South West Devon MP Rebecca Smith believes that Labour's Tourist Tax would be a further blow to local hospitality sector.

Last week, she visited Churchwood Valley Holiday Cabins in Wembury to discuss some of the wider challenges currently facing local tourism businesses with the owners of the site.

For 24 years in a row, they were awarded the David Bellamy Gold Conservation Award.

They achieved this by conserving, preserving, and protecting, helping to promote Wembury and the surrounding coastline which has been a designated Marine Conservation Area since 1981 and is recognised worldwide for its first-class wildlife.

They now sign up to the David Bellamy Blooming Marvellous Pledge for Nature through which they commit to creating and improving habitats, managing spaces in environmentally friendly ways and increasing engagement with guests and outside organisations.

Miss Smith said: “It was really valuable to spend time with John and Shirley, their son Tom, and Deputy General Manager also called Tom to discuss the pressures many hospitality businesses are under, including rising National Insurance costs and the impact this is having on employers.

“We discussed concerns around the proposed Visitor Levy and what this could mean for long-standing family-run businesses like Churchwood, which has welcomed visitors to South West Devon for more than 75 years.

“Local businesses are already reeling from Labour’s tax rises.

“Now they want to slap extra charges on your family holidays too — forcing mandatory nightly levies on accommodation, driving up costs for holidaymakers and making the sector less competitive.

“During my visit, I was also given a tour of the beautiful site and its coastal surroundings. It’s easy to see why so many families return year after year!

“Thank you again to everyone at Churchwood for taking the time to share your concerns with me and showing me the wonderful work you’re doing.”