The beautiful UK seaside resort where Airbnbs have 'stripped the life' out of the town
This gorgeous seaside town is a major draw for tourists, but residents are furious over the lack of housing for those who want to spend years rather than days there.
It's the trendy seaside town known for its oysters, its views and more importantly its thriving tourism drive. Whitstable is one of Kent if not England's finest coastal resorts.
It's jam-packed with pubs, and seafood restaurants and even in the winter boasts views to die for. Tourists flock from all over the country to get a slice of Whitstable.
However, such is the demand for a place to stay in the town, that Airbnb holiday rentals have now "outstripped" the number of properties available for people wanting to live there.
Graham Cox of the Whitstable Society told regional publisher, KentOnline: “Airbnbs have stripped the life out of the core of the town. You can see by the number of lights in the buildings.
"I know it gets cold in winter, but Airbnbs make anywhere within 100 metres of the seafront ice cold - there’s nothing going on."
According to Airbnb's own interactive map, there are 246 places in Whitstable alone travellers can stay in. These are made up of residential properties, bedrooms or guesthouses rented on a short term basis to visitors.
This is in comparison to eight properties on Rightmove up for let. Mr Cox went on to lay out where he thinks the resentment comes from, saying: "I think it’s come from a lot of well-heeled Londoners who want to invest in somewhere like Whitstable.
"They may own three houses so they’ve got to do something with the one in Whitstable rather than leave it empty - so they rent it out." He also pointed out a lack of hotels, which he said could come from the fact Airbnbs are springing up.
But, in a statement to Express.co.uk, a spokesman from Airbnb said two-thirds of UK Airbnb hosts say the additional income will help them during a cost-of-living crisis.
“We recognise the housing challenges towns like Whitstable face and we support the new regulations for short-term lets in England, which will give local authorities the information they need to enforce rules and protect everyday Brits who host to earn additional income.
"The majority of our hosts in Kent are everyday people who share their primary home for fewer than three nights a month, and two thirds of UK Airbnb hosts also say the additional income will help them afford the rising cost of living this year."
Despite the sense in the town that Airbnbs have robbed it of its community, the boss of Visit Kent sees Airbnb as a vital component of the county's tourist economy.
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CEO Deirdre Wells told Kent Online: "It's absolutely true... to say that Airbnb is a bit of a lifesaver for the visitor economy. Although we are a big county in quite a strong destination, we have probably less hotel stock than an equivalent county of our size. So the short-term rental market does really fill that gap."
Whitstable falls under Canterbury City Council, which includes neighbouring Herne Bay and Canterbury. The district itself has a total of 924 properties available across the two towns and the city.
Just last year the Independent claimed many residents feared of being pushed out of their hometown due to the rising number of tourist accommodations and second-home owners pouncing on a profitable income.
