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Paul Nickerson looked at renting a modest holiday home for himself, his partner and three young sons aged under five to enjoy a getaway in August. However, the owner of the three-bed home in St Ives, Cornwall, wanted a whopping £10,232 per night for the week stay.
It’s a supply and demand issue and they’re exploiting it. A lot of people in the UK need and want a holiday, but many will not be able to afford them.
Cllr Paul Nickerson
Paul, a Conservative councillor for Minster and Woodmansey in Beverley, East Yorkshire, was disgusted with the price, which is more than double the UK annual wage of £31,000.
Speaking to Hull Live, the dad said: “It’s a supply and demand issue and they’re exploiting it. A lot of people in the UK need and want a holiday, but many will not be able to afford them.
“I don’t know anyone who can afford £71,000 for a week’s holiday.
“Everything I have seen is about 50 per cent more than their normal price. We have a young family so we normally do have a UK staycation as it’s easier.
“But it’s normally affordable for a family, but this was shocking.
“I thought it must have been a mistake, but having checked other properties, it is clear it isn’t, as they’re all far more.”
St Ives, an upmarket seaside resort, attracts approximately 222,000 staying tourists each year.
But a survey last year found it is one of the most expensive tourist resorts in the UK, with an average rate of £124 per night.
Paul blames holiday homeowners and firms for exploiting the lack of available properties and the narrow choices people have for holidaying this year.
Second homeownership is on the rise in St Ives, where the average property price exceeds £430,000 according to Zoopla.
The property Paul looked at, which is near where the G7 Summit was held last month, is advertised as a “contemporary, reverse level property ideal for families”.
The holiday company added: “It is furnished to an exceptional standard and is 200m for the train to St Ives and 10 minutes to a wonderful largely deserted beach. The spacious garden is ideal for children and BBQs.”
But Paul said he gave up on searching for affordable Cornwall properties and is now considering camping in East Yorkshire’s South Bay in Bridlington instead.
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