I'm getting increasingly concerned about this new "the islands are unwelcoming", "the islands are hostile" narrative in relation to easing lock down. And I have to say, how dare you? [thread]

There is a tension present all the time between beautiful vulnerable "empty" places being seen as destinations first and communities second. That tension has come ever more to the fore with Covid.

For me there is no question that communities should come first. Without them there is no destination. Every season locals deal with lack of food supplies, no space on boats, incessant cleaning and a raft of other inconveniences.

We do it because we understand that people love our islands. We do it because it earns us money. We do it because we want to share our beautiful home. And sometimes we do it because it feels like we don't have a choice.

But there should always be a choice. And what you are hearing from many island communities right now is not "we hate tourists" or "we're unwelcoming". What you are hearing is an effort to take control.

To take control and put our communities first. Our vulnerable first. Our families first. Our elderly first. Our sick first. Our key workers first. Our shop workers first. Our medics first. Our postal services first. Our home, first.

This is not a binary situation. People are losing a year's income, frightened about the future and in many cases relying on support for food. We're not ignorant little natives unaware of the political situation around us.

We read Facebook and the papers, and are fairly well educated. We know that there are two sides to the coin. However - the elderly in these islands are tradition bearers of a dying culture. History, stories, knowledge and language will die with them.

Little wonder we are worried. We know it is frustrating to have your holiday cancelled. We know how much it hurts to lose your income. And we sit in the middle of that tension of destination versus community and we are struggling with it too.

So please. Stop making it harder. Stop telling people we are unwelcoming and hostile. We're actually not. We're looking forward to being able to open, and to meet you again. But we want to do it gradually, because we have a lot to lose.

And a lot of what we have to lose is below the surface, unseen during a week of sun sea and sky, but it is much of what makes this a home - a real place - and without it, your holiday experience would be much the poorer.

And just in case I get accused yet again of hating tourists. I don't. We don't. We look forward to welcoming you when we can. We're not hostile, we're scared, and we're putting everything on the line to protect our home SO THAT you can come back safely.

ps. And I wish this didn't have to be said. Abuse of visitors or non-residents, be they arriving or already here should absolutely not be tolerated and should be condemned in the strongest possible terms. Vigilantism is never acceptable.