More misery for Cornwall and her people as abuse levels increase? Tourism, self entitlement and the English press

How to mix an awful cocktail......

A few mixed messages from Cornwall's privatised tourist promotion company 'Visit Cornwall...a little right wing London press coverage...a slice of Anglo centric self entitled bigotry and the result?......more misery for Cornwall and her people

Maps have been circulating in the London based press showing the state of affairs post the so called Covid 19 lockdown and application of a tier system of pandemic management - or should we say mismanagement? It's been a revelation to the hacks who have something of a pack mentality when it comes to writing up their so called copy, to see both the Isle of Wight and Cornwall and its islands shaded a green colour indicating low levels of infection and Tier One restrictions.

Of course, to the Cornish and people of Cornwall, this comes as no surprise. It didn't take the Westminster Government awarding us National Minority Status and including us as a Celtic people along with our brethren the Welsh, Scots and Irish back in 2014 for us to know that we aren't English. (1) Nor did it take the awful spread of coronavirus to further highlight the border of Cornwall with the strange lands, a border set in 936 AD following King Athelstan's settlement which fixed the east bank of the Tamar as the boundary between Anglo-Saxon Wessex and Celtic Cornwall.

We are a protective and cautious people in Cornwall.  

Our motto 'One and All' still counts for something and unstinting support for charities and a strong sense of community continues into this uncertain 21st century. We continue to identify strongly with this land of our fathers which we cherish dearly.

Many have watched 2020 pass from the relative security of their own homes and gardens with increasing disbelief as two million strangers arrived, causing the usual chaos, physically assaulting a few of us, verbally assaulting even more, defecating on our beaches and even in our towns, throwing their rubbish everywhere, swarming along our narrow roads, breaking the Covid rules and departing again as their furlough money ran out.

Yes, most in Cornwall remained isolated from them as we always do, prepared to put up with them for the sake of the few in the tourist 'industry' who pocket the money which we are told adds 11% GVA to our Cornish economy.

For sure, the Spanish Costa's joyful loss has been Cornwall's wretched gain this year.

And as we were all about to emerge and lead some sort of post apocalyptic existence, Cornwall's privatised, members only tourism promotion company 'Visit Cornwall' (2) has again been vocal with it's usual director, Malcolm Bell being variously quoted and misquoted in the media.

It started in 'Cornwall Live', that rather odd Facebook dependent, Gordon Ramsay adoring news site, which runs the occasional item of news relevant to Cornwall and which is the sad successor to the much missed West Briton, Cornishman and Cornish Guardian newspapers. On 27th November an article appeared informing that 'Tourism boss says Cornwall won't be overrun by visitors from Tiers 2 and 3' (3).

We sighed as we read poor old Malcolm's reassurances that fears of an invasion from areas of higher infection across the Tamar just wouldn't happen this time.

That much loved title 'Tourism Boss' must weigh heavily on him sometimes as he attempted in vain to assuage new worries from local people, business owners some even tourist facing, publicans and others who have been emerging post the second lockdown.

Trust us when we say that many of us know Malcolm and he's not a bad man but has, without doubt inherited something of a poisoned chalice and has become something of a target for many people in Cornwall fed up to the back teeth with tourists.

“Christmas in Cornwall won’t be the same as the summer where we had two million visitors and the infection rate didn’t spike. The clear message to people outside Cornwall is that visitors are welcome but they have to stick to the rules of the area they come from. While it’ll obviously be difficult, I know businesses will work to keep people safe. For example, in a pub or a restaurant, visitors have to have a meal while locals can just buy a drink.” he said.

Seriously? Would anyone like to enforce this? Indeed, many public houses in Cornwall are staying firmly closed to avoid the hassle from the self entitled.

Malcolm, by now the 'Tourism Chief' (the English media up there love their titles and ranks!) went on to say a lot more but already the Cornish public were beginning to feel a bit teasy ( irritated) at the prospect of having their part of the year stolen from them by the increasingly needy industry he speaks for and the response comments in the mainstream and social media began to reflect that.

As is only to be expected and bearing in mind the pack instincts of the media, the distant and greedy eyes of the Daily Mail soon picked up on the story put out by Cornwall Live.

