A seaside village on the Isle of Anglesey in Wales is experiencing a heated debate over holiday lets, with a local councillor expressing concern that the influx of visitors and second homes is leading to a decline in the use of the Welsh language.
Councillor Robert Llewelyn-Jones stated that Welsh can no longer be heard in shops and cafes in Llanfaelog, a village near Rhosneigr. During a meeting concerning a retrospective application for a holiday let, he argued that the area has been "taken over by outsiders" and that approving such applications would further harm the language.
"When you visit the shops, people don't speak Welsh," Llewelyn-Jones reportedly said, according to the BBC. "The place has changed, transformed, it's been taken over by outsiders." He added that nearby Rhosneigr is "full of tourists."
Another councillor offered a differing perspective, calling the views "unfair" and pointing to Welsh speakers working in trades. However, the core of the debate centers on the increasing number of holiday homes and short-term lets in Llanfaelog.
Rhys Lloyd-Jones, the head of development and planning, noted that the percentage of holiday accommodation in the Llanfaelog Community Council area was 37.49 percent, significantly exceeding guidelines. He warned that high densities of holiday accommodation can lead to increased house prices, cultural shifts, strain on local infrastructure, and a reduction in community facilities for permanent residents.
Lloyd-Jones recommended refusal of the retrospective holiday let application, emphasizing the need for consistency in applying policies, particularly in areas already saturated with holiday and second homes. Despite this recommendation, councillors voted in favor of the application, a decision that requires reconsideration.
The debate highlights a broader tension between tourism's economic benefits and the preservation of local culture and language in popular Welsh destinations.