Kernow: More concerns raised over adverse effects of massed tourism

"Police chief: Hangover from holiday hordes costs us money"

With an estimated 11 million people headed our way over the coming holiday season, and with other British areas calling for tourist taxes such as Edinburgh, Liverpool, the Highlands of Scotland, Brighton following arrangements in overseas areas, resorts, cities and so on, we again call for a Cornwall Tourist Tax to assist impoverished locals pay for the extra demands tourists make on services.

We are pleased to note that for a second time the Chief Constable and Police Commissioner are exposing the true costs and damage caused by the overwhelming annual influx which closed off many parts of Cornwall last year and before as population levels swelled to dangerous levels.

Devon and Cornwall's chief constable says it's time the government recognised the impact tourists have on his resources and gave the force more money.

The force estimates that about 11 million people visit the area every year and it's expecting that number to increase after Brexit as more people opt for a staycation.

Chief Constable Shaun Sawyer said: "It hits us across many domains, it hits our roads policing, it hits our investigators through increases in domestic violence events, sexual offences, it hits on our night-time economy.

"We want people to have a great party but we shouldn't be left with the hangover."

Devon and Cornwall's Police and Crime Commissioner has joined her chief constable in saying it's "not fair" some of the poorest communities in the UK are having to pay for policing visitors from other parts of the country.

It's time the government recognised the impact those tourists have on resources.

Source - BBC news: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/localnews/tr15-tr15/0

Photo: Chief Constable Shaun Sawyer