Our posh village is now ghost town strewn with empty homes – we've slashed asking prices by £100k but no-one wants them

The Sun

21-06-2025

STUNNING homes in a charming riverside village are now unsellable, with demand "falling off a cliff" after a tax blitz on second homes.
One homeowner was forced to slash £100,000 off the value of her waterside cottage in Cornwall - and still can't sell it.
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Debbie Pugh-Jones lowered her asking price three times in 10 months and says the picturesque two-bed home is now priced the same as a small flat in a run-down area of some cities.
She lives in the quaint Cornish village of Goland, near the millionaire's playground of Fowey - where Dawn French and Gordon Ramsay have previously owned homes.
The 69-year-old listed the home for sale for £400,000 last August believing it would sell quickly as similar homes nearby sold for £425,000 during Covid.
She says increased stamp duty brought in nationwide combined with Cornwall Council's decision to double council tax rates on second homes has scared off potential buyers.
Tourist hotspots like Cornwall and Wales, a favourite for charming seaside getaways, have been embroiled in a "tax war" in recent years.
Residents say they can't afford to buy houses where they grew up as city dwellers snap them all up, only to stay there a fraction of the time when they fancy a get-away.
But local businesses say they can't survive without the revenue second home owners and holidaymakers bring in.
Debbie warned that the area is in danger of becoming a 'ghost town' due to unsold properties that are now lying vacant.
She told The Sun: 'When you come down that much in price you would expect to get a viewing but I've had three in nearly a year.
"Nobody at all looked around between November and April.
The seaside town of Newlyn in Cornwall has been dubbed as one of the 'coolest' places to relocate
'Double council tax won't affect the very wealthy but it will affect the middle class people wanting to buy a second home.'
She added: 'The community is at risk of changing because some of the second home buyers in this village aren't happy to be paying double council tax.
'Around half of the houses in this village are second homes and the rest are retired people, there are very few people working in this village.
'It's making them struggle but even if they wanted to sell they wouldn't be able to.
'People living here used to work in farms and on the boats but all those industries are gone and the village doesn't have a school, it's not near a bus route and it doesn't have any amenities.
'I'm not depriving a first time buyer of a place to live because it's not the sort of house that would suit them.'
Travel writer Debbie said she fell in love with the house in the village of Golant at first viewing in 2013 and bought it for £240,000.
She used it as her main home and spent £30,000 on renovations.
Our beauty spot paradise is being clobbered by '£35 tourist tax' – it's utter insanity & will kill all trade
By Maleeha Katib
LOCALS in a beloved UK beauty spot have voiced their fears over plans to introduce a nightly tourist tax.
The picturesque mountains, limestone caves, and cascading waterfalls of Brecon Beacons have long been a magnet for visitors from around the globe.
The Welsh government is planning to roll out a new 'tourist tax' across the nation, which has sparked fears over driving away visitors and the knock-on impact on local trade.
The charge, which would be £1.25 per person per night for hotels, B&Bs, and self-catering accommodation, and 75p for campsites, could add £35 for a family of four staying a week in Wales.
Critics say this will drive visitors away, crippling the rural economy.
Ashford Price from National Showcaves Centre told Sky News: 'In an area like this, all we've got is tourism and farming – there is nothing else. It will be an absolute catastrophe.'
But following the death of her mother last year, she decided to move closer to her son and two-year-old grandaughter in Bath, Somerset.
She said: 'It had always been my dream to retire to the coast.
'It was the view that attracted me, the river view is nicer than the sea view because it is always changing.
'I paid a premium for it because I paid for the views but straight away I fell in love with it.'
At the village pub - The Fisherman's Arms - landlord Nick Budd said second homes were just a fact of life in the village.
The 32-year-old said: 'It's a hard one because not all second home owners are the same.
"You have the holiday lets which are great for us, because when people come on holiday they want to eat out and drink in the pub.
"Then you have the lock up and leave its and they are the ones that kill us.
'The overwhelming outcome of property price rises is young people cannot afford to buy a house in the village and that situation needs addressing.
'But I don't know whether double council tax is the way to do that.'
Cornwall Council said it expected double council tax on second homes would raise £24million this financial year.
Another UK holiday hotspot warns of tourist tax on all visitors – and urges its neighbour to do the same
By Summer Raemason
HOLIDAYMAKERS travelling to a major UK destination have been warned they may have to pay a 'visitor tax'.
A debate has been sparked over whether or not to introduce a 'Tourist tax' in Cornwall and Devon - but officials say they can "certainly envision" it implemented.
It comes as protests were held in Venice after the country imposed a similar fee on short stay visitors.
Day-trippers will be charged €5 (£4.30) if visiting the historical Italian centre, the first to bill holidaymakers an entry fee, from today until May 5.
Similar talks have also been held in Cambridge, Edinburgh, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole as tourists continue to flood the popular hotspots.
Now Malcolm Bell, who heads up the tourism board in Devon, said there is a serious conversation to be had over introducing the same policy.
As reported by Devon Live, he said: "It is a time to have the debate, not rush into action, engage with people and look at the art of the possible."
He added: "We must make sure it is not burdened with administrative costs and helps to manage the situation we are facing and improve it."
The same talks are already underway among various organisations in Cornwall from south west coastal paths to National landscapes.
It agreed to charge an additional 100 per cent Council Tax premium on second homes from April 1 2025.
Neighbours have even been encouraged to dob in those they suspect are second homeowners trying to dodge the extra tax.
Cornwall - famous for its stunning coastlines, tranquil views and quaint villages - is the second home capital of England.
Last year, it was reported that it has 9,425 properties used as second homes.
But soon after the tourist tax introduction on April 1, Cornwall estate agents warned demand for second homes had 'fallen off a cliff' with more people looking to sell than buy.
Bradley Start, from Start & Co estate agents in Newquay, said: "They've received these demands for twice as much council tax and that's prompted a lot of people to think about selling.'
But Mr Start told the BBC he feared former holiday homes would not be attractive to people trying to get on to the housing ladder.
He added: "A two bedroom apartment on a cliffside with a sea view but no amenities is not going to suit a first time buyer for price or what it can offer.'
Last year, it was reported that people staying overnight in Liverpool will have to pay the "tourist tax" - which could raise millions each year.
Another unlikely city considering a tax on visitors is Nottingham, where the council reckon bringing in a tourist charge could raise £1.7m a year.
It says this could be invested in attractions to make Nottingham less about the night-time economy and more of a tourist destination during daylight.
The City of Edinburgh Council is also introducing a five per cent visitor levy for overnight guests in paid accommodation from July next year.
Meanwhile Manchester adds £1 per room per night for stays within the Accommodation Business Improvement District (ABID) zone.
The Sun has approached Cornwall Council for comment.
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