So where’s everyone going?

St. Ives, Cornwall booked for early June.

Contemplating some winter/Easter sun.

We’ve sadly had to let our caravan go in Snowdonia, so won’t be having our usual few weeks there.

On 09/06/2023 at 19:49, royal white said:

2 of my mates went to Thailand because it worked out cheaper. Prices on almost everything have gone through the roof 

TBF the whole country has hyper inflation not just the tourist market trying to cash in.

Did you get to the clone clobber place Downtown Boutique

2 hours ago, green genie said:

TBF the whole country has hyper inflation not just the tourist market trying to cash in.

Did you get to the clone clobber place Downtown Boutique

If there’s one thing you can still get cheap it’s kids kits! They’re kitted out for the summer now 

10 hours ago, royal white said:

If there’s one thing you can still get cheap it’s kids kits! They’re kitted out for the summer now 

You get your next seasons stone island sorted mate 

On 10/06/2023 at 06:29, MancWanderer said:

Had lunch and a few beers/wines today in the gaslamp quarter. Prob heading back there tomorrow night for our final night. Bought a 2 day hop on hop off ticket so going Balboa Park tomorrow to do the Air and Space and automotive museums and then doing USS Midway. Done quite a few US cities in my time and have to agree that San Diego is probably my favourite 

is the Cheesecake Factory still there? Won’t do your waistline any good - but superb!!

10 days/9 nights in Devon & Cornwall just done. Superb. Beaches around St. Ives and beyond were incredible. Parking was a faff, but believe the public transport is absolutely spot on. A lot of the locals no longer live in St. Ives due to it becoming so expensive which is a shame. Actually its a scandal. Got Cockernee wide boys and the Eton brigade buying up all the properties. Stinks.

Anyway, great alternative to a holiday abroad. 

19 minutes ago, Smiley said:

 A lot of the locals no longer live in St. Ives due to it becoming so expensive which is a shame. Actually its a scandal. Got Cockernee wide boys and the Eton brigade buying up all the properties. Stinks.

The wealth gap is affecting communities all over and I remember going to a beautiful little fishing village in Pembroke where every property was a second/holiday home for Londoners. Same in Norfolk where local folk have little choice but to move out of the coastal villages due to upward pressure on house prices - sell a two bed flat in Fulham and you'll have enough money to buy a five bed house with half an acre in Norfolk.

I love Jamaica ATM - first time in January and liked it so much we're going back in November. Just back from Portugal which I also love and considering applying for residency to facilitate EU travel and access their healthcare system.

Edited June 13, 20233 yr by Wanderlust

4 hours ago, Smiley said:

is the Cheesecake Factory still there? Won’t do your waistline any good - but superb!!

It is but didn’t visit 

5 hours ago, Smiley said:

 Actually its a scandal. Got Cockernee wide boys and the Eton brigade buying up all the properties. Stinks.

Dont sell to em, then

Its that simple

But no, the locals take the easy money

Shame

6 hours ago, Smiley said:

10 days/9 nights in Devon & Cornwall just done. Superb. Beaches around St. Ives and beyond were incredible. Parking was a faff, but believe the public transport is absolutely spot on. A lot of the locals no longer live in St. Ives due to it becoming so expensive which is a shame. Actually its a scandal. Got Cockernee wide boys and the Eton brigade buying up all the properties. Stinks.

Anyway, great alternative to a holiday abroad. 

It’s the same in the Cotswolds. 

1 hour ago, Casino said:

Dont sell to em, then

Its that simple

But no, the locals take the easy money

Shame

With average wages down in Cornwall mainly from hospitality sector being way below national average not a Hope in hell of local kids buying a garage in St Ives let alone a property. Air BnB and second homes are hoovering up all the tourist spots and no way can be stopped now.

Just now, royal white said:

It’s the same in the Cotswolds. 

And North Wales but as Casino says, if the Nuevo Rich look to push house prices up and the locals don’t see beyond their bank balance then they reap what they sow.

To now complain about their own children being unable to get on the housing market seems a bit like things are coming back to bite their arses.

1 hour ago, MickyD said:

And North Wales but as Casino says, if the Nuevo Rich look to push house prices up and the locals don’t see beyond their bank balance then they reap what they sow.

To now complain about their own children being unable to get on the housing market seems a bit like things are coming back to bite their arses.

