Asking Locals In Cornwall Their Opinion On Holiday Homes 🇬🇧

There is more to Cornwall than a summer holiday by the sea!
It seems a few of my recent videos have stirred the pot when it comes to highlighting the division between locals and visitors in Cornwall. I decided to take to the streets of the village of Mousehole, which is an acute example of the holiday home and AirBnB controversy, to speak to the locals. The proliferation of holiday-focused accommodation has intensified greatly here in recent years. This is a complicated economic, social and political issue. Most locals accept that tourism and economic growth are needed in the county, but believe a finer balance is required with regard to the ecosystem of local needs and that of visitors. The issue of second homes, often empty for many months of the year, is incredibly controversial. Working class locals are also very worried about the knock-on effects of the cost of living crisis currently enveloping the UK.
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[@davidjessep1786]

This all started when a house started to be viewed as an asset rather than a dwelling. I don’t like what St Ives has become hoards week after week of the middle aged middle class. It’s not for me anymore

[@WendallExplores]

I totally agree with the sentiment of this

[@bumblebee5818]

Nobody is forcing you to

[@williamwilson6499]

Hordes.

[@trentsteele1986]

The Cornish community in st Ives are really nice bunch. But then you have the stuck-up second home owners they can behave like spoilt brats writing bad reviews for local businesses if they don't get own way. You can tell them a mile off by the silly way they dress with expensive designer rubbish outdoors wear.

[@369dabbler]

Totally agree but understand it was the Cornish who sold their homes in the first place… although I agree it is totally out of control and is the fault of local council for not stepping in earlier

[@antman5474]

Those properties weren't stolen they were sold off by locals. It happened in Padstow, they took the money and ran, to St Eval. Money talks no matter what.

[@elizabethrist860]

It’s sad that Cornish people find it hard to rent or buy houses in there own towns and villages, and they must feel angry when over the winter a lot of the second homes are closed up. I love Cornwall but it’s happening in a lot of places, Devon, Somerset which is where I came from before emigrated to Australia 🇦🇺

[@WendallExplores]

Does this happen in Australia too? 🇦🇺

[@elizabethrist860]

No it doesn’t happen over here, people do have holiday homes but it do not affect the community. We love watching your Videos and love Cornwall, when we come home for a visit we come down to Falmouth and stay for a few weeks

[@alisongalloway1455]

It happens in any costal spots I am in Qld Australia and now people from NSW and Victoria are buying anything available in Qld. There are no laws to stop people from buying properties in their own countries. Like them, I could buy in their states. It has put the prices up horribly in Qld. I couldn't sell if I wanted to, as there is very little left to buy. Supply and demand has put the prices of houses up, which means the rents have increased, or owners have sold their rental properties, leaving rentals hard to find. Places that were hidden secrets, once discovered are desirable to others.

[@KoDeMondo]

@@WendallExplores Yes it's happening here too. But with the main difference that Australia city and Villages don't have this sense of locals community, this concept here dosen't exist.. You may find pheraps some good neighbours but after few months they gone already because here the property scam is at inimaginable level and let me tell you that this are shed house made with four pieces of wood and a Steel roof on top! There is also many properties investor here, for them house is just and only a product to invest and made money out of it. In early 90 house in Perth was costing less than 100.000aud now the same house is worth 800.000aud do you think this is normal? Here too, like Canada and New Zealand we have many second (even third or forth) homes many of those house are in Chinese hands that they are hiding away their money from CCP, other investors are Australian too that they generally using their yield from their property to buy more properties, there a video in YT of a nurse owning 11 houses! Can you imagine that? Perhaps people still don't want to understand that we don't own property, this is just a fake dream.. Because the property belongs always to the municipality, that can decide how much taxes and other fees houses need to pay. If you don't pay them your house become automatically confiscated. So de-facto private property dosen't exist but instead we have been deprived of owning property.. And I believe with the upcoming green agenda 2030 this private possession of owning things, like cars, houses etc will be completely removed. We just renting, we will become more mobile, moving around from city to city, we will exchange stuff or renting them instead of owning stuff. There will be less products available, so we will need to learn how to repairs them or just return it to get another used product. This concept of renting is everywhere nowadays look for example music, video, Uber, Airbnb, etc

[@trentsteele1986]

I know but this going on all over the UK. Apparently the rental home prices around the home counties of London are outrageous and going up the month. Even a ex council flat will set you back £250.000. this has been a mass exodus out of the cities and they are heading into the countryside.

[@StevenSmith-mk5fg]

This is a much bigger problem than people realise. I am originally from London (now live on the south coast) and you can walk down streets without seeing a real house. Many have been bought out and developed into single rooms for rent. The killer is that a lot of the people who own these properties are not even in the country. They're international investors. The effect this has had is that it's killed communities and London now feels like a lonely place despite there being almost 9 million people there. You can live on a street for a decade and never even see your neighbour let alone speak a word to him/her. It's the same down here on the south coast in a seaside town I live in. The only difference is that the population is a lot smaller and so the problems are a lot smaller but they're still there

[@rubyparchment5523]

I’m 68, American, Washington DC area. 44 years in snobby suburb 12 miles west. Moved to urban high-rise 3 years ago. There was a young man to left for first year, now unoccupied for 2. No one’s ever been in unit to the right!

