Dean says while the success of “brand Cartmel” is great for the village, it also drives investment from second-home owners and real estate investors, meaning fewer local people are able to buy properties here.
“The downside is it’s driven out a lot of people who looked after the village, the doers who got involved in the community.”
Jenny Boak, 62, has always lived in this corner of Cumbria and remembers the days when Cartmel was a sleepy village.
“All you needed to come to Cartmel for was to go to school,” explains Boak, who now sits as a Liberal Democrat on Westmorland and Furness Council.
“The growth has all been organic, it has come from enterprise and employment has gone up.”
While there are many holiday homes in and around its main square, Boak is keen to stress the area at large has managed to secure social housing.
She claims a “strong neighbourhood plan” put in place by the council, which identifies areas that can be developed, ensures a “balance” between tourism and community.
