Ali Arnison claimed she and her family were unable “to escape” the crowds in the seaside town. They had travelled more than 360 miles one way to visit the Cornish beaches last week but left early on Thursday.
Writing on Facebook, the holidaymaker even told of her frustration at struggling to find tables at restaurants and buy food from supermarkets in the town.
And she says Newquay should be on the banned UK travel list, along with the popular red and amber countries.
“Had to come home early from Newquay. The place needs putting on the banned list of places to travel,” Ali wrote.
Cornwall Live reports Newquay’s Covid rate is double that of other parts of the county.
Business leaders have argued this isn’t due to tourism though.
Ali said: “The restaurants are still packing people in. Ridiculously busy supermarkets with no staff and empty shelves.
“Even remote beaches were heaving, just no escape at all from the crowds. I feel so sorry for the locals.”
Cornwall residents have hit out at tourists recently, though, because of a spike in antisocial behaviour, including that of one dad who punched a street cleaner. Yobs hurled chairs, sun loungers and parasols into a hotel swimming pool in an “utterly disgusting” rampage last night.
But Kim Conchie, chief executive of Cornwall Chamber of Commerce, said: “We mustn’t get to the situation in Wales in the 1970s where they burned down second homes. You can’t tar everyone with the same brush.
“Second home owners who are not buying their products and services from local people and not contributing to things like local shops and pubs, we are not happy with that.
“But Cornwall is leading the way with sustainable and regenerative tourism. We need to say that these people are welcome but this is how we want you to act – to support local businesses and services.”
Countries can join the UK government’s red and amber travel lists with little notice.
They were introduced earlier this year as the country started to open back up after lockdown.
Spain is now on the amber list but the government now advises returning tourists to use a PCR test, instead of choosing to use a lateral flow test on arrival.