[@annglaister]

So sad, the same thing is happening on the Kent coast, so many of our friends were told to quit their rented houses and flats and they were immediately‘done up’ and became air bnb s !!! It’s shocking

[@jonifarrington8468]

Exactly ! This is precisely the reason I came to live in Cornwall! I was forced to leave Kent because of rising prices. First it was Londoners taking over Whitstable then down the coast, Margare, Deal etc… This is what the Cornish don’t realise. It is happening everywhere! When they are ’forced’ out of their local area, they too will be doing the same thing, affecting other local communities and increasing demand and prices!

[@bumblebee5818]

They want the money, but not the people. If the people checked the address of the person that was buying their property, then they could refuse to sell to an outsider it's that simple but do they heck they just want the maximum price.

[@TheRustyPrince]

The old boy is spot on the Cornish people need a voice the calls and questions are totally ignored. Yes we Cornwall rely on tourism we can’t deny that but not at the expense of housing for the local people. Until houses apartments cottages are changed to stop Any new second home owners especially from London nothing will change. There needs to be a change in how easy it is to buy and let a holiday home. Mousehole is so beautiful but is already resembling a ghost town past 8pm. St ives to me has lost its sole which is such a shame 😢

[@WendallExplores]

Totally agree with the above

[@lovereikiASMR222]

It’s so sad. I feel for the locals of Cornwall. Somehow the Cornwall authorities need to get control and enforce a more balanced community before it’s too late.

[@balls9420]

Cornwall Council is corrupt as fuck. We need a devolved NEW government to solve any of these issues.

[@TravellingTorunn]

We have this problem certain places in Norway too. It affects the infrastructure like supermarkets, schools, public transport and a lot more. Some of the places have made a rule that if you buy a house there, it must be your first home and you are forced by law to officcially move house and live there a minimum 6 months every year. It has helped somewhat, but this rule is not everywhere.

[@WendallExplores]

Seems all around the world its hard to find balance re this issue

[@einsam_aber_frei]

That's very good rules. Stop Airbnb and other short-term let. They are killing communities.

[@cathydyer3774]

Thanks. It was good to hear some local people giving us their views. In the old days it would have been mostly locals and some holiday makers in the village. Now it is the opposite - in the summer. Holiday makers coming for a week nowadays (eg a big family with a dog) would only be attracted to a big property with a kitchen and lots of space. They would not be able to manage in a hotel (with a few small rooms, with a bed, 2 chairs and a tv) for a week. There have to be air b and bs and houses or cottages to attract people to visit for a holiday in the first place. Regarding second homes sitting idle in the winter months (and longer) that is a problem. Fewer homes for local people, fewer young people in the village, fewer people to maintain and do the jobs in the summer, fewer people to help look after the ageing population of the community, etc. I wonder if there can be new regulations that state that houses sold by locals from now on must be offered to local people and people with second homes in Mousehole must pay a higher council tax with some of this money somehow being ploughed back into the village to help with repairs to community buildings.

[@blessedbeyondmeasurebennet1531]

This happened in Wales in the late 70s. I went on holiday there and all the road signs were spray painted out and some 'holiday homes' were burned to the ground. Villages need full time residents to survive. Maybe if there was a code that 1 holiday home = 2 permanent dwellings or holiday homes have to pay an extra tariff for their part time contribution to the viability of the village. Hoping a win win situation can b found. LOVE Cornwall, used to go camping there every year. Loved the people, all of it actually. I wish that balance can be found for everyone to succeed. LOVE PEACE WINNING.

[@claudiaphillips7063]

I live in Cornwall and not on low income and yet we still found it difficult to buy property. Second home owners are pushing the price of property up so high it is almost impossible to get a mortgage high enough to buy anything.

[@davegilbert9314]

I fished out of Mousehole in the late 70,s and my extended family were from the village. Pearcey. Blewett. Pender. Gilbert. My ancesters were from the village going back to the days of sail fishermen on the pilchards. My uncle Bob Blewett was recruited to crew for Sir Thomas Lipton on the Shamrock in his Americas Cup bid. Recognising the Pilchard sailors expertise, and their need to ealsewhere in the world when the Blocks went down.for winter. I watched a couple of your videos and recognised 7 Properties where I visited family as a child. I saw this coming when I migrated to Australia in 1988. After watching all of your West Penrith content I realise that I am never coming back even to show my kids around. They may enjoy the place as tourists as they will have a different perspective. Despite knowing this was inevitable,my heart breaks. There was a part of me that always hoped I was wrong. You did a good job but I will never watch any of your content again.My rose tinted glasses have been shattered.

[@liszaf3976]

Of course it's difficult when this happens, but please this has happened every where, we were Londoners priced out of London so years ago with our families we moved to Hertfordshire and Essex ! We are now priced out of here and all our children are moving passed Cambridge and to Norfolk just to be able to get a tiny flat! It always amazes me when I visit London and see all the foreigners and think how can they afford it if we can't! So this is not just a Cornish thing it's been happening around the country for over 30 years it just came to you last!!! But with the Airbnb I do believe that yes in the centre of villages there should be some level of control!

[@heather333]

I visited Lyme Regis in Dorset earlier this year (camping) and was shocked that whole streets were AirB&Bs! All the terraced cottages, perfect for local families, had AirB&B cards in their windows. It's a major problem all along the south cost, including my home on the Isle of Wight. Solidarity with you in Cornwall ❤️. AirB&Bs have even destroyed traditional Bed&Breakfasts. Holiday makers want your house, without you in it! It's madness. The beach huts at Hengestbury Head are selling for over £150,000 - and you can't sleep in them (but they do)! On the Isle of Wight, two bed bungerlows, perfect for families or elderly are being bought up by Londoners who 'enlarge' (demolish and rebuild) them to six bed three story detached houses to use as a second home. They like massive houses because they like their indoor life!

