Building begs to be used

We contribute

REGARDING the recent articles in the Mercury pertaining to Airbnb, I feel compelled to refute a number of so-called facts.

My wife and I operate a fully registered Airbnb from our primary residence. We offer a very hands-on experience with a more “home” oriented service. We are available to our guests for advice on local restaurants, tourist sites to visit and so on. We do not compete with hotels.

We contribute to the local economy by employing a cleaner and purchasing items for the welcome platter from local grocery outlets.

Any suggestion that it is possible to triple your earnings by switching from longterm rental to Airbnb is totally ludicrous.

Within the Airbnb community of hosts that we are familiar with, a majority operate from their primary residence, therefore any statement that there are 5500 short-term accommodation residences in Tasmania which have been lost to the long-term rental market is totally overstated. HUNTERS HOTEL OWNER SAYS HE HAS THE CHAINS READY IN PUB BALCONY BATTLE If enough people chain themselves to the balcony, the council won’t need to hire a demolition team. WHILE we are being told so many people in Hobart do not have a place to call home, we have buildings such as the Glenorchy Civic Centre languishing empty with a front entrance cluttered with stray leaves blown under the gap of the front door. This building could be renovated to allow for the creation of low-cost housing for those that need it. It is wicked that it exists this way when people are sleeping rough in the surrounding community.

No money left after ciggies

OF course almost no Australians eat five serves of vegetables a day. Do you know how much cigarettes cost?