Wells-next-the-Sea

 

For Sale BoardWorking with North Norfolk District Council (NNDC), Leeds Building Society has decided to restrict granting mortgages to those wishing to buy properties in North Norfolk to be used as holiday lets. The scheme will run for a 12-month trial period. The society states that it is seeking to balance local housing needs with the economic benefits tourism can bring.

Will this move help local people buy or rent a home in North Norfolk? I am sceptical, but it is a case of wait and see.

The demand for second homes in North Norfolk has rocketed over the past few years, causing property prices to escalate. The advent of Air B&B, a popular form of holiday accommodation, has aggravated that situation. It has attracted those with the cash available to buy houses and flats purely as a source of income from short-term letting. Estate agencies have been busy coping with demand, and a look online reveals numerous websites promoting the sale of homes in North Norfolk for holiday letting.

For locals, buying a property in the coastal area is way out of reach of their available income to fund a mortgage. Likewise, long-term rental properties are now expensive and few and far between. However, I don’t think this scheme will have an impact unless numerous other mortgage providers, including the banks, follow suit. Government policy is needed to address the issue, as are tighter planning laws.

The effect of holiday properties and second homes is already apparent in villages such as Wells and Blakeney. In the winter, a walk around these places and numerous others like them reveals silence and little or no activity.

The portfolio holder for housing and people services at NNDC, Wendy Fredericks, stated:

“In North Norfolk we have a really severe shortage of homes that people on local wages can afford. Increasing numbers of holiday lets reduce the number of rental homes available for year-round use by local people. So, I welcome the move by Leeds Building Society to stop new lending on holiday lets in key areas.”

The chief executive of Leeds Building Society, Richard Fearon, said:

“In some areas holiday lets have grown to have a significant stranglehold on the pipeline of homes available for local people to live in and we want to play our part in removing it.”

In July 2022 the Overview & Scrutiny Committee of NNDC held a meeting to discuss holiday homes in North North. I quote from the website: “The trend toward self-contained holiday accommodation may be contributing to the increased numbers of second and holiday homes.” Note the use of the word ‘may.’ The word ‘is’ would have been far more appropriate.

 

 

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The beach and lifeboat house at Wells Norfolk

The old lifeboat house at Wells-next-the-Sea North Norfolk

What I am about to write about is a phenomenon that has affected not just North Norfolk. I am sure that other parts of the UK, where tourism forms a significant portion of the economy, will have noticed a marked increase in visitor numbers.

Norfolk’s tourism industry suffered severely during the pandemic, with many jobs lost, business closures and millions of pounds removed from the local economy. Post-pandemic, the recovery has been steady and is accelerating. It is true that UK tourist areas initially saw greater demand because people were wary of travelling abroad. That situation has changed, and more people are choosing to fly to where sunshine is guaranteed. However, COVID-19 and the psychological effects it caused among the population did change the attitudes of many individuals regarding where and how they choose to spend their holidays.

The realisation that a transmissible infection can suddenly appear and cause millions of deaths across the world acted as something of a wake-up call. People now value the important things in life as never before. They feel a greater need to find ways to enjoy life wherever and whenever they can.

So, how has this affected North Norfolk? The first and most noticeable change is traffic. There has been an exponential growth in the traffic volumes using North Norfolk’s roads. I have noticed that the car parks are often full by mid-morning during good weather in Cromer, where I live. The large car park at Runton Road has been at capacity on many occasions this summer – several hundred cars. That used to be the case only occasionally, even during the summer holiday season.

More cars mean more people, noticeable in the footfall in North Norfolk’s coastal towns. Sheringham and Cromer have had an extremely busy 2023, so the local traders have benefitted, as have those at Blakeney and Wells-next-the-Sea. Inland, Holt has had a bumper summer season.

This all begs the question, Is North Norfolk going to become another Cornwall? The area already has a high proportion of second homes, and property prices have been rising steadily for several years. Subsequently, there is an understandable outcry from locals who cannot find accommodation at affordable rates.

What does the future hold for this lovely part of the UK? Will it follow the pattern of places like St Ives in the southwest and Keswick in the Lakes, becoming overwhelmed by the number of people that want to come to and enjoy North Norfolk?

