From what I've seen, most people in the UK who move from town to country, are looking for a property with 'letting potential'. They not only want a home, but an easy stay-at-home income as well.
Many years ago I was at a party when a total stranger asked me 'when do your lets begin?'. When I realised what he meant, I explained to him that I wasn't in the house-letting business. He seemed amazed that any Brit' living in France didn't augment their income by letting holiday accommodation. He obviously needed the money.
Very few would turn down a little extra income, but when you move to the countryside for peace and quiet, only to import tourists, it rather defeats the purpose. When you find that your surrounding neighbours are doing the same, it becomes worrying.
The S W of France has been popular with British holidaymakers for the past 40 years or so, but this year with Brexit looming I've noticed a distinct lack of GB registered cars on the roads. I fear that many of the Brit' owned cash-cow Gites will soon remain empty; unless they specifically aim for the Dutch market, and are prepared to fork-out for 'expensive management services'.
When we moved to our tiny hamlet, we had just two very quiet neighbours. They were 'cultured' people who loved the peace, quiet, and cleanliness of their surroundings as much as we did, and we got on extremely well. These days things are very different and next summer, if the shipping container 'holiday village' is up and running, there could be about 35 holidaymakers, and roughly the same amount of residents all crammed into our tiny settlement. For someone who really treasured his solitude, it could prove to be a bit over-populated. I'm already encountering strangers in unusual places.
I know it's an old chestnut, but 'the good old days' definitely were 'good old days'. What was once a lovely quiet spot has now become rather over-crowded, and not knowing anything about who all these temporary summer visitors might be, I fear we may all have to start locking things away!
I had been meaning to ask about the holiday village but see it has not come to anything. It seems a few years now since it started.
ReplyDeleteHe hasn't done anything to it for several months. It just looks a total mess; overgrown and abandoned. No doubt he'll start work on it again this winter, although who in their right mind would stay there for a summer holiday; I have no idea!
DeleteSounds more like a potential asylum seeker centre than a holiday village to me.
ReplyDeleteWhen he realises that no-one in the right minds would want to spend their summer holidays in tiny metal boxes, what will he do with them? There used to be a call for secure cages for over-wintering circus animals; but that has now finished. We did wonder if he could house several asylum seekers, but I think they might complain. The only other thing I can think of is storage boxes!
DeleteWe have been in Ludlow for 16 weeks now, every visitor that comes and sees our self contained garden room says ‘airbnb’? To which we stoutly reply ‘No way!’
ReplyDeleteLX
Have you moved to Ludlow permanently? Nice town; I know Shrops quite well. My people retired there (further North).
DeleteYes, we absolutely love it. Five minutes puff up hill from the Teme and our front gate to the castle and market. As we wander home with bags stuffed with the local produce, we look at the backdrop of trees on the other side of the river and think we could be in the heart of the country instead of the heart of such a magnificent town. We have finally found our forever home.
DeleteLX
Lucky you!
DeleteIt's not only Brexit keeping the Brits away, the meager exchange rate from GBP to Euros could have a lot to do with it. After decades of receiving 1.4 Euros per £1, it's now almost down to parity, a big cost implication.
ReplyDeleteI live thanks to ATM machines which only give a max of €300. They will soon only be handing out €250.
DeleteCompletely agree. They're so clever aren't they - "income from little investments" and "nest eggs for retirement" and so on, mainly people who are more than comfortable already. It accounts for much of what is wrong with the housing market and the generation wealth gap. There might soon be a bit of indignant squealing.
ReplyDeleteI suppose from my point of view it's a question of NIMBY. Anywhere else, I couldn't care less, but not within a few hundred metres of us.
DeleteThe container influx may not be nearly as bad as you think. We have all had to move on as society changes and we age. Embrace the good of the new and there must be some good.
ReplyDeleteAndrew, they are dreadful. All squashed together, far too small, and much too close to us residents. I cannot imagine anyone wanting to stay there; they'd be crazy.