Bit of a strange take on it.

 

1 hour ago, MickyD said:

And North Wales but as Casino says, if the Nuevo Rich look to push house prices up and the locals don’t see beyond their bank balance then they reap what they sow.

To now complain about their own children being unable to get on the housing market seems a bit like things are coming back to bite their arses.

Part of the problem they have in abersoch and the surrounding areas is that house prices are pushed up by estate agents and who'd turn down a great offer 

 then locals struggle to get on the market because most work is seasonal and property becomes very expensive 

Then the council clamp down / cash in / make life difficult for the second home owners which in turn impacts all commercial properties 

You either hate tourism because it's pushing up prices, forcing folk out the area and closing schools 

Or you love it because you run a commercial business that thrives on tourism 

Gwynedd council put up council tax if properties aren't occupied at least 180 days, that affects guest houses as well as second home owners 

They then put up commercial business rates at the same time they switched bin collections from weekly to bi weekly 

It's like they don't want tourism 

But they'd be fucked without it

To be fair, all these places rich folk want homes didn't suddenly become unaffordable overnight for locals. It happened over years where prices due to supply and demand outstripped the locals ability to afford housing.  You can't blame local people for selling a house for the going rate of 900k when a local can only afford half that. Would you take the hit to do your civic duty?

 

3 hours ago, MickyD said:

And North Wales but as Casino says, if the Nuevo Rich look to push house prices up and the locals don’t see beyond their bank balance then they reap what they sow.

To now complain about their own children being unable to get on the housing market seems a bit like things are coming back to bite their arses.

In a lot of those places it's the poorest (and there is huge sections in places like the Cotswolds and the South West where rural poverty and lack of jobs are one of the biggest social issues) that are hit the hardest again.

Without a permanent community local businesses go to the wall. Northern towns have been left behind but some of these rural communities are buggered.

Edited June 13, 20232 yr by Not in Crawley

2 hours ago, Zico said:

Part of the problem they have in abersoch and the surrounding areas is that house prices are pushed up by estate agents and who'd turn down a great offer 

 then locals struggle to get on the market because most work is seasonal and property becomes very expensive 

Then the council clamp down / cash in / make life difficult for the second home owners which in turn impacts all commercial properties 

You either hate tourism because it's pushing up prices, forcing folk out the area and closing schools 

Or you love it because you run a commercial business that thrives on tourism 

Gwynedd council put up council tax if properties aren't occupied at least 180 days, that affects guest houses as well as second home owners 

They then put up commercial business rates at the same time they switched bin collections from weekly to bi weekly 

It's like they don't want tourism 

But they'd be fucked without it

Not everywhere can live on tourism. 

It shouldn't be the major income in places like some parts of Oxfordshire.

Both my Co directors live there and have houses in town. It's not sustainable for families that have been born and bred there.

21 minutes ago, Not in Crawley said:

Not everywhere can live on tourism. 

It shouldn't be the major income in places like some parts of Oxfordshire.

Both my Co directors live there and have houses in town. It's not sustainable for families that have been born and bred there.

Don't get me wrong, I get that, it's a vicious circle 

Tourism makes a place popular, and that attracts folk with money which squeezes out locals, many of whom rely on tourism to make money 

They hang out banners with "no second homes" and "go home English" all over the place 

They tried the affordable housing route and still properties sat there empty

Not sure what the solution is to be honest 

But I don't think Gwynedd council are in the right path going after higher council tax for none permanent residence will be a good idea long term

 

I could never understand why anyone wants more than one home.

Fun watching the driverless cars trialling in San Francisco. A completely fucked city. 

A mate grew up in Salcombe and stayed in Plymouth after University for work  but always wanted to move backwhen ready to breed. Average house price there is now £1.2M and population goes from 2000 in winter to 25000 during Eton hols. Crazy.

Barbados booked

25 minutes ago, globaldiver said:

Barbados booked

cost of living crisis hitting home 

 

5 hours ago, globaldiver said:

Barbados booked

I could have done that!

Might see you there.

9 hours ago, globaldiver said:

Barbados booked

Our favourite place. guess this is for the cricket?

 

16 minutes ago, Elvis said:

Our favourite place. guess this is for the cricket?

 

No, don’t do ODIs. 2nd time, fly and flop, but also looking to get around a bit more.