Locals in Britain's second-home capital claim they are being forced to live in caravans and sheds as overpriced homes are immediately snapped up by wealthy Londoners, it is reported.
Families living in the Cornish village of St Minver say their community has turned into a ghost town, partly caused by the surge of wealthy visitors over the holidays. Covid.
The village is located a few miles inland from the Camel Estuary and Polzeath, where celebrities such as Gordon Ramsay, Rick Stein and David Cameron own holiday homes.
Research from 2021 found that almost three-quarters of homes in the village and surrounding seaside resort were second homes, but locals believe the current percentage is much higher.
The notice board in the village post office, which was saved through community fundraising after the previous site was sold, reflects this situation with advertisements for classic car storage, property management services and changeover day cleaners.
A recent planning application from a developer to convert the village's only pub, the Fourways Inn, into six holiday homes has sparked a wave of objections from villagers.
Landlord James Mercer, 69, who has run the pub since 1983, said the number of houses left empty throughout the winter meant it was no longer sustainable to remain open all year round.
He told The Sun: “I'm for it because if he gets permission it will be sold and I can retire. If not, I can't do it. Since Covid business has been a disaster. We have been closed since September because it simply doesn't pay to be open in the winter, no one lives here anymore.
“If you walk around in the middle of winter, there might be three houses with lights on.
“What used to be a healthy local trade has just disappeared because of second homes. Second homes are part of everyday life, but there comes a point where it becomes too much and that is what we have now.”
Asked how he assesses young people's chances of buying a house near where they grew up, Mr Mercer said: “Fine if they have a few million in their pocket, if they don't forget.”
Janet Tatlock, who has lived in St Minver since 1999, says she feels she is looked down upon by 'rude' second homeowners who are caught off guard by the area's narrow country lanes and cannot reverse.
She said: “I've seen a lot of changes with second homes. It's no longer easy for the locals and the traffic is twenty times worse than when I moved there.
“I don't have an ax to grind with them, for the most part they are fine as long as they are polite, but some of them look down on you, in many cases they are rude and can't drive. They don't come into the pub. I think people are drawn to people like Rick Stein and Gordon Ramsay, but it's always been a popular place.”
A spokesperson for Cornwall Council said: 'Cornwall continues to experience extreme and unprecedented pressure on housing and we have the utmost sympathy for our residents who are unable to find a home. There are many reasons for the current pressure, which has come to a head in the aftermath. of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The boom in house prices and demand for holiday accommodation caused a significant and sudden reduction in the availability of properties to rent. Private landlords moved away from long-term rentals and focused on the short-term vacation market because Covid-19 Travel restrictions have increased demand from people wanting to holiday in Britain.
Others sold their properties due to high sales prices on the market, partly caused by the shift to working from home, which saw more people looking to move to Cornwall. This was accompanied by an escalation in private rental costs.
“As a council we want a Cornwall where our residents can 'start well, live well and age well' and having a home is an essential aspect. While there is no quick fix to the current housing crisis, we are committed to delivering appropriate housing for our residents in communities where they are needed.”
The council said it is working to build more social housing for local residents, buying open market homes to convert into affordable housing and has a new strategy to increase specialist supported and accessible housing in the county.