Watch: ‘Heartbreaking’ viral video shows ‘soulless’ empty holiday homes in Welsh village

A “heartbreaking” video showing “soulless” empty holiday homes in a Welsh village has received a viral response.

Dani Robertson shared the video of houses on a street in Rhosneigr, Ynys Môn, which she said “should be alive with the activity of families after school”.

She said she “tried to count” all of the second homes in the tourist hot spot, which has 1,000 residents, but that she stopped when she “hit 100”.

In a Twitter thread, she said something “has to change” because the “entire community has been displaced”, and that “ones nearby are unravelling too”.

Dani backed the Hawl i Fyw Adra campaign, which is calling on the Welsh Government to tackle the housing crisis engulfing rural Wales and make sure that locals are not priced out of houses in their own communities.

Tea time on a Feb eve. These houses should be alive with the activity of families after school. Instead they sit here lifeless. I tried to count all the soulless houses in my village, stopped when I hit 100. We don’t need to build more houses. We need to use these. pic.twitter.com/XQRtOSnDlr

— Dani Robertson (@DaniDarkSkies) February 8, 2022

She added: “Something has to change. This entire community has been displaced. The ones nearby are unravelling too. What can be done?
There are enough homes here alone to house a good chunk of those in need. Instead they lay here. Empty. Whilst families go homeless.

“These aren’t the grand, big houses on the seafront. These are modest, family homes. The owners even keep the heating blaring when no one is holidaying there, to keep the place dry. What a waste of energy resources when so many are in fuel poverty. ”

‘Ghost’ 

Christopher Jones said: “I walked the streets of Abersoch selling poppies one year. Was told only 3 houses out of 40 on one street were occupied. It’s a ghost town in the off-season. And we let it happen.

Jonathan Simmonds said “That’s heartbreaking, people like to promote the stereotype of towels reserving sun beds but this is the very extreme on that spectrum. It’s hard to find the money for a house, let alone a second that you can afford to keep empty.”

Cate Lovett said: “Same where I live in coastal rural Pembs. All empty most of the year, heating on full, and most leave their outside lights on destroying dark sky gazing.”

Alan Davies said: “If folks want to visit beautiful places let them use hotels & B&B’s provide employment & put money into local economy.”

Lesely Williams said: “Reading all the replies about houses being bought as holiday homes – we have to remember that the seller has the option to not sell to the highest bidder, but to someone who is actually going to live there. You can’t just blame the buyer.”

Dr Paul Tubb said: “Same in the Cotswolds; we lived in Bibury with 60% second home ownership which has only increased since we left in 2004. Now most of the building taking place is second home developments.”

Gavin Steven said: “Same on a popular Scottish Island. There are few homes to rent or buy for people wanting to live here. Lots empty as they are 2nd holiday homes.”