Edp Tourism Awards

[JennyMorgan]

http://www.edp24.co.uk/business/tourism/edp_tourism_awards_winners_revealed_at_ceremony_celebrating_the_best_in_the_business_1_4792323

Please see comments following article.

[JennyMorgan]

The Broads national Park Award?? There is no such place for heaven's sakes, to call it one is to mislead. Outstanding award to the Broads Authority, what for? A reduction in mooring? Chasing local councils in regards to litter collections? Misleading people by branding the Broads as something its not, namely a national park? Baffling! I do know for a fact that there are people in the industry that are far less than impressed with the BA's inclusion.

[MauriceMynah]

What people call things and what they are, are frequently different, sometimes even for 'marketing purposes'.

My sister has a Miele hoover and I use a Parker biro. The Lake District is a national park but calls itself "The Lake District" the Broads is not a National Park but calls itself "The Broads National Park". We use Bulbs when we should use lamps and lots of us fly the Union Jack.

I can't remember who it is, but someone has the following quote at the end of his posts...

"In terms of government policy, the Broads is treated as a member of the national parks family

although its statutory basis is quite separate and IT IS NOT LEGALLY A NATIONAL PARK.

We do not propose to change this position and it is DEFRA's intention that the three purposes of

the Broads remain of equal standing."...

So overall, I wouldn't worry about it too much Peter. Those who read the EDP probably already know, and those who don't read it wouldn't know it was said.!

[Chelsea14Ian]

IT IS NOT a National  park they keep up this idea I believe  in the hope  that it will be one.What they need to do is improve the broads for every one that uses it and drop this silly idea that it is a National  park

[JennyMorgan]

Maurice, call it counter propaganda. I have no doubt that the thought is that the more it is said then the more that people will believe it. Gently gently catch the monkey., if we let him.

[marshman]

Dont worry Peter, whatever happens I will be long long gone!! Do I care a lot? No not a lot especially as I do not think it will make much difference!! Any significant, and real change, will take forever.

With European funding going and probably not available from Whitehall for at least 10 years, or longer as they will not be that high up on the priority list, a strong connection to the National Parks grouping may be more beneficial to finding alternative funding. 

Or not as the case may be!

[JennyMorgan]

He already has alternative funding, us!

By the way, Marsh, with the sun out I toddled off to take a ganders at  Albion's exposed nether regions. No snaps I'm afraid, she has copious plastic covers to maintain her dignity. You are right, she looks incredibly small alongside Excelsior.

[Timbo]

22 hours ago, Chelsea14Ian said:

IT IS NOT a National  park they keep up this idea I believe  in the hope  that it will be one.What they need to do is improve the broads for every one that uses it and drop this silly idea that it is a National  park

The idiocy I think is in the Chief Exec having no idea of what a National Park actually is or how they are run. The pink sparkly vision Mr Packman has for The Broads is as removed from a National Park as it is from reality.

[JennyMorgan]

1 hour ago, Timbo said:

The idiocy I think is in the Chief Exec having no idea of what a National Park actually is or how they are run. The pink sparkly vision Mr Packman has for The Broads is as removed from a National Park as it is from reality.

My father was chairman of what was then the Oulton Broad Joint Committee. In that position he was one of the worthies involved with the original consultation which lead to the creation of the Broads Authority. Somewhere or another I have his copy of the original Countryside Commission report that includes the accepted definition of a national park. I shall have to dig it out.

[Timbo]

From what I can remember the National Parks grew from the 19th century 'right to roam' campaign. The campaign had some real momentum by the 1930's...Kinderscout and all that.

This film by the Campaign for Rural England demonstrates the original concept and you will notice The Broads as one of the proposed National Parks.

You may also glean that National Parks are all about the ability of the public to 'roam' the countryside with no boundaries...and certainly not about Broads accessible only by a canoe on the third Thursday of February as long as it falls on the 29th in a leap year.

National Parks had three weighted criterion in their concept. In order of importance they are the right to roam, control of new building, and in last place wildlife.

Yeah, I'm pretty sure Mr Packman is 'off piste'. Just wish he'd do it the other way around...

[JennyMorgan]

Probably nothing that you can do about it but the sound track on that film is not good.

I unearthed this comment and I think that it is about right:

'National Parks were promoted in Great Britain as a means of preserving scenery and wildlife, and of satisfying demands for more outdoor recreation'.

 

[JennyMorgan]

Tim, re Kinderscout and all that, the ramblers started off with little or no access and fought to right that injustice. Broadlanders, on the other hand, already have access but now we are increasingly having to defend those rights. Conservation by exclusion goes against the original concept of a national park.

I have long admired the Ramblers Association, we need something similar on the Broads.

 

[Timbo]

33 minutes ago, JennyMorgan said:

I have long admired the Ramblers Association, we need something similar on the Broads.

Wouldn't we get our feet wet?Joking aside, I'm a BCU instructor and every so often we get some literature through the post from these guys www.riveraccessforall.co.uk Although started by canoesists they are talking access for all.

[JennyMorgan]

I attended several meetings with River Access For All in regards to the River Waveney. Whoops, oh dear, all very good until they came up against the angling fraternity. We need to maintain all navigable waters, no argument there, not so sure that we need to open up every dew pond across Gt Britain. All a question of reasonableness and those guys weren't doing that, they wanted access come hell or high water and I really don't think that my fish pond is really that big. Initially I was 100% supportive of their campaign but now I'm very cautious. 

[MauriceMynah]

9 hours ago, JennyMorgan said:

Whoops, oh dear, all very good until they came up against the angling fraternity.

That's the problem, as has been pointed out many times. With so many different groups each with their own requirements, often mutually exclusive, it is relatively easy for the BA to adopt a 'divide and conquer' tactic.

If we rely on setting up pressure groups for our cause, or joining existing ones, we risk going head to head with the RSPB or Natural England, where we will be massively out-gunned.

[JennyMorgan]

Being outgunned is exactly where the canoe access people are, plus some pretty unreasonable demands such as car parks in the middle of nowhere.