The Duke of Edinburgh

[Rhubarb Thrasher]

is in the paper today, saying that people with second homes are destroying Rural Life  ;D

[Rhubarb Thrasher]

[Old bird]

...and?

He has a point as far as I am concerned!!

Here in West Somerset - most of the villages are probably 50% owned by second home owners.  Lovely people etc - but not good for community/locals.


I know they pay the same rates etc but they push the prices of houses beyond the reach of the locals - who cannot even put a toe on the property ladder.

Have many 2nd homers as friends - but as far as destroying rural life - he has a point!

Old Bird

[Psi (Pronounced 'Si'!)]

bit rich coming from him!

Same in France - many villages are 50% holiday homes.  maybe thats the new role of villages!?!  Not sure.

[ACE]

Here in West Somerset - most of the villages are probably 50% owned by second home owners.  Lovely people etc -

At least they stop all the inbreeding that goes on there.


Most of my winter income come from looking after gardens in holiday cottages, so I ain't complaining also all my kids and myself own our own homes, but that might have something to do with getting on and going for it instead of wingeing down the pub that they cannot afford a house, or the country owes them a living.

[Rhubarb Thrasher]

maybe he meant "destroying Rural Wild Life"

[Old bird]

ACE the inbreeding carries on regardless!!

I didn't say people are whingeing about the fact that they can't afford a house!

I said that they cannot afford to buy a house with the desperately low wages in this area (no I am not whingeing!) and the high prices pushed higher by second home owners who have larger disposable incomes than most manual/care workers in this area could ever dream of.

There is precious little work available during the winter as the holidaymakers have gone home so, no they are not complaining that the country owes them a living, but they have to move away from the countryside to towns etc where work is more plentiful and the countryside is emptying for a more gentrified different set of people to lord over it!

I am glad you are able to make your winter income from doing their gardens ACE and also that your children own their own homes - just be sensitive to the feelilngs of people that can't and will never be able to!

Old Bird

[ACE]

Why would I want to be sensitive to a load of kids who's parents bashed the unions out of existence and then started shouting about low wages and health and safety. Red Robbo and his ilk saw it coming but their parents joined the braying throng and drove them out, while the bosses sat back and laughed. They new they could soon drop the wages and they could then spend all their extra profits on second homes.

Then their own generation started with 'Pity the poor immigrant' and  wonders why there is no good paying work.

Look a bit closer to home for who to blame.


I've stopped long ago worrying myself about others woes. I fought for others as a union rep. Look after number one and you can't go wrong.

[shirlton]

Had to smile cos the ads on the top and bottom of the page are advertising country cottages perhaps second homes ;D