[@trentsteele1986]

I know very weird second home in the country to live indoors and have a indoors swimming pool. Then complain about the normal rural noise of farming equipment and even church bells

[@leplessis8179]

Many forget that it was the local Cornish who sold their homes to incomers, then took the money and ran.

[@slloyd7926]

Point 3 Build council homes is the only answer and don't allow the "locals" the right to buy the council homes. Yet you will find they will find these "locals" in opposition to council homes being built next to them.

[@paulburnett1344]

One point, at some stage in buying a second home in Cornwall, the house being bought must have been sold by A Cornish owner!

[@lynetteshepherd520]

some were sold because of no work so they had to find work elsewhere so therefore selling up .was their only option ..then there houses were sold to the highest bidder .locals come the end ,couldnt afford to buy .as the prices rocketed in bidding wars .

[@cynthiastogden7000]

This will certainly get worse( or better?) Before too long. Maybe a levelling up time is coming.

[@richardbedford2835]

Surely the answer is to give councils the power to charge owners of second homes and airBnBs at least ten times the normal council tax with the money used to fund affordable homes for locals. The mega rich from London and the south east are destroying not only Cornwall but Devon too.

[@stuartnaylor6472]

The government should tax the shit out of second homes in Cornwall unless they are rented to local people to live in.

[@FERRETMAXIMUS]

Well said, dude .

[@kaikito7662]

Their problems are our problems. I live in Edinburgh. Holiday lets - and it is a 12 month a year problem - as well as Airbnb are at epidemic proportions right across Edinburgh.

[@rubyparchment5523]

The noise at night must be horrendous.

[@albertattwood8746]

The local council could stop the decline of a lovely sea port and fishing town/ village . Great exposure on the issue. The density in the country will be greater than Cities. Then the country side will be lost. Keep up the great work . Nothing wrong with name and SHAME 👍🥇💪

[@WendallExplores]

Happy to give the people a voice

[@TheAustinfuller]

Good that you interviewed Leon and Sylvia, it’s true we don’t have a voice. Years ago my uncle said that Cornwall has been designated as a tourist area and I believe he was right. Cornwall has been earmarked for tourism , The government are happy with this arrangement we are just down here to serve. We have been priced out our homes, we have over inflated house prices while tourism will only offer low pay , low skilled temporary work. Cornwall is a beautiful place that has now been ruined by tourism, just the sheer numbers, when I was a kid we went to the beach and there were visitors at the beach and that was great but the numbers now are just crazy. God I’ve got so much to say it breaks my heart.

[@casper-cr3kz]

The world was made by God 4 every 1 to enjoy 🙏

[@TheAustinfuller]

@@casper-cr3kz And everyone to ruin..

[@SunofYork]

@@casper-cr3kz laugh my socks off

[@casper-cr3kz]

@@SunofYork God bless u 🙏

[@SunofYork]

@@casper-cr3kz Same god that sits back and watches childhood cancer ? Free will for cancer cells ?

[@Thunderhead357]

If people from the outside want to buy second homes that's there choice. However they need to pay enhanced tax rates so the money that's raised should go back into the local community and not fed into the rich coffers

[@andyhicks5594]

The question you have to ask is why did the locals sell to people coming from “ up country “ in the first place if they kept their property in their family then there would be far more locals still in the village. Maybe they were happy to take the extra money

[@WendallExplores]

To be fair to the last couple I spoke to in the video, I feel very sorry for them. They are still in their home, in elderly years, have not sold up, surrounded by holiday homes 😞

[@jorel4477]

This was a terrific video mate. Great insight to the issues that the area is facing.

[@guitarlover302]

Lady at bus stop summed situation in Mousehole very well ! Gentleman was spot on as well 👌

[@chrisn1292]

My boyfriend and his family are from Cornwall so I've heard a lot about these problems but your channel is still so eye opening, love the work you do dude :)

[@suzzanblac]

We have the same problem in North Devon, I live in a coastal village, which was thriving back in 1996. A great community and village life all year round. Now it's 70% second homes and is basically a ghost town for half the year. The local pub was open every day of the year, then reduced to summer opening and now it's probably going to close, as there's not enough locals to drink there or to work there. Many shops have closed and the local grocery shop, only sells alcohol and gifts during summer. The garage, bakery and other shops have gone, all are now second homes. There are no children anymore, no more elderly homes and the parish hall is decaying as there's no one using it anymore. There are plenty of caravans, hotels and apartments available for tourists, but they choose to rent village homes, which has destroyed the village, the council has made so much money from wealthy outsiders, building massive extensions or even houses in the gardens of their second homes. Soon there will be no residents left. It's heartbreaking. You should visit Mortehoe, Woolacombe and Ilfracombe, which has really decayed, full of homeless, crime and substance abuse.

[@ELPaso1990TX]

Another thing is property investors going around care homes pressuring elderly residents who have just left moved into a care home to sell their homes to them for a low price. This is sick and should be illegal.

[@WendallExplores]

This is a thing?

[@ruthking5994]

Interesting..