DeleteIt's the same with everything. My isolated rural workshop survived for 18 of the 19 years I have been there without incident. In the last year I have had 4 attempted break-ins and one successful one, followed by another bit of mindless vandalism. I was not aware that we were living in the good old days until the bad ones arrived.
ReplyDeleteFings ain't wot they used to be.
DeleteBe grateful you don't live in the Great Tew area of the Cotswolds. I've read that since Soho House opened life has never been the same for the locals. We inoccently considered moving there a few years ago until a little on-line research put us off! (I should add that other country house weekend/membership/establishments are available - all bringing swanky, fast-driving visitors all year round!)
ReplyDeleteOh dear. I can imagine their frustrations. I fear that here, these silly metal containers will attract the other end of the social scale, and we'll end-up with a very rough bunch. I can't imagine who else would want to stay there. I hope that doesn't sound overly snobbish.
DeleteQuite seriously, containers are being used as permanent homes for arty types who want work/live spaces, and they are actually quite smart, piled on top of each other, with all the services and room of the average small flat.
DeleteThere are even 'designer' container homes in the French countryside, so you might end up with a very arty crowd.
These ones are very small, planted in rows, and are very crowded. I've seen quite well designed container homes; these are nothing like that. Frankly, everyone is amazed that they were ever given planning permission.
DeleteWe are fighting growth here also, however, it is not container houses, but rather many, many very expensive homes on small lots. So far, we have succeeded, but it is only a matter of time.
ReplyDeleteIt all comes down to over-population. We really need less people; not more housing.
DeleteThere are a few ways to look at this. People move to these areas as they like them and the only way they can stay is to have rental potential... using their money in the local area or they could like everyone else, hot foot it to the cities and leave the countryside to tumble down houses. And then they can be the people zooming about it fast cars renting someone elses airBNB. With everything in life there needs to be balance and harmony. I dont believe containers are harmonious with the surroundings having spent many a holiday in someones gite in Bergerac or Aubeterre sur Dronne. Fields of vegetables, dare I say sunflowers and then containers? I think no. It should be like Bath, where if you build a house it has to be in the stone of the area. Yes have some glass in it, but the main body has to be Bath stone. People need to make money and I say what is wrong with a bit of passive income and sharing your beautiful surroundings with others?
ReplyDeleteI am not alone in saying that this development is the most inappropriate one could ever imagine. A small group of ancient stone houses, with a nasty group of metal boxes in the middle. Crazy!
DeleteI can imagine that these containers will be short lived. I can imagine them to be incredibly uncomfortable in the summer due to the heat. But then again who knows with Hipsters! lmao
DeleteHe could easily have done so much better; even two or three Gypsy caravans would have been nicer, more profitable, and far easier to install. These are the smallest size of container, and he has yet to do the floors, the walls, and the ceilings. They will end-up cramped, in every way.
DeleteI'M SORRY ABOUT THE IDIOT TROLLS, THEY OBVIOUSLY HAVE NOTHING TO DO BUT INSULT ME AGAIN. LITTLE MINDS; LITTLE INSULTS.
ReplyDeletePlease don't call other people "idiot" or "troll" or combination thereof just because you don't like what those slightly critical of you have to say. Doing so, Cro, doesn't make you a troll but it sure makes you look a bit limited. Which, in all fairness, you may, of course, be. Maybe I mistook you for someone more rounded than you actually.
DeleteAnd, unlike you, I don't call people "stupid". Even if they are.
Keep your mind open till it shuts down completely. You are making a fool of yourself. Turn your "little minds little insults" around. What of your great mind? Great insults?
U
I know what you mean. Have you gone to settings to edit or block?
DeleteHalf the problem is getting these fools to understand that there is more to life than just insulting people. They will not learn. Another example above; but at least she knew who I was talking about.
DeleteYes The Good Old Days indeed Cro.
ReplyDeleteSadly, in our case, it has almost ruined what was once a really delightful place to live. Even yesterday our dog, who was on a lead, was savagely attacked by three dogs who were running loose. These things never happened before.
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