 

 

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North Norfolk Wells-next-the-Sea town sign

The North Norfolk port town of Wells-next-the-Sea has been named as being one of the best places to live in the UK by the Sunday Times.

In its supplement on the 28th of March the newspaper described the location of Wells-next-the-Sea in North Norfolk: “This bewitching stretch of coast has charms of its own  – golden sands, creeks and marshes bathed in ethereal light, endless horizons and wondrous wildlife.”

Wells Maltings arts centre also came in for praise as did two unnamed outstanding pub/hotels.

To summarise, the article finished with these words. “You’ll love living here if you like upmarket seaside living without the upscale prices and pressures.”

The journalist (who has probably never been to Wells) failed to mention the town’s galleries, the excellent fish and chips, the lovely harbour and the useful shops.

Now that the national lockdown has been eased the permanent residents of Wells need to brace themselves for an influx of summer visitors. The summer of 2021 could well be the busiest holiday season on record in North Norfolk and places to stay in North Norfolk will be in short supply.The beach and lifeboat house at Wells Norfolk

So, that’s the opinion of the Sunday Times. But is there an underlying problem?

In the last twenty years, the popularity of North Norfolk as a holiday destination has soared. That, of course, has been advantageous for those running hospitality venues and holiday accommodation such as cottages, B&Bs, guesthouses and hotels. Also, the service industry and suppliers have seen their businesses grow. What’s the problem then?

As has happened in the south-west of the UK, the North Norfolk district has become far more attractive to those that would like to live in beautiful seaside resorts like Wells. An added attraction is what are considered to be low property prices when compared with other parts of the UK. The buyers hail from busy urban centres, many moving upon retirement. Others have invested in second homes in the town. Of course, they have every right to do so; however, that has undoubtedly changed Wells and the lives of the individuals that were born and grew up there.

Back in 2012, I wrote a detailed article about the problem. You can read it here.

Since then, the situation has gradually worsened. Demand for upmarket housing is now greater than ever due to the pandemic that has prompted some people to seek a better life away from the hustle and bustle of urban conurbations. The main conclusions I reached at the time are listed below:

  • Individuals with family roots going back several generations in these villages and towns cannot afford to live there due to the acute shortage of rental and reasonably priced accommodation.
  • Many Norfolk coastal towns and villages have numerous properties that are empty for a large part of the year. Owners of second homes do not visit during the winter, apart from the extended holiday periods over Christmas and the New Year.
  • Norfolk holiday cottages have killed village life. The heart of the communities has gone, along with the schools and young people.
  • Savvy incomers quickly realised the importance of becoming involved in local politics to protect their interests. Many now sit on parish councils throughout North Norfolk.

Some of the planning approvals granted by the North Norfolk District Council in recent years have been questionable. The large house in the form of a wooden box that appeared beside Newgate Green at Cley is just one example. Concerning Wells, an inappropriate housing development outside the town’s boundary was approved. Quite frankly, it looks ridiculous, isolated as it is in what was once a farmer’s field.

A new trend when buying coastal properties has recently become noticeable. That is buying an ideally situated property requiring improvement with no intention of doing the work. Instead, the perfectly good house is demolished. The site is then cleared, and a new architect-designed house is built on the plot.

A few facts about the housing situation in Wells-Next-The-Sea:

  • A 2-bed flat at the Granary sold in 1997 for £48,650. In 2020 a buyer paid £650,00.
  • A buyer recently paid £1,375,000 for a house at the East End.
  • The average price for a property in Wells in the last twelve months, £509,047.

Of course, you can’t stop change, but you can control it. That is where the planning authority is letting down the people of North Norfolk. Few affordable homes are being built for young people to buy or rent, causing them to move away from their local area. That is a great shame.

 

 

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I have received an email from Carol Goulding about her business making and selling beautiful soap in Wells-next-the-Sea, North Norfolk. The products are particularly relevant at the moment.

“We are Handmade Norfolk Soaps. All our soaps are antibacterial and antiseptic. We are working hard to help everyone stay safe at home, by stocking Norfolk pharmacists and selling our products online, so they can be delivered to your door.