[@zincpatriot7227]

The biggest problem is outsiders buying up everything, including small flats, and just putting it on as holiday let’s. They can get double what they could for renting to locals, and also creates over tourism with increased numbers.

[@stephenholmes1036]

A disaster, dead villages, dead towns, essential workers priced out. Emmetts bring little our youngsters have little hope!

[@RobertRotte1]

Hard to tell if this is the right platform for this. But ill try anyways as this is still considered business. Given the present conditions, is it better to invest into Real Estates or into Stocks? Which would yield better output.

[@chrisjohn7823]

Has got to be Stocks but of course, you have to be well informed on the right ones or better still, get a pro to handle it for you (that way, you save time and minimise risks). Made my first million this way earlier this year. One more thing, one can wake you up by 2am to complain about a leaking pipe, the other can't.

[@frankdouglas1562]

Very sound advise! I have been into both for long and though I won't say I have lost a fortune, I have squandered quite alot... If it's not a problem, do you mind recommending the pro you worked with? I could definitely use the help of one right now... I look forward to your reply...

[@steceymorgan814]

Why not both??? diversify!!!

[@chrisjohn7823]

@@frankdouglas1562 Funny enough, I can honestly relate. It's not as easy as it may sound and takes some level of decisiveness and discipline. I don't know if I am permitted to drop it here, but his name is "Claire Anne Steinglass". Was in the news a lot in 2018. You may look her up online for more details.

[@kathyfrugalsen3047]

wow I know this woman. Once attended a fundraiser she was also in attendance in Vancouver, Great speaker with a funny accent,, She's American though I doubt she works with foreigners.

[@DC-uo5hy]

We stayed for a week in late May, from S. Florida in the USA. When vacationers come to visit, homes are rented, hotels fill up, bed and breakfast inns get rented. We live in this cycle six months of the year in South Florida. We realize that many residents make their living from tourists and accept it. We are happy when summer comes, they all go home. However we like our jobs and are kind and welcoming to the visitors. This industry is easy to kill, just be rude and grumpy to them. We loved Mousehole and enjoyed a pasty at the deli on the harbour. The folks were very nice and the pasty is now my favorite food. I am glad the local people were welcoming and kind. Yes, every community changes with time, you can never return to the "old days".

[@balls9420]

Issue is with Southern Florida compared to Kernow. Is Southern Florida has the facilities to accommodate those people. Kernow cant. Every venue be it facy restaurants, hotel or attraction is filled up to beyond capacity. Local services like Water, Electricity, Internet, Hospitals, Fire, Police and Roads are all over capacity. And the worst part about it? Why the locals be it ethnic Cornish or ethnic English are so grumpy about it? They are not benefitting from all this. A good chunk of these "local" business are owned by wealthy people upcountry. Sending most of the wealth coming down straight back up. Dont forget the chain places like Tesco's and Mcdonalds. Money goes straight back up country. And not to mention taxes. They go upcountry. With little aid in return going back down from Westminster. There is a reason there is poverty here. Due to neglect from all parties including the neglected.

[@kingdicer8677]

Absolutely spot on! Steve Double and his entourage need to get a grip of reality and stop sniffing there own farts when our county is suffering. Public transport, blue light services and local surgeries have all been suffering but yet more holiday homes get green lit.

[@mikeysoft7]

That story of a local selling to another local also happened in Western Scotland, so it can be done if love and common sense prevail. Exploring Cornwall in this way is what you're so good at, it's a shame you're abandoning it.

[@WendallExplores]

A big world out there to see and explore as well as Cornwall Mike, though thank you for the kind words 🙏

[@abuhamza1970]

Brilliant video, thank you for bringing this to our attention

[@WendallExplores]

Thanks for watching

[@johnmalin1676]

We had a week at Christmas 2018 in Marazion, staying in a locals farm building. Went to Mousehole for Christmas eve, and it kicked off in the ship between the locals and second home persons in the bar. Lot of resentment, and i don't blame the locals. Nearly every other terraced cottage has a Key box on the door. Absolutely disgraceful. We can all do our bit to help the locals, by not renting these properties for holidays.

[@WendallExplores]

It just seems that it’s gone TOO far

[@johnmalin1676]

@@WendallExplores Totally agree mate 👍

[@cebusapella9125]

Yes, very serious problem for places like Mousehole - even "affordable" properties aren't really affordable for young locals. Something needs to be done, and I reckon large council tax disincentive for properties which are not fully occupied is possibly the answer, and maybe restricting sale of properties to locals. What's wrong with traditional hotels and B&Bs? They must be suffering too from the Air B&B and holiday home plague. There's an interesting video from Cornish Walking Trails a year or so ago where they walk round Falmouth with a 1960s guide book, to see how much it's changed, and it's incredible how many hotels are no longer hotels. The only Air B&B I've stayed at was a house where the owner lived and let out a couple of rooms in her house, and I reckon that's the only type of Air B&B place I'd ever choose to stay at. Thanks for another interesting video.

[@WendallExplores]

I believe AirBnB started out in the states as very much a ‘let a room out in your house’ affair, but has morphed into what holiday home colossus it is today

[@Sidchasingclassiccars]

They have introduced a holiday let "scene tax" in Wales which is experiencing the same problem. It will interesting to see how that pans out as we are now in a critical and negative state due to over tourism in Cornwall. 😒

[@skathwoelya2935]

Cornwall Council should have the powers to requisition second homes and make them available to Cornish people at low rents via housing associations.

