Boris Johnson, signs of normality and motorhome “shanty towns”

... was the leader of the free world of seven major industrialised nations. Not Joe Biden, but one Boris Johnson, who found himself centre stage of the G7 in the unlikely setting of Carbis Bay and St Ives, where the locals weren’t all entirely delighted that their sedate Cornish lives were being turned upside down. Here was the opportunity for Boris the polished statesman, not - it has be said - that he can ever appear to be in the remotest bit polished. If not polished, then was he statesman-like? Was the “special relationship” made more special? Or did Macron seek to steal some of Boris’s thunder? Ultimately, other than the locals, did anyone care?

Three cheers...

For, the signs of things regaining some sort of normality, whatever the source of these things. One last week was provided by the College of Real Estate Agents, who said that demand for rented accommodation in resorts had picked up over the past fortnight or so. This demand was principally from seasonal workers coming to Majorca, as they have traditionally long done. The demand was up, and there was also plenty of supply. It’s not like it was pre-Covid, when it was difficult to find anywhere. Perhaps there are more cheers then; those for bringing greater sense back to the rental market.

A big boo...

For motorhome “shanty towns”, one in particular. Residents of Ciudad Jardín in Palma have described the place as a motorhome shanty town. A point that residents were making is that the occupants aren’t tourists. Whatever the background, there are real issues with motorhomes; not just the lack of anywhere for tourists to park, but also for those who have found themselves living in them. There are undeniably that many more about, and not only in Ciudad Jardín. The boo isn’t wholly merited, if people have to live in motorhomes out of necessity, in which case town halls are going to have to find solutions.