Despite a rise in second homes and Airbnbs, Over Haddon villagers maintain a vibrant community life.
More than a few feathers were ruffled earlier this year when a Derbyshire village was labelled a potential 'ghost town' because of the increasing numbers of second homes , holiday homes and Airbnbs which have sprung up in the area. Many of the 250 permanent residents of Over Haddon felt strongly that, as things stand, the village is far from a being 'a deserted town with few or no remaining inhabitants' - the usual definition of a ghost town.
In fact they have gone as far as to emphasise that despite around one in four homes not being lived in by locals there is still a thriving population and social life, which comes together regularly for very many activities, including events in the modern village hall only opened in 2011, at the Lathkil Hotel and St Anne's Church. True there is no village shop, nor a school, but that is something people know when they move there and a fact of life for those who were born and bred in the village. But there is a vibrant coffee morning club, history group and book club. The Over Haddon Village Hall committee has recently organised a murder mystery night, annual big quiz, wassailing and also the Christmas Musical Soiree - one of series of soirees featuring West End stars and guaranteed to sell-out almost before the ink has dried on the tickets. The Lathkil pub holds regular quiz nights, is staging musical bingo in the near future, organises the annual Leg It Around Lathkill running race, always marks Burns Night with a celebration and is the centre of feast days, celebrations and regular darts matches. The label 'ghost town' was suggested to a Derbyshire Live reporter by a villager of 15 years - back in May - when he visited Over Haddon to garner opinion about the growth of second homes and Airbnbs, which have proliferated in Over Haddon and further afield in other villages in the Derbyshire Dales and Peak District over the past few year
VILLAGE LIFE TOURISM SECOND HOMES COMMUNITY DERBYSHIRE
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