Retirees bombarding our beautiful rural seaside area

people who haved worked all their lives, saved for their retirement and used that, plus pension pots to buy somewhere lovely to live, to spend their final years are quite entitled to do so. Do these 'incomers' not contribute to society and to the local economy? How awful to have such a biased an unwelcoming attitude

I cannot believe one poster's comment mentioning what used to be called white settlers
Would that have been said about any other colour or can one say, with impunity, anything about our own race?

I started a thread a while back apropos of people I knew living in Thames Ditton, a village a couple of miles from me, who had a group of travellers roll up and had to put up with both human and dog waste being chucked over their fences, and "threatened by a big dog" and other such anti social behaviour. One poster, north of the border, no prizes for guessing who, said something along the lines "when people deliberately look for trouble and demonise certain groups then they'll find they have problems" not verbatim but that was the gist. Interesting! so it seems when a lack of appreciation of local customs and of how things are done in her neck of the woods, from incomers, or to be specific English newbies, because as we know no other group of people could behave in such a reprehensible way, then somehow that throws a different light on the matter!

Specs & Co.......just be grateful they are not migrants/asylum seekers like my area has.

We lived in a national park for 12 years and I worked in the nearest small town as a nurse, tried joining local groups but never really felt welcome. We moved to a bigger northern town recently to be near family. I commute to work on a big city hospital ward. Although I miss the fabulous scenery and easy GP appointments in the national park, what a relief to be with friendly, tolerant people instead of insular bullies.

Kandinsky I can't agree about London, sorry. I don't think the shops are better, well maybe if you are really, really rich. We have independent shops and restaurants and don't have to travel very far for a few top brands. What we gain is fresher air and friendly people. In London a couple of days ago, talking to a young man we know about where we live and he said he had lived in London all his life and never met his neighbours.

I've lived in London and found that some people really don't know other areas of the country and are not open to thinking outside the M25. We are not all 'flat 'ats and braces' you know.

The same is happening in Tasmania, Australia. We are a small island state and the influx of retirees is growing day by day. Also mainlanders settling in our small rural towns. Overall a good thing - diversity is good.

To answer just one of OP's questions: I believe people move away from the cities they have spent their working lives in because these places are far too expensive to live in once you have retired.

Another reason is that in a big city, very few people spent their adult life near those they went to school with, or even relatives, so moving away is a completely different prospect than it is to people who have lived in a small community all their lives.

you want to try living in London and see how that's changed over the last 60 years!!

I wouldnt worry too much with the pension age rising those now moving to your beautiful coountry side arre likely to be the last generation with su h dreams.
If it is so idylic why are people selli g up and moving making homes available I suggesst a by law is passed no one is allowed to move out for 20 years.
Since this is not the first similar post I think Ill stay put in the city

I don’t blame my neighbours from different places for the lack of doctors and teachers - some of them are doctors and teachers.

notanantoo what you say about Portugal is especially true in the Algarve but not so much over the rest of Portugal where most of us have integrated and live much as the Portuguese people do and are not demanding English food and foreign restaurants . In many places in the rest of Portugal foreign immigrants have bought up semi derelict properties that the locals don't want and made them into comfortable homes. They are mainly retired people who have their own income.
There is not enough work for the Portuguese which is why they have to move abroad to work. Then you get young people from the UK and other parts of Europe asking what work they can get here and expecting same salaries as the UK. Talk about naive because they obviously havent done any homework as to whether the move is feasible. They are usually into alternative therapies yet the average Portuguese earning the minimum salary of €600 per month is struggling to pay his bills and doesnt have money for fripperies. You then get parents who have moved over with young children posting about playdates and special play facilities like they had in the UK. Talk about not being in touch with the Portuguese because really they just want to replicate their UK life here

I think BlueBelle is spot on!
It isn’t the fault of the “incomers” that property prices are too high for local people-it’s failure to invest in affordable housing in rural areas over a long period of time by both main political parties.
People are entitled to live any where they want to in this country, and diversity is beneficial to the gene pool. Seriously some of these comments sound xenophobic!

