Residents of picturesque Whitstable in Kent - including an Airbnb owner himself - have blasted holiday lets for forcing out families who were born and raised in the coastal resort.
One of Britain's most popular seaside towns is being ruined by Airbnb s, locals say - with the holiday lets forcing out families, destroying any sense of community and turning it into a 'ghost town' in the winter.
Other fans of the town's charm include former porn actress Mia Khalifa, who was dubbed the 'Queen of Whitstable' lat year after sunbathing in a bikini in the cold January weather, the news website reported last year. 'I came down here because I couldn't afford to live in London. Now I can't afford to live in Whitstable.The nearby Kent seaside town of Ramsgate is also facing a battle against Airbnb properties, with locals claiming in April that the holiday let trade was pushing out locals.
Read More How many empty second homes are in YOUR town? Interactive map reveals spread of unoccupied holiday houses and lets as councils crackdown on empty homes He said: 'Come in November and see how many lights are on. It comes to winter and this place becomes a ghost town.'Airbnbs make up 60 per cent of the area. There are no locals anymore. Outside of weekends it is dead.'It is ridiculous. People are buying houses and not living in them.
Local authorities have pursued council tax premiums, handing out refurbishment grants and asking genealogists to help them identify unknown property owners. Councils are also called on the Government to help them with new policies and more resources. Carly Firminger, 36, runs a café just outside of the high street which she says luckily is frequented by locals.
The pub bartender said: 'It is just crazy. I was walking along my street the other day just counting them. The 71-year-old said: 'There's too many of them . It is a cash cow as far as the council is concerned. He said: 'For me, the more tourists that are in the town the better. I sell stuff to local people, but you need a new flow of people and the Airbnb's bring that in.'We need Airbnb, that's the majority of the people in the town that are spending money now.'
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