[@AneyStokes771]

I’m new to the channel, the same thing is happening all across the western world! Good content mate 👍🏻

[@dougbelanger3479]

As a tourist from Michigan, I can see the other side of the story here. I went to Port Isaac in May to see Doc Martin being filmed and stayed in a cottage rented from John Bray. I met quite a number of people, very few of them locals. Nearly all the cottages near the harbour were rentals, only met one older couple who owned a house in the centre of the village. I can see where most local people can't afford to live in the village (the house used for the doctors surgery was for sale for 1,250,000). While I spent a fair amount of money at the Pubs, I don't know where that money goes. You mention when talking to the two men that there won't be anyone to work in the restaurants to serve oysters to tourists (the man in the red shirt sounded American). The pub employees I talked to said they live outside the village and have difficulty finding people to work. Is that partly caused by the virus or people just choosing not to work? I was worried about the pubs being closed because of staffing issues. Overall I think you are right about the owners who don't live there. Eventually outside of high season, the towns will be empty. PS, I had an awesome time there

[@WendallExplores]

People who work on minimum or low wage to service the model of the hospitality industry cannot afford to live in or even near these affluent ‘picture postcard’ holiday villages. Hence the lack of staff. It’s a sad tale, and it is killing the community in places here. I don’t know what the answer is.

[@josiahcole3186]

I worked minimum wage in a pub in a seaside town in Cornwall, lovely staff of course but had to pay to commute from a poor town to the rich village I worked in. wouldn't have been able to afford to even stay, let alone live, in the town I worked in.

[@Sidchasingclassiccars]

Well you know my views on the subject so I won't bore you with them. I like the direction your videos are going and in this one I recognise a few of the Mowzel folk. Right on buddy. 👍

[@Sidchasingclassiccars]

PS the village shop/post office became victim of this problem not so long ago as it is just not viable to run such an enterprise 12 months of the year! 🤔

[@WendallExplores]

This type of filming takes a lot of effort so I appreciate that comment Sid, thank you 🙏

[@mariapierce2707]

Well done getting the locals take on things.

[@eilidharmstrong1630]

Kernow lass here, living in a caravan outside my folks place cos the house prices are ridiculous …! Unfortunately many villages and towns are becoming the same as mousehole. Thanks for your video, nice to have our views highlighted

[@jimr9762]

Similar thing as happened in many areas of the semi rural North of England a long time ago. People move in with good jobs in big cities and commute. They live there but contribute little or nothing to local economy. Local pubs, shops & schools have gone. Houses extended, barns converted and all priced way beyond the reach of the locals because it's considered a desirable place to live. Housing used to be cheap because of remote location now with easier communications it's considered highly desirable. Cornwall has escaped for years purely because it is even more remote from big towns. The village people either move away or live in poorer areas of local towns in Cornwall that is likely to be Redruth or Camborne. Don't like it but don't see an alternative.

[@klawlor3659]

Seen this in both North Lancashire and rural Cumbria. Boomers and peeps with good jobs moving in and contributing zilch to the economy. Result is pubs going under and zero community spirit.

[@neilinnature]

I like this style of video. I think air bnbs are a curse around the whole country as the rich scoop up properties as investments and inflate the property market making it more difficult for working people to find a home.

[@WendallExplores]

Thanks Neil. It’s a challenging style of video to film but rewarding.

[@wulfsorenson8859]

@@WendallExplores that’s not true a lot of people are doing Airbnb to survive. I had to sublet my flat in London on Airbnb just to cover the rent and bring in extra income which was much needed.

[@sly6627]

I know most of the people interviewed. Having had grandparents that lived in Mousehole I have witnessed the decline first hand and it's very sad indeed that the younger generations have been priced out of their own communities. There really is no easy answer to the problem, besides the damage is already irreversible.

[@wellbakedfpv4800]

But didn't the locals sell the houses off in the first place ? Everyone moans about it but no one sells there home to a local at a reduced price its easy to blame outsiders but the blame is solely on the locals selling their homes at the high prices in the first place but I do understand the frustration of the locals I really do but you can't blame buyers for buying something that's for sale

[@WendallExplores]

I understand and agree with your point to a certain degree, but this video was more concerned with how this has affected the people who haven’t sold and are still there

[@trentsteele1986]

great stuff thanks

[@m1lklizard934]

I live and work in St Ives. Barely surviving because of astronomical rent due to the housing market being turbo-fucked by 2nd homes.

[@scarletttonkin9630]

I come from a Cornish family. We moved to Bristol as my father was an engineer with ICI. He bought my granny an old fisherman's cottage in 1979 for £7,000. I will always remember granny saying " All that money for a cottage, you must be mad boy". How much would it cost now??. Love this channel, really interesting to hear what the local people have to say.

[@jackdonaldson8555]

Good Video Wendall. Its a shame I had an Airbnb Advert before the video started!

