for our little country to survive, we need a tourism season. I think he’s going to keep us locked down until the last possible moment and then let tourists in for July/August.

[Curious78]

"Unlimited exercise you can drive to" so could drive to exercise in the area and then stay the night there.

No, not in Wales or Scotland.

Sorry OP but I think that's stretching things a little - we'll find out more about it tonight but on the basis of what he said, non-essential travel still stands. That would include travel to and from second homes. The fines are being increased, please be careful.

[Utterlydespairing]

Don’t know why people go to Cornwall when they’re clearly hated.

[Sandybval]

Don’t know why people go to Cornwall when they’re clearly hated.

Me neither, plenty of other beautiful places to spend your money.

[Wint3randSummer]

We go to Cornwall from Devon a lot and have never experienced hate. Wouldn’t dream of going there now or France or any of the other countries we like to travel to. Like most people in Devon and Cornwall we’ll just stay and explore our immediate area. Most locals holiday elsewhere in the summer so I suspect any loss will by eased by locals now staying in county for their holiday.What is this U.K. obsession with piling off to other parts of the country ASAP. It seems to be the main priority for many. It’s bonkers.

[Wint3randSummer]

Everything is closed down here anyway, beaches, moors, woods... so little point unless you have your own private beach. It’s going to be interesting if the second home owners are allowed back but campsites remain closed. 🤔Will also be interesting if there is a spike down here without the medical facilities. SW numbers have been low. Will be uproar if they rise. Hope they know what they’re doing.

[1981m]

Don't worry I have a thick skin and find the rude comments funny. It was only a question. I wish people would calm down.

What's the point? A change of scenery after 7 weeks with two young children at home trying to home school them on my own. Little rest bite for myself. It's by the sea, I find it therapeutic just sitting at the window watching the waves. It's near a beach and a very lovely coastal walk. We live in a city. It's something different for the the kids.

[1981m]

I doubt the beach near the house would be closed, plus it's walkable.

[TwitterTwatterofTinyMinds]

I guess this is a test of peoples' ability to work within the spirit of guidance rather than the letter of the law. In theory I am sure you could now de-camp to a second home in England. But why would you? The movement of people between settled populations is a clear risk to infection control. You would be adding pressure onto an area where typically services are not as well resourced/resilient to cope with additional pressure.

Also, why leave an area with good hospital provision, for one which is likely to have more limited access/capacity. I live 15 minutes from a city with both adult and pediatric ECMO - why on earth would I move to an area where i may be 40-50 minutes from a hospital, with poorer provision?

[ErrolTheDragon]

In theory I am sure you could now de-camp to a second home in England.

No, you can't. Not unless the info on the government website changes from its current clear prohibition.


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

[Bananasandorangesss]

assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/884171/FINAL_6.6637_CO_HMG_C19_Recovery_FINAL_110520_v2_WEB__1_.pdf

Given the government guidance specifically says you can travel for exercise IRRESPECTIVE OF DISTANCE and is completely silent about second homes / staying in primary residence / returning the same day etc - does anyone think this changes the position??

[BiddyPop]

You might think local small beaches wouldn't be closed - there are beaches near me which are closed that have NEVER previously been closed, even when major named storms were coming through and we had red warnings shutting down the entire country. Not beaches that people would tend to walk along either, or set up for the day sunbathing - just spots along the shore where people can go in for a dip. ALL beaches along our area of coast have been closed. Even for locals.

I'm longing to be able to go and see my family, DH is very worried about DMIL, but we can't go to them until the end of July as they are both more than 20km away from us. And we will wait. For everyone's sake.

If you are missing the sea and want to watch the waves, why not find a webcam along the shore somewhere that you would like to watch instead?

[maxiflump1]

This is on the bbc app...

[Somerville]

The details are out and the answer on second home visits is a resounding and very clear no.

1.9 Are day trips and holidays ok? Can people stay in second homes?
Day trips to outdoor open space, in a private vehicle, are permitted. You should practise social distancing from other people outside your household. Leaving your home - the place you live - to stay at another home for a holiday or other purpose is not allowed. This includes visiting second homes.

www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-outbreak-faqs-what-you-can-and-cant-do/coronavirus-outbreak-faqs-what-you-can-and-cant-do

[TinRoofRusty]

Worked for Gordon Ramsay and company.

[Gtugccbjb]

I would

[merrymouse]

I don't understand how beach closure in England would be justified under the new guidelines if people are allowed to sunbathe and play sports in parks and travel any distance for exercise.

[Bananasandorangesss]

@merrymouse agreed - I would be interested if they come out with more guidance for local authorities on this element too

[Zomblie]

Who are all these Cornish people who hate tourists? I've been holidaying in Cornwall twice a year for the last five years (I'm mildly obsessed) and have never ever encountered anything other than friendly, kind and polite residents.

Although, maybe that's because I'm generally friendly and polite to residents in the first place and am a far cry from a white Range Rover owning, litter spreading, noisy, complaining tourist stereotype.

[leasedaudi]

I know of a covidiot who has travelled from his London flat to his sister's house in Newport, Wales. He is Welsh, but lives in London. How did he not get stopped?

[mrsbyers]

No , The Prime Minister has just confirmed in parliament

[Sandybval]

know of a covidiot who has travelled from his London flat to his sister's house in Newport, Wales. He is Welsh, but lives in London. How did he not get stopped?

Who would have stopped him? And how would they have known what he was doing?

[Tarararara]

Boris has just this second said in Parliment that the changes he announced last night/today do NOT mean people can go on holiday or visit second homes.