Our family business that has been making natural soaps in North Norfolk for over 20 years. We use natural essential oils that come straight from the plant, such as Tea Tree. Our main ingredients are coconut oil and local Norfolk rapeseed oil, this will help to moisturise the skin, while disinfecting them. This will prevent dry splitting skin and red sore hands from regular washing.

Why does soap work so well on the Sars-CoV-2, the corona virus and indeed most viruses?

The virus is a self-assembled nano particle in which the weakest link is the lipid (fatty) bi-layer. Soap dissolves the fat membrane on the outside and the virus falls apart and becomes inactive.

Cleaning your hands frequently throughout the day, will help protect you and the people you live with. We recommend rinsing hands with hot water and rubbing our soap into a lather. Scrub in between fingers, on the palm and around finger nails, where dirt is most likely to collect, and rinse again. Every hand wash should last about 30 seconds, for a thorough wash.

Be kind to you and your environment. We don’t use palm oil, preservatives or artificial scents. Our soaps are completely vegan, 100% biodegradable and all our packaging is plastic free. Many people are using liquid antibacterial hand soaps that are alcohol based and come in plastic containers, we are offering a plastic free and natural alternative. Still caring for our environment as well as ourselves.

Thank you very much, take care, wash your hands and stay safe.”

Carol Goulding

Website – https://www.handmadenorfolksoaps.co.uk/

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/handmade_norfolk_soaps/

Email – contact@handmadenorfolksoaps.co.uk

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The Beach at Sea Palling in NorfolkSea Palling Beach

Two of North Norfolk’s beaches have featured in a Sunday Times’  list of the UK’s best. The beaches at Sea Palling and Holme-next-the-Sea were listed at 17 and 14 respectively in the top 20 selection by the Times’ chief travel writer Chris Haslam.

Mr Haslam wrote about Holme: “When the SUV’s are nose-to-tail into Brancaster, Burnham and other locations on the Norfolk Coast, Holme will be empty. (Note: Empty? That is not the case in the summer months. DH.)

“Just northeast of Old Hunstanton, it’s a beach that has kept its salt marsh, sand, and enormous sky reasonably secret.”

His opinion of the beach at Sea Palling was: “Spotlessly clean beach of golden sand” and “nine gorgeously sheltered bays”.

I agree with Chris Haslam’s comments, however, what about Holkham and Wells-next-the-Sea? What is your opinion?

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Cromer BeachLifeguard Flag – supervised bathing area between the flags

The warmer weather will soon be here. I promise! So, get the bathing costumes, the suntan oil and the beach gear sorted out ready for some relaxing days on North Norfolk’s beaches.

Indications are that this tourist season in North Norfolk could see the highest number of visitors ever so you will need to get down onto the beaches early to get the best spots – in my case within a few yards of the Rocket House Café and the Lifeboat Café at Cromer.

The beaches at the popular seaside resorts of West Runton, Sheringham, Mundesley, Sea Palling, East Runton and Cromer have again been designated as being of Blue Flag standard. The Blue Flag designations are given when a beach meets EU standards of cleanliness, safety, facilities, environmental management and education and water purity. The awards mean that our 45-mile long coastline now has half of all the Blue Flag designated beaches in the east of England.

In addition, Hunstanton and Wells-next-the-Sea have been given the Seaside Award (formerly the Quality Coast Award) that assures holidaymakers that the beaches are safe, clean and well-managed.

The chief executive of Keep Britain Tidy, which administers the Blue Flag scheme, Allison Ogden-Newton, stated: “The success of the beaches in reaching the very high standards demanded by both awards is testament to all those who have worked so hard to protect and improve our beaches – from beach managers and volunteers to local people and businesses.

“When you enjoy a trip to a beach flying an international Blue Flag or Seaside Award, you know you are on one of the safest, cleanest and very best in the country.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Of the many eateries in Wells in North Norfolk, The Globe Inn comes out a clear winner for me. The recent refurbishment has been a great success and this is a comfortable and relaxing place to dine. The menu is varied, and The Globe serves excellently prepared and presented food made with locally sourced produce. Try The Globe when you are next in Wells – it must rate as one of the best North Norfolk pubs.

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