[@WendallExplores]

Shows that advertising algorithms don’t understand human narrative

[@LoveSundays]

I jumped straight on this 😂

[@WendallExplores]

Welcome to the party 🎉

[@GalacticRadioNoise]

Sending all the love to the Cornish folk in these communities, seeing your communities slowly die and extended families split up because young people cannot afford to stay is no fun for anyone. We have exactly the same situation here in Cumbria. Local salaries do not match property prices anymore as wealthy people from outside the area have contributed towards overly inflated prices by outbidding each other. The majority of the homes bought in Windermere are now for Air B&B, holiday lets or 2nd homes, and rents have increased beyond local salaries too as competition is increased for fewer land and fewer long-term lets. There is less money for local services as business rates for these properties are lower than council tax rates. Council Tax here is higher than many areas of London as local services struggle to make up the difference. Local schools are closing classrooms as the numbers of full-time residents dwindle, and local services are struggling to recruit staff because even the 'living wage' isn't enough to make ends meet here now. It is wonderful that people from outside the area want to visit and enjoy our beautiful county, just like in Cornwall, however these properties should all pay full council tax and planning permission should need to be granted to change a residential property to a holiday one. Local councils should have full visibility on the number of holiday lets in their communities, and they should have the ability to limit numbers once a certain threshold has been reached. Sadly, I fear that the threshold for a viable, supportive and thriving community for many of these areas passed some time ago....

[@AlannahRyane]

I love what you are doing...Bravo

[@WendallExplores]

Thank you 🙏

[@JannetteRoadsStevens]

its a two way street, like recently I stayed in a beautiful little cottage in Glenelg Australia by the ocean $300. per night, airbnb, so i had the great pleasure for 3 nights to live in this exclusive suburb and be able to walk to the ocean, Yet 30 years ago or less these types of dwellings would have been rentals. i used to have plenty of friends living in rentals in Glenelg in the 1980's. Maybe the Councils have a quota on letting places be Airbnbs, once that quota is reached, home owners have to wait to apply to turn their property into an air bnb....like that little cottage is earning the owner about $100,000 per year, thats $2000 a week rent approxiamately!!! Also with all the highrise apartment blocks being built in these areas, maybe a council regulation stipulates that a certain percentage have to be rentals at reasonable prices.

[@billybobkingston5604]

Greetings from Ireland, I remember Lockdown when Government members fled from London to Cornwall like the rats they are, when the locals can't live locally you need fight back, great videos as these social problems are becoming more apparent where I live in Youghal Co.Cork which is beautiful coastal town with housing issues

[@adrianbew9641]

This has been a problem most of my now 60 plus year life. Then the government forced these New houses on our communities only again for many to end up in the hands of outsiders and will become yet more second homes at some point. 2 new houses have just been built in front of my own and presently marketed at £680,000 , what local can afford that.

[@bencater8427]

Keep doing the videos Wendall

[@WendallExplores]

I plan to ✊

[@olepammy5830]

Mousehole is wonderful, great tea room by the natural pool, wonderful cream tea and cocktails. I stay with a friend who lives in Cornwall, her adult children are finding it very tough, housing costs are very high whilst wages are low. However, Cornwall voted overwhelmingly for Brexit, losing out on huge grants that were already promised and sorely needed. So, the locals made their own lives more difficult. The bloke in the red shirt was definitely not local!

[@kernow..exp.]

Very good video Mr wendall

[@WendallExplores]

Thank you Mr Kernow 🙏

[@georgerobartes2008]

You could ask the locals from Mousehole, Newlyn as you will find many of them living in the new estates in villages like St. Buryan further inland.

[@chriselliott726]

Perhaps if there were a thriving local economy not based on tourism ...... Perhaps if the entire political representation of Cornwall was not Tory ..... Perhaps if Cornwall had not voted for Brexit and lost all the European grants .....

[@devonsmith602]

I’m from a small city in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, US. Our city requires that Airbnb rentals are occupied full-time by the owner. So, now everyone is building a small condo on their property but at least the community is staying intact. Such a shame what is happening in Cornwall. I have wanted to visit for 25 years but have not made it, yet.

[@joshhood52]

My heart breaks to hear these stories, the same that we hear constantly in Cornwall. The sense of inevitability is depressing. The truth is there are many potential solutions to these problems but we have no power to implement them. Cornwall is used as a place to extract wealth from and so long as it's profitable nobody in the rest of the UK gives a damn about the people, culture or communities that are being lost. It's really hard to shake the feeling that the rest of the country does not think we are worthy of respect and would be glad if the Cornish ceased to exist.

[@balls9420]

Well there are only a 100k of us Cornish across the UK. We are a minority so why do we matter?

[@SunofYork]

@@balls9420 There are 5 million people in Yorkshire...same as Scotland and Wisconsin where I live now... There are 1.6 million Jews in New York City... Yes Cornwall is tiny......

[@balls9420]

@@SunofYork That last one is a little deceiving. There are 1.6 million Jews in New York. But globally only 16 million across 8 billion people. Also over half a million live in Cornwall. Only about 90k are ethnic Cornish. Need to remember the difference. Not everyone in Cornwall is ethnic Cornish. And for the other 10k. They are spread out across the rest of the UK mostly in Plymouth. Percentages also matter. as 100k is no small amount of people by any means. But if that makes up a good chunk of the population then that tiny amount has a lot of influence

[@SunofYork]

@@balls9420 So 10 times as many Yorkshire men sounds good. I am ethically South Wales, Hereford Saxon, Norwegian Viking, Norman French and a tiny dash of Irish fugitive sheep thief... I don't consider myself superior or inferior to any ethnicity and I am not the owner of any country or peripheral part thereof

[@balls9420]

@@SunofYork I dont think I ever stated that one race was superior to another. But your right people are made up of a bunch of peoples. Kernow however has the culture of Cornish people. So obviously the percentages matter and that presses and influence to anyone who comes here.

