Householders going for gold with Olympics renting
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North Kent's
proximity to Ebbsfleet International is good for Olympic
tourism
Kent homeowners could be
cashing in this summer by renting out their homes during the
Olympic Games.
With London 2012 less than six
months away, residents are taking advantage of the county's
prime locations - particularly in Dartford and Gravesham, with high
speed links to the Olympic Stadium in Stratford - and
advertising their homes for weekly rental during the games and
Paralympics.
Some are offering spectators
exclusive use of their property, or renting out individual
rooms.
An online search revealed
website rentduringthegames.com has at least six properties on
its books, with one five-bedroomed house sleeping 10 appearing to
have been snapped up at a staggering rate of £6,500 per
week.
Other properties include a
three-bedroom Victorian cottage in Horton Kirby for £2,000, two
bedrooms for rent in a three-bed Gravesend home at £1,000 a week,
and a two-bed cottage in Swanscombe for £1,150.
Flat owners are also cashing in
and offering single rooms.
All the properties boast of
their proximity to Ebbsfleet International, with high speed trains
to Stratford taking just 11 minutes. Some homeowners are even
offering their services as drivers to and from the
station.
But local property management
companies believe homeowners could be disappointed. A member of
staff at 2-Move said only one call had been received - and that was
from someone looking to lend a property.
Caxtons said they had not had a
single inquiry, and it was a similar story at Accommodation and
First Choice - Urban Estates.
One admitted: "I think the
Olympics are going to be a damp squib."
Meanwhile, plans are being made for Gravesend RFC to provide
camping facilities for short stay visitors.
The ground is one of several
locations where temporary camp sites will be established for
visitors looking to visit the Olympics on the cheap. Another is to
be located at Culverstone Green.
Ebbsfleet International car park
is to provide a park and ride facility, but only for drivers who
have pre-booked.
Kent County Council is still
formulating traffic management schemes with the Highways Agency and
local councils.
Friday, January 27 2012
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