Is there any ethical way to go on holiday to Cornwall WRT the housing crisis?

[MonChoufleur123]

Husband wants to go to Cornwall this summer and stay in a holiday let. I'm aware there are huge problems for local people with all the houses there being bought up for holiday homes and a shortage of affordable housing. Is there any 'ethical' way to go and stay in Cornwall without being part of this problem?

Hotels are generally really shit for stays longer than a night or two, and doubly so if you have a family. I don’t want to have to get dressed for breakfast, and only be able to have breakfast between 7:30 and 9:30, and most hotels are completely impratical for a family. I don’t understand why more hotels haven’t also got a sideline in serviced apartments or suites.

Glamping!
I stayed in a safari tent in Cornwall that had an aga! There was a field and play area for the feral children too. I wish I could remember the name of it. I think it was in Lamorna.

Look for holiday lets on working farms. Most are propping up the farm business financially and are usually converted redundant old farm buildings rather than housing that locals have been priced out of.

But surely if you wanted to you could just buy a tent? They're not in short supply and you've got at least 6 months for it to turn up before your holiday! And it'll be a lot cheaper than the cost of a holiday let in Cornwall in the summer.

We've booked for a caravan park near St Ives this year.

I would be grateful to even have visited or had a childhood in such a nice place, it's a shame people feel so entitled.

I can reccomend a great local owned business in camel Ford who have a family run b&b. We have stayed there a few times!

For the cost of a holiday let you can buy all the camping gear you will need and be able to reuse it for several years. There is a brilliant National Trust campsite that is wonderfully basic so very eco friendly. Not to everyone’s taste but it’s popular with keen campers who don’t like clubhouses and holiday camp environment.
There is a short walk to a beautiful cove where swimming is great and you can join the coastal path. No pub but close to Fowey and Polperro which have some brilliant restaurants and pubs.
There is a big barn there you can use in wet weather to dry your stuff.
We have camped there a few times and the DC love it. You need to book in high season because there are only 15 pitches but with it being mainly families the children tend to gang up to play. It’s also dog friendly.

The coastline is frequently visited by dolphins, a couple of years ago DS found himself swimming close to a pod.

We have family down there who have a small fishing g boat and we frequently see seals, dolphins and other wildlife while out fishing. It’s a beautiful area of Cornwall close to the Eden project and Heligan. I much prefer it to the north coast although it’s not far to drive up there to visit.
Another must is a visit to Inkies, a smokehouse inland, for brunch and a walk along the river to the wsterfalls.

Hotels don’t work well with young families IMO. I don’t want to sleep in a room with my kids, but also they can’t sleep in a room by themselves in a hotel (unless adjoining rooms but they seem rare). Once they’re asleep I don’t want to sit in the dark in the evening, I like to have a different room to go to.

The cost of buying a tent plus a camping pitch will still be cheaper than a holiday let, especially if you get one now while the sales are on.

We have to self cater as the children have allergies. We often stay in shepherd's huts/annexes in someone's house/a quirky rural house that is unlikely to work for someone to live in. I try to avoid just normal suburban type houses etc as they could be a good home for someone. Plus we like staying in slightly quirky places.

Am not a huge fan of caravan parks because you sometimes get very noisy groups. But we sometimes have a bonus holiday somewhere like that.

We do spend in the economy eg at attractions, shops etc. because we don't spend on eating out we have more to spend on activities and similar treats. I would love to eat out more /stay in a hotel with the children but need to have a lot more confidence in the catering industry first

It's not entitlement to wish to live near your family. It's good for society for people to have family and community networks (and I say that as someone who moved away)

Thanks so much for everyone's suggestions, really helpful. I've found somewhere with converted outbuildings on a family run farm that's dog and child friendly so booked that. I suppose technically we are still taking up potential affordable housing but it's hopefully less impactful than using a buy to let holiday home owned by someone who doesn't live in the area.
And yes the investment re camping equipment is totally true... one for next year when kids are older I think😀

This!

Exactly! Bet they don’t say it’s entitlement when it’s people wanting to stay in / around London…

Hmm, like many Londoners then who are 'born and bred' and who have moved out because they couldnt afford to live there. Probably quite a few Cornish people have moved to London in the time I had to leave my home town.

We self cater all the time but we dont eat in, we eat out for nearly all meals including breakfast.

Not including cheese and crackers most nights obviously but thats after we get back.

You can do that in a static caravan or lodge.

Are you living under a rock or something? Londoners are seen as the most entitled if we want to remain in our home town.

Stay in dedicated holiday accommodation eg caravan, chalet, hotel, etc

I don’t think you understood my point at all but well done - sums you London folk up well, everything must always just be about you.

Can recommend white acres - just outside of Newquay. Caravans and lodges, it’s park dean, so on site pool, resturant, shop, takeout, club house and small arcade. Also 13 fishing lakes on site if thats your thing.

Or buy a tent, for around £500 you can buy everything you need (less if you can pick up second hand gear) and you have it for future camping trips too. I stayed on a farm with a campsite when mine were small, near Porthtowen, kids were allowed to "help" collect eggs (definitely a hindrance ) otherwise a simple set up with plenty of space, less than 10 minutes to beach with life guard, (I would recommend picking up cheap second hand wetsuits if you can in advance). Too long to remember exact name and things change but as an idea it works great, just don't forget to buy seats with holders for your evening beer

I suppose technically we are still taking up potential affordable housing
I'd say that's probably fairly unlikely. I know a number of farmers who have done this sort of thing and it's always been because they need the income from the holiday business. With the possible exception of creating a granny flat or starter home for a member of their own family I don't know anyone who would have converted their outbuildings were it not for income from holiday rentals, and at least some of the time planning permission will have only been granted on that basis.
I suppose in theory, any building is potentially a permanent residence, but in practical terms I don't think many of the cowshed etc conversions specifically done for holiday purposes would have happened otherwise.

The locals have no problem with the tourists, it is the second home owners they don't like, but it is the Cornish selling to them in the first place.

Just go to a holiday let.

Headland hotel?if you watch Simon reeves Cornwall youl see how they support the community.its a good show youl be interested in I think.good on you!