So in the Sunday times today a magazine about the 48 best places to move to and live in Britain.. be very afraid if you live in one of these places

I do live in one of these places and what the article fails to mention is that the schools are oversubscribed and can't accept any more; the narrow lanes are congested with parked cars, leading to a high percentage of vehicles being damaged by passing cars and the "beautiful rolling fields" have just been designated for more housing to be built! And articles like the one in The Times leads to property proces being hiked up still further due to its desirability.

Made a mistake - Scotland isn't racist unless you are English.

Well, Paddyann, I am one of the 'white settlers' having moved up to the Highlands from London in 1974 because of a skills shortage in the local population.
Apparently, according to the Scottish parliament, Scotland is not racist; my experience is that it is if you aren't English.
I get the impression that you are in favour of independence; bear in mind that the entire population of Scotland is approximately 4 million less than that of London. How will independence be financed? The oil and gas are running out and the companies that exploit the gas and oil fields are mostly owned by non British organisations.
The SNP are deluded.

Wow, I feel guilty. Was brought up in London commuter belt, moved from there in early 70s. I've lived all over England in 8 different counties, town centre and rural.
I've always found most places a mix of born there or come-to-work-in-that-area. I loved living near the sea, and when kids moved out, I found a job near the sea, and am now retired.
It is 2019, but I didn't realise I was so very weird, and so unwanted!!

I’m surprised anyone would want to move into an area like yours, being so unwelcoming. Do you think that there is anywhere local people can afford to buy easily, if so please let us know. Up & down the country young people struggle to buy a home. It’s not just older people moving into rural areas, terrible that in their latter years with no work commitments they can enjoy their lives in nice surroundings. Even if not welcomed by what sounds like years of inbreeding. What about second home owners? Do you complain about them? In our village that’s who we are blighted by. In our local village one complete street is holiday or second homes, walk along it in winter evenings not a sign of life in any of the homes. But I’d rather live her3 than your village

One of the main reasons I won’t be retiring to the country. I always thought there was an element of ‘you’re an outsider’ thing going on, this thread has confirmed it.
I’ll stay in London where everyone is welcome. ( & the shops & services are a million times better )

Surely the integration of cultures and traditions, are what have made this country what we are. We will be unable to prevent the future enveloping us all, it is known as "progress".

When I lived in London over 30 years ago I asked my elderly neighbour if she minded all the 'yuppies' moving in to the neighbourhood, but she told me she was delighted - we (the incomers) were kind and friendly and helped her with tasks in her house and garden. Fast forward 30 years and in the rural village where I now live there are new families moving in. When I arrived here - where my husband's family had lived for over 300 years - the area was nothing but retirees however several families with young children have now moved in and they are great - they take an interest in the village. They had a street party last summer and they pick up litter and we have a village WhatsApp group. We have a great mixture now as retirees have died/moved and their places have been taken by much younger people who are not necessarily country people but their children will be.

BlueBelle and EthelJ ?

Excellent comment BlueBelle.

What is different today is the ever increasing rate of change, it is happening very fast now, previously people had time to assimilate `strangers` Not just in vallages or market towns either but large areas of various cities have quickly changed

I don't understand wanting to move right away from all your family & friends when you get older.
Surely that is when you have more time to socialise & you will know all the clubs etc. in your area that may interest you.
I have lived in Surrey all my life- I am now about 15 miles from where I was born & my Mum & Dad were born.
I have friends from when I was at Primary school - real long term friends who know all about me & still speak to me!!
Really good friends.
OK - so Surrey is really pretty & you can get into London very easily if you want to - I rarely do.
I don't want all the bother of moving & having to start all over again. Plus DGC are only 20 mins away from here so we see them a lot & they love staying over which they couldn't do if it meant 3-4 hour car ride.
Stay put & visit the rest of the country for holidays.