A quiet seaside town in Northumbria has left long-time rival holiday destinations such as Cornwall in the rear-view mirror as Britons rush north to rent holiday homes amid a surge in rental profits in the region.
Seahouses in Northumberland, which lies on the north-east coast of England, was revealed as the town where holiday owners saw the biggest increase in rental profits by more than a third.
Analysis by Sykes Holiday Cottages found that Northumberland landlords saw a four-fold rise in profits last year compared to Cornwall, which saw an increase of just eight per cent.
It found that the four biggest increases in rental profits over the past year were all in Northumberland, closely followed by two places in Cumbria.
At Seahouses, which lies within the Northumberland Coast National Landscapes area, rental income rose by 36 per cent to £29,700 a year.
Seahouses in Northumberland is on England’s North East coast, where holiday owners have seen rental profits rise by a third
Bamburgh, home to Northumberland’s famous Bamburgh Castle (pictured), is another popular Northumberland resort
In second place was Bamburgh, which grew by 25 per cent, Alnwick by 19 per cent and Alnmouth by 17 per cent.
In Cumbria, Ambleside saw an increase of 12 per cent, equal to Grasmere, also in Cumbria.
Betws-y-Coed in Conwy, Bridlington in the East Riding of Yorkshire and Beadnell in Northumberland rounded out the top 10.
In tenth place is Loee in Cornwall, which saw an eight per cent increase.
Head of Visit Northumberland Andrew Fox told the Telegraph: “It’s great to see holiday cottage demand and income booming in so many different areas of Northumberland, reflecting the growing interest in the amazing attractions, places and experiences available in the county.
“Northumberland provides a great opportunity for property owners, whether based on our stunning coastline, in our peaceful countryside or in the heart of our traditional towns and villages.”
He believes the rising profits for apartment owners is due to an increase in tourism, with many Britons looking for cheaper holidays to avoid the hassle of traveling abroad.
In the small village of Alnmouth in Northumberland, profits jumped by 17 per cent
And in Grasmere, Cumbria, profits also beat Cornwall, jumping 10 per cent
According to Sykes, the average UK owner receives £24,500 a year.
Graham Donoghue of Sykes Holiday Cottages said: “With the wide range of things for travelers to see and do in Northumberland – including easy access to the National Park and beaches – it’s no surprise that holiday owners are seeing a significant increase in their bookings and annual income as a result. ”
It comes after figures from earlier this year showed that Cornwall remains the most profitable holiday region, with an average price of £84 for a room and £117 for a whole house.
According to an analysis of Office for National Statistics data by website Wealth of Geeks, a total of 476,910 bookings were made through popular holiday rental companies in the area.
The holiday problem is a scourge spreading across the UK, with some areas resorting to drastic measures to prevent second home owners driving up property prices.
In Narberth, local residents are trying to prevent tourists from pushing them out of their town, with one developer refusing to sell houses to foreigners.
Charles Salmon, 67, is behind the recent housing development and would like to use the land to benefit the tight-knit local community.
Mr Salmon, who grew up in the town, said: “There will be vetting arrangements – I’m trying to keep it for the locals.
“They may have to sign something to say they are indeed local people and that the houses will not be used for holidays.”
And in Whitby, North Yorkshire, the local council has doubled council tax on second homes.