We live in one of the most isolated villages in the UK – we love it here but there’s a drawback
LOCALS living in one of the most isolated villages in the UK say they love it – but there’s a drawback.
Lynmouth, on the north coast of Devon, is 14 miles away from the nearest town.
Parents also have to drive their kids 30 minutes to the secondary school.
Despite its remote location, the coastline and seaside views are enough to see hundreds flock there during the summer months.
However, residents say the high levels of tourism is the village’s biggest downfall.
Claiming visitors ruin Lynmouth, local Russell Kingston, 35, said it is taken over for a few months every year.
Russell told The Telegraph: “There is nowhere to park in summer, so all you see is people driving around looking for somewhere to leave their car.
“This village was built on tourism and there are so many B&Bs already.”
Russell said his home town is “basically empty” in the winter months as most of the cottages are now holiday lets.
He said the increase in summer homes has meant locals are starved of work and no one can find a house to rent or buy.
He added: “People buy holiday lets because they like a place, and that’s fair enough, but then that place becomes starved of workers.”
New government plans to crack down on landlords who own holiday lets could however see a change.
Housing Secretary Michael Gove said residents are being “pushed out of cherished towns cities and villages by huge numbers of short-term lets”.
It comes after Croyde, also in North Devon, became one of Britain’s most desirable seaside getaways – but meant locals were being pushed out.
Residents said their once-thriving seaside village has become a ghost town because rich landlords have bought up half the homes.