Cornish Second Homes - Paradise Lost?

This story by Simon de Bruxelles in today's Times makes for scary reading.

'Surf City' inhabitant Mavis Ward can't believe her luck. She's the only full-time resident in a complex of 30 apartments overlooking (as she puts it) "seven beaches and the sea - the whole of Newquay is laid out before me." The other 29 apartments were apparently bought by Londoners as a second home or to rent out as a holiday let.

Mavis initially wondered where everyone was but now relishes her splendid isolation. "I'm lady of the manor," she says.

Good for her, but is this sort of thing good for Cornwall? A lot of us have long felt that things were problematic, but 29 apartments out of 30 going as second homes and holiday lets? That strikes me as beyond problematic. It sounds like Paradise Lost.

I turn to Seasick Steve for solace. I doubt the former hobo surfs (though who knows, given his extraordinary life?) but there are lines in this song that might just give pause to those of an acquisitive bent. Well, you'd hope so, anyway.

Comments

[Cornish]

29 out of 30 apartments to Londoners is insane. If this continues there'll be no one left in Cornwall. Some villages are already virtually deserted in winter.

[James]

agreed - gone too far

[bloggsd]

'....this town is becoming like a ghost town...'

As you once stated Alex,you can not mess with the 'market forces'.

I was down in Nwqy over the last few days and was shocked at the empty plots of land waiting 4 more of these types of buildings to go up.

It is happening everywhere the north shores backyards area used to be shacks now it is million dollar mansions, Mumbles has lost all it's large hotels to 'flats' and nwqy is catching up.

The mullins estimates up to 5000 bed spaces have been lost in Nwqy, if this is true think about the loss of the secondary spend and cost to the local tourism economy for nwqy and Cornwall.

Mumbles was once a vibrant party place for surfers, students and visitors. The world famous mumbles mile has become non exsistent and the area is now 'old' as young people can not afford to rent or buy here add to this there is very little professional work available in the two areas.

The specials once song a cool tune called 'Ghost Town' this springs to mind when I think of these coastal resorts and the sad thing is it will get worse.

[Sharpy]

So 29 out of 30 apartments that weren't there before are empty= Net increase in population of 1 lil old lady. It's all nasty, ugly old, unsafe hotels that are being knocked down, not like they're listed buildings. NQuay could do with some decent architecture after all. If London folk are barmy enough to pay £150Gs for a one room surfpod then that's their look out.
They are arguably bringing more to the local economy than cheap hotel visitors as they will eat out in the increasing number of descent eateries rather than eating hotel glop and also blaze their gold cards in the surf shops...
I agree the second home issue is a massive problem, I gave up on the idea of buying a house in the south west a long time ago, if the economy crashes those second homes are gonna a real burden real quick...