[@MrJimtimslim]

What would Cornwall be without tourism? You have to take the rough with the smooth. Some of these places in winter are literally dead. There's lack of housing all over the UK. You move. I live with a polish girl, she moved country to follow economic benefits.

[@bath_neon_classical]

my old village on dartmoor, same problem

[@johnnewsam1299]

It's the same as in the peak District villages and Wales, Lake District and Yorkshire Dales. All rich southerners and Londoners.

[@guitarlover302]

According to report in Todays Telegraph property section - Cornwall has seen one of the biggest drops in house values? Added issue is second home owners now not being able to raise funds ?

[@nicholasbuttery511]

Mousehole i have not visited for over 40 years only because of an advert in a BMX Magazine with the headlines of advert Briton`s First and Last BMX Shop of which i nagged my Dad to visit whilst in Penzance with the shop being closed you notice the harmony and stillness peering from the Harbour wall. and identifying with areas because of a video By Blancmange called Waves from that same period in History the early 1980`s . Witness The West Country during a periodic Wet Summer of occasion with only canvas as your shelter or an RV with steamed up windows and a pet dog that shakes itself dry inside your enclosure with the and the fiction that it always seems faster heading home.

[@Metonymy1979]

There is something you can do. Change the laws. I live in Miami beach. If they find an illegal Airbnb, the Airbnb is fined a huge amount.

[@patriciafisher1170]

I live in the north coast of NSW Australia and the same thing has happened here. In one of our beaches houses went from $250,000 to 1 Million dollars over the last two years. So many city people buying second homes here and renting them out as holiday retreats leaving the locals unable to rent a house let alone buy one. I know so many young people and single mums who would be homeless if it were not for family. These people have been here for generations. Where do they go if they can’t find a house to live. There is an acute shortage of builders as well.

[@Tubekeny1]

Excellent video. Superbly filmed. It's really sad to see how these communities are dying. But its a bit like saying why isnt there affordable housing in the centre of London?. Market forces mean that people living in such beautiful places find themselves living in property hotspots. As road and rail have improved the desire to go there has massively increased and the result is a property boom. But i have a solution. In the winter second homes must be forced to rent out at low rents so they give something back to the community. Another solutuon is a greater tax on AbnBs. That is already happening in some places. Local politicians have lots of options. It is a scandal that lots of money is flowing into local property but there isnt enough money to make improvements to inland Cornish towns to make them better places to live.

[@xpat73]

The older couple. Well they purchased the house in 1969 and had it as a second home until they moved there in 1976.. She is not from Cornwall. She is an outsider - or was at one time. Seems a bit rich to complain now.

[@fazfinisher5598]

Stopped visiting cornwall 20 years ago, you could see it going downhill with regard to the sentiment of locals so i go elsewhere.

[@weirdplanet1082]

So locals aren't allowed to have sentiments? What are you saying or implying exactly? Did you get a frosty reception? 😂

[@michaelholmes3331]

What the Cornish think of holiday homes and the wealthy people who own them was exposed during lockdown. The people who own these places who waxed lyrical about living the dream, found out that all the polite helpful people they thought were friendly, actually resented them and only wanted the money they made from them. It was a bitter pill for them to swallow.

[@hubby-tubadventures01]

Wife and I have been coming to Cornwall for over 30 years. Only ever stayed in 3 buildings and that was B/B and a hotel when we first started visiting. She loves St Ives and I hate it. Too many tourists just ambling about. Newquay, what I could say about that place..... We're very lucky to have a caravan and camping equipment and that's what our holidays are about. Even more luckier to be able to spend on average 10 weeks in Kernow per year. We love the place but I really do feel sorry for the locals during "tourist season". Lack of affordable homes, roads jammed with visitors. I would not want to live there due to those main things. Still going to holiday there though. Can't get enough of the place.

[@WendallExplores]

I prefer Newquay to St Ives too mate

[@MyTing775]

Love newquay. 2 young kids so something to do when it rains.Good restaurants and great beaches. You are only 10 mins away from real peace and quiet if it gets too much.

[@philipwilson3454]

Same problem here in Australia.

[@kittykatwolf8294]

Mate, you wanna come to Thames on the Coromandel Peninsula of New Zealand! Housing prices have gone through the roof, and rentals are non existent. We also have a Homeless community & so much more (Unemployment & crime) The worlds gone mad!

[@jossytt]

Ok so I’m a local pub landlord from another Cornish village and the way I see it is you can’t have it both ways…let me explain. Let’s say you ban holiday let’s/air b&bs and the prices come back down to realistic values…great lots of homes for local people, but where are they going to work? Cornwall has plenty of jobs but no careers. Very easy to get work in hospitality or tourism but most of this is seasonal….now let’s say all the air b&bs/holiday let’s are gone then so are the tourists…businesses disappear as do the jobs. I genuinely believe this but the only way to fix the situation is for government to invest in industries and big businesses that create high paying sustainable career not just seasonal work. I would like to see the mines reopen and Newquay airport to get a major expansion for international flights, the fishing industry needs a boost as does Cornish farming. We need to stop buying produce and materials from abroad and start using British made things again.

[@clivedavo]

Suits me Wendall, after 15 years of coming to Cornwall out of season only to find it a perpetual building site over the last 5 years, we finally decided to say no more and so this year we have had 2 x 10 day stays in a detached Villa in Cyprus for much the same money. No sign of crime or moans and groans and amazing weather. Everyones happy if we all did that now then I will assume.

