Readers of the Sunday Times may have been surprised by an oddly parochial story that appeared on Page 8 of its main news section this week. Headlined “Tax revolt hits Chelsea-on-Sea weekenders”, it concerned attempts to make part-time residents of the South Hams area of Devon pay more council tax.
It was a long and balanced report that ended with a series of observations by a councillor opposed to the move. Paul Coulson said it would be “perverse” to charge second-home owners the full tax for public services they barely used.
“The holiday homes contribute a lot. If we start turning on them they might just switch their properties to a cheaper business rate, or even move.”
Part-time residents of Chelsea-on-Sea were said by the ST to include David Dimbleby, Steve Rider, Kate Bush and Damon Albarn.
I know of another. Strolling some months ago along a beautiful stretch of coastline near Salcombe, I spotted a truly lovely house ahead of me in the distance. “Who lives there?” I asked my companion (a full-time resident of the South Hams).
“That’s the weekend house of John Witherow,” Charlie told me.
“He’s the Editor of the Sunday Times.”
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