As holiday makers flock to tourist attractions this summer, new data shows there are more than a dozen homes newly registered as holiday lets in the Vale of White Horse.

The coronavirus pandemic has led to a boom in "staycationing", with prices for holiday accommodation rocketing in tourist hotspots, and many seeking to capitalise by converting their second homes into holiday lets.

New figures from the Government’s Valuation Office Agency, provided by property experts Altus Group, show there were 46 holiday lets in the Vale of White Horse trading as businesses as of the end of May – 14 more than in mid-March 2020, before the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.

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The figures cover second homes which are registered as commercial premises – meaning they must be made available for at least 140 days each year– but does not include other second homes used for private holiday lets.

Groups have highlighted the increased pressure of the uptick in tourism on some communities such as increased rent and stretched local services.

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Across England and Wales, nearly 20,000 new homes have been newly registered as holiday lets over the course of the pandemic – there are now 83,342 nationally.

Records from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities from September 2021 show there were 189 properties registered as second homes for council tax purposes in the Vale.

Read more from this author

This story was written by Rebecca Whittaker, she joined the team in 2019 as a multimedia reporter.

Rebecca covers education and news in Abingdon and Wantage.

Get in touch with her by emailing: Rebecca.Whittaker@newquest.co.uk or calling 07824524333

Follow her on Twitter @RebecWhitt

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