Patrick Hayman, of Washabrook Way, Kingsbridge, writes:

The never-ending game of second home tennis continues in the Gazette, with a huge volley of words from Staffordshire, January 13, returning a great forehand from Salcombe, January 6, in which the latter, in my opinion, was full of true facts and real concerns locally.

The letter from Staffs mentioned many times of wishing for a vibrant, supportive and happy community, but then spoilt the mood by retaliating with words of depressing vitriol, animosity and venom, which destroyed the mentioned goodwill to all theory.

I have been writing letters to the Gazette for 20-plus years about second homes, and in the early days received many comments back, often hysterical, mostly nonsense and whinging, so unfortunately after all this time we are in the same, if not a worse, position.

As someone who has lived here for nearly 70 years, I agree that we will not go back to when villages had full houses and year-round employment, with schools, shops, a bus ­service and even a policeman.

But people do have a perfect right to feel deep concerns about ghost towns and villages in the winter; house prices at crazy, overinflated prices, far out of reach for the average earner; and seeing people buying a ­property, saying that they love the house but then proceeding to knock it down and build something totally different, from which you then have to suffer the noise, inconvenience and disruption that was mentioned in previous letters. But I suppose that’s just called progress.

The passionate letter from Staffs followed a similar trend, with people over the years unable to understand fully the passion expressed by residents in the South Hams, looking at it as an attack on outsiders. In reply they say it is just a national problem and they have the same issues in their area. But if that’s correct, then do they write to their local newspapers or contact a councillor. I really do hope so.

Many second home owners are decent, fair-minded people who I hope would consider going along with Cllr Julian Brazil’s excellent idea of increasing the council tax for second homes. In my opinion he is a person who has always tried to do his best for this area, and rather than his plan causing division and animosity, it might be a start to sorting out serious issues.

Some people’s thoughts on Cllr Brazil’s idea remind me of when tax rises for the top wage earners are talked about: there are screams of anger, saying they will leave the country, taking their money with them, to me showing their true colours.

If any increase in tax was used to help people who live and work in the South Hams area, who care for the sick and elderly, clear our waste and recycling, cover our emergency services and look after the fields and animals that make this area so popular to visitors, then everyone’s a winner.

I am glad to have lived through a time when life was far more simple, with less pressure; and if you worked hard houses were affordable or available, with communities vibrant and supportive, with money certainly not the master. Also, we had great characters, who were known mostly by just a nickname, which today would have the PC brigade reaching for the smelling salts, as fun and banter was always face-to-face then and not from behind a screen, as it is now.

The changing face of the South Hams will no doubt continue long after I am gone to another home; and although my letter will solve nothing, because I cannot quote facts about the capitalist economy, retail therapy and an inward-looking theory, I do agree

when people from Salcombe, Dartmouth, St Ives etc have concerns about the future – that there will be enough property available to house those who supply the labour to continue helping the funds flow into the local community.