Locals in the picturesque place which King Charles calls home have said Europeans buying second properties are ruining their town.
Tetbury is a beautiful town in Gloucestershire. Located in the south Cotswolds, it is known for its antique and bric-a-brac shops as well as being the location of King Charleses home, Highgrove.
He bought the 18th-century home and estate in 1980, while he was Prince of Wales. Charles went on to open a Highgrove shop in Tetbury, selling products including Duchy Originals.
Now, locals have said that wealthy Europeans looking to buy rustic cottages and Georgian townhouses in the Costwolds are spoiling the area.
Norman Nash, 84, of Tetbury, said: “I had a second home myself in France, I have a certain sympathy with them, but given the fact that we’re being overwhelmed by immigrants, illegal many of them, and housing is an issue, I’m less enthused about receiving any foreign individual into this country at the moment.
“Sorry, it’s a bit old school, but yes, that’s the way I see it. The world seems to be standing on its head, all the long-established norms seem to have disappeared. If I met a Frenchman, I’d greet him well and buy him a drink. I just think it’s the principle I think that needs examination.”
William Walton, 20, who manages a gallery on the town’s high street, said: “I think there are two ways to think about it. I think it’s a struggle for people that are wanting to live in Tetbury, the younger generation that have family here and now want to buy their own homes.
“However, I think it’s good for the community and businesses because we’re having tourism, we’re having lots of people visiting because it’s a beautiful place because it’s coming up and up.
“If I want to buy a house, it’s more or less impossible in Tetbury because of the prices going up, but it’s the price you pay if you want to have a town that’s beautiful and everyone wants to live here.
“I don’t think we need restrictions on who buys homes here; I don’t think we’re like Cornwall, where everyone’s buying their second homes. You look down the street and you see most people living in their houses, not like these seaside towns.”
Lesley Smith, 79, of Tetbury, added: “My view is that it’s very nice to have a second home, but not when it gets to the stage where local people can’t afford to actually buy, especially the young people. It’s pushing the prices up, it means that they have to spend more on a house. I think homeowning is very important.
“We have a holiday home over in Spain. But there’s not really a problem over there, we are helping the economy. We are taking finance, hiring builders, buying groceries, and eating out. We help to keep the community there going.
“Second homeowners here in Tetbury will be out and about in the economy but for limited times. I can understand why they want to come here, but I think perhaps the numbers perhaps need to be limited.”
Local councillor Martin Brown, 64, of Bisley, warned that younger generations will move away if the cannot afford to stay in the village. He said: “It’s a constant complaint around here that people cannot afford homes, there is no affordable, small housing. There’s also a national house price problem and the Cotswolds is very attractive; we have a lot of weekend second homers here.
“Young people can’t afford to buy around here – so they leave, and people who would like to stay can’t. These villages will die if people can’t afford to stay here. I know that if I had not have inherited this [large cottage], I couldn’t afford to live here in the village.’
He went on: “There are also many properties that are rented out as holiday homes, through Airbnb or whatever planform it happens. It’s often done by people who are themselves weekenders, but then rent them out when they’re not there…
“Bisley and the other villages, Eastcombe and Oakridge, are thriving but mostly thanks to a large degree of wealth that’s come from outside.”
