Short-term letting in East Yorkshire: Bridlington, Beverley and the Wolds

Seaside towns, the Wolds and a minster

The East Riding is one of England's quieter holiday markets, and that is part of its appeal. Bridlington and Filey Bay draw families and anglers, Flamborough Head brings birdwatchers and walkers, and Hornsea and Withernsea keep a traditional seaside following. Inland, Beverley offers a market town with a minster and a racecourse, while the Yorkshire Wolds attract cyclists and those who want space rather than crowds. Hull, a separate unitary authority, sits just outside the county council's area.

Rules for East Riding owners

There is no short-let licence in England and no register yet. The government confirmed on 3 September 2026 that a national register should be operating by March 2027, and East Riding owners will fall within it. Planning permission is judged locally: the East Riding of Yorkshire Council can decide that turning a house into an intensively used holiday let changes its use, though ordinary occasional letting of a home usually does not reach that point. England has not introduced the separate short-let use class it consulted on.

Taxes you should budget for

From April 2025 the council has applied a 100% premium to second homes, so a furnished property with no permanent resident pays twice the standard council tax. Holiday lets that satisfy the self-catering test (140 nights available, 70 nights let in a year) can be moved onto business rates by the Valuation Office Agency. Profits are taxed as ordinary property income since the furnished holiday lettings regime ended in April 2025.

Practical points on this coast

The Holderness coast is known for erosion, so a survey and a frank conversation with your insurer are worth having before buying a clifftop property. Seasonality is marked: shoulder months depend on walkers, birdwatchers and events at Beverley, so pricing has to move with them. Keep the property warm and ventilated in winter to protect it and to keep it ready for last-minute bookings.

If you own a house or cottage here, tell us about it: we study every request and tell you honestly whether and how we can help.

Seabirds, a vanishing spit and Hockney's Wolds

The cliffs at Bempton, north of Flamborough, hold one of England's largest seabird colonies, with gannets and puffins from spring into summer; the RSPB reserve there brings serious birdwatchers who stay several nights and set out at dawn. Spurn Point, the thin spit at the mouth of the Humber, is a nature reserve managed by Yorkshire Wildlife Trust and a magnet during migration seasons.

Art has also changed the Wolds' image. David Hockney painted the lanes and woods around Bridlington and Kilham for years, and a trail near Woldgate now lets visitors see the landscapes that inspired him. The Yorkshire Wolds Way, a National Trail from Hessle to Filey, starts at the foot of the Humber Bridge.

• Country houses such as Sewerby Hall above Bridlington and Burton Constable Hall near Hull bring day visitors and wedding parties.
• Driffield's show in July draws the farming community for the day.
• Beverley Westwood, common pasture where cattle graze beside the racecourse, gives the town's houses an unusual setting.

Guests arriving on the overnight ferry from Rotterdam into Hull often want a first night near the port or an early check-in; a house within easy reach of the A63 can market to them. Birdwatchers value a kitchen for early breakfasts and somewhere to dry outdoor gear more than a large living room.