Over-tourism? How I became Missus Hypocritical in York – Susan Morrison

Susan Morrison finds a snug Airbnb in York but does her best to be a slightly more thoughtful city-breaker than some visitors to Edinburgh.

Key boxes can be a sign of Airbnb properties (Picture: Michael Gillen)

Within 10 minutes of our arrival in York for a city break, I noticed that the Yorkshire husband’s accent had shifted South, and this despite more than three decades of civilised living amongst us. It could have been a defence mechanism. There are still York folk holding a fairly sizeable grudge against booty-swiping Scots of the 14th-century.

We stayed in an Airbnb, we clogged up the pavement and we took ages in shops to make our minds up. In short, we became part of the tourist problem in someone else’s city.

In our defence, we did our planet-saving bit by travelling by rail. Oh, and I didn’t make like a 14th-century Scot, storming the walls, burning the city then cutting off the mayor’s head, sticking it in a box and sending it down to Boris. I’m not a complete barbarian.

Anyway, Airbnb is doing a much more efficient job of turning our cities into deserts than any ravening Scots army. Edinburgh boasts barely a door in the Old Town without the tell-tale key safe just waiting for the arrival of Julie’s hen party, Prosecco primed to make life a living hell for the rest of the stair, heck, the street.

I moan about the tourist problem in Edinburgh like the best of us, yet, here I am, Mrs Hypocritical, bunking up in a snug wee Airbnb in York.

Our exposure to Fringe mayhem on the High Street might have made us slightly more thoughtful city breakers. We check that our apartments are owned by local people to keep the money in their hands. We look for neighbourhood restaurants and I always get my coffee from independent shops, even if that means putting up with those young bearded chaps. They’re terribly nice, but they wear trousers that don’t reach their ankles and can’t afford socks.

You can be a good tourist. Just visit considerately, spend your money, and don’t cut the mayor’s head off. Simple.