[@WendallExplores]

I don’t think it’s a case of everyone being happy, but we shouldn’t avoid the conversation. I’m sure there are issues of a similar nature with locals in Cyprus.

[@a6703]

St Ives resembles a giant theme park, so overcrowded and too many chain shops. Still though good lot of independent shops. I feel that there is a need for a tourist charge extra tax on profits by holiday letters/ big businesses/ car parks, to give back money to the local communities. Only locals should be allowed to buy lower priced housing and less properties allowed to become holiday lets. The NHS can not cope with the higher number of retirees who move there with high medical needs.

[@Andressa19-92]

It's verry sad for the people overthere and elsewhere in the UK. It's also happening here in The Netherlands.

[@Bgal31052]

What happens here in area in Dallas. Neighbors getting old. An individual will buy the house acting they a family will stay in the area but they are really tied to an investor who then sales to anyone. So a local may not know who they are really selling too.

[@JannetteRoadsStevens]

its happening to houses all around Australia also, houses that would have been rentals, are now being rented out as Airbnb's for exorbitant amounts. Massive homeless problems now even in Australia.

[@DC-uo5hy]

Please remember, the villagers sold their homes. They got the money to improve their lives. Tax money is building the new expressway down cornwall. It all started with the RR. The local government can restrict tearing down the villages and restrict new construction in town. It works some places but not in others.

[@balls9420]

You making this sound nice! Its not sadly... Those people never spent the money locally. They probably moved out of here when they got the chance. That extension to the A30 is going to just allow more emmets to come down without fixing the other issues. You are not looking at the secondary or tertiary effects!

[@SeaUsername]

How about asking locals their opinion on this countries open door approach to refugees, and housing them in hotels and then giving them their own houses..

[@robertpavitt644]

Thanks

[@WendallExplores]

Thank you for the super thanks Robert 🙏

[@MarkDahildahil2005]

It was a Cornish person who sold these houses for second homes because they get more money

[@balls9420]

You do realise the majority of these second homes were built by English construction companies? In the 50s through to today. The old Cornish Miner, fisherman's or Farmer's cottage are rarely a second home. So no. In most cases it was not a Cornish person who sold it. It was land developers. A good chunk of Cornish people live in rented accommodation or council estates. And the ones that don't aren't rich enough to have more than 1 house. Cornish people are a poor people.

[@sullyabf]

We are not all rich Londoners, some of us are investing in our future while it’s relatively affordable

[@1faithc]

Same problem on the isle of wight 🥺

[@Vanrides.]

I,ve heard that 2nd home owners do not pay council tax.

[@guitarlover302]

Love Mousehole ❤ so sorry what happened those years ago with Penlee tragedy RIP❤️ Local people must get upset with the behaviour and attitude of some tourists not respecting their village - tourism Is gradually ruining Cornwall - couldn’t move last summer - hopefully now people can go abroad can give Cornwall a chance to recover Such a unique and beautiful county and people !

[@Thursdaym2]

As a 40 year resident in one of the most desired areas in Cornwall sadly in my view it is inevitable and no amount of legislation can halt it. It also has to be remembered that it was local Cornish people who originally started the ball rolling by selling family homes to the highest bid as it was. Now it's got to the stage where people from upcountry, mostly the SE who can sell modest properties for silly money, are not only paying a fortune to buy here but then knocking the property down and rebuilding on the site. Our neighbourhood bas been a building site for a least the last 20 years. Except for the family's of a small development of "affordable homes" built for locals a few years ago, we were the last family to locate to our village all those years ago. I now look upon it as Gods waiting room.

[@xpat73]

Yep, locals were happy to pocket the cash when they sold their cottage purchased for $3k in the 1960s.

[@TheBallroomCompany]

The introduction of Airbnb has no doubt been disruptive. And few are aware that in Greater London for instance it has been limited - an Act of 2015 in Greater London restricts a property being let on a short let basis for more than 90 days of the year without planning consent. Unless evidence is supplied to Airbnb of this consent your property is automatically de-listed once let for a total of 90 days. It seems that areas of high tourism this could certainly be beneficial but also areas that are not it could measure the suitability of the unit and whether it would effect other residents or indeed be a benefit in the provision of employment and accommodation. More can be done and in theory quite easily. I suspect the sudden demand on planning offices may have something to do with it. Like Uber it takes time to catch up with legislation. Currently VAT is due on holiday rentals but under VAT regulations of once you hit the VAT threshold. Personally I think VAT should be scrapped on holiday rentals but replaced with a blanket tourism tax on any short let. This also means that hotels have a level playing field.

[@WendallExplores]

Sound thinking Danny. I agree AirBnB is very much the Uber of accommodation.

[@ldevon2318]

It’s happening everywhere. Everywhere is so expensive now that people are trying to get the best quality of life they can.

[@gary23jag]

It’s one thing to blame the “outsiders” but what about the indigenous that found greater profits by selling outside of the local community.

[@Bgal31052]

Do they have a vote on what type housing can be in the area. We had this problem in Dallas TX areas. It’s happening everywhere.

[@allanwoods783]

Stumbled across your channel by chance. What a man. Love how you dissect towns and get to the root of the problem. I hate the culture of holiday homes, air B&B and private let’s. I love Cornwall and enjoyed many happy days there. But rich bar stewards who own these B&Bs are ripping the heart out communities. We need a government who owning a second home will automatically incur a 90% income tax rating