On 1st December, that newspaper and its website, the home of baying Little Englanders who reserve their special sort of bile for anyone who doesn't fit in with their increasingly narrow vision of English imperialism, ran an article entitled 'Cornish tourism chiefs insist visitors from Tier 2 areas are STILL welcome despite locals' fears that they will bring Covid with them' (4). (Have to love the Mail's use of capitals!)

By now, Malcolm Bell who had by now become Malcolm Ball - accuracy is not one of the Daily Mail's stronger points - was quoted with a different message than that put out to the people of Cornwall.

This time he was talking to those from the strange lands and helpfully informed them that "those from Tier 2 are welcome to visit".  He continued, "We coped with 180,000 to 200,000 extra people in August with no rise in infection rate. The maximum we would talk about this time of year is 20,000 if that. So people would be welcome as long as they abide by the rules. And the age profiles of people visiting this time of year, they are likely to be most compliant."

Malcolm added, "For the pubs, it's better in Cornwall because locals can go without having to eat a substantial meal or a Scotch egg any time they buy a pint. The challenge comes in the evening when you live near the border - because people can walk across the boundary. But you can tend to spot visitors."

Needless to say, the comments were not well received by many in Cornwall. Seeing extended isolation brought about by a second annual invasion hardly engenders love and understanding.

As for those in the strange lands, this 'news' coming on top of the Daily Mail running a piece informing that the police were ready to tackle any potential influx of Covid carriers soon picked up by the rest of the herd like mainstream media was the spark which ignited yet another bow wave of anti Cornish vitriol and abuse.

Now, no one can be against tourism. Everyone likes a break. In fact, as a whole, the so-called 'United' Kingdom, for as long as it can be called that, needs it as part of a post manufacturing economy more than Cornwall. But this uncontrolled, massed tourism is really wearing local patience thin.

Indeed, reading through the comments made by members of the public in a recent consultation launched by Cornwall Council, it becomes very apparent that there is a dangerous imbalance between what local residents want and the over prioritising of tourist demands.

It's been recognised as a real danger in many places and our thoughts are always of the 'Butler Model' and the almost inevitable and rather unpleasant outcomes of massed tourism (put 'Butler Model tourism' in to your internet search engines for more on that) (5).

Again we say that now is the time for tourism in Cornwall to be returned to democratic public control and for the introduction of a tourism tax as is so very common elsewhere. This could be used as in other places to offset the massive environmental and cultural damage caused by this 'industry'.

Further, we call for a firm grip on this increasing propensity to aim vitriolic and highly offensive abuse at the Cornish National Minority.

If we were members of the BAME community - and yes we do have people from that community who proudly identify as Cornish - or the LGBTQ+ community - many of whom are also proud to declare themselves Cornish and rightly so - then this constant and threatening hate would swiftly be brought under control.

We have had people reduced to tears this year as a result of anti Cornish hatred and it is totally unacceptable.

Oh, and just that reminder, Cornwall is no more dependent on tourism that anywhere else. We actually have larger wealth producing clusters and we, the people of Cornwall aren't all carrying a begging bowl crying out for tourist money nor income from second homers.

The vast majority of us have non tourism related incomes......and we pay our rather substantial taxes and inflated water charges too.

Notes:

The comments attached are just a few examples harvested from the mainstream media in December, 2020 and are from a growing collection of anti Cornish vitriol which has been seen this year. Anti Cornish hatred has been growing exponentially down the years and we have been recording some of it. Is anyone listening? Or will we be compelled to take matters into our own hands?

References:

(1) Cornish granted minority status within the UK - https://www.gov.uk/government/news/cornish-granted-minority-status-within-the-uk

(2) Companies House -  'Visit Cornwall' - https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/09489236

(3) Cornwall Live - Tourism boss says Cornwall won't be overrun by visitors from Tiers 2 and 3 - https://www.cornwalllive.com/news/cornwall-news/tourism-boss-says-cornwall-wont-4740678

(4)  Daily Mail - Cornish tourism chiefs insist visitors from Tier 2 areas are STILL welcome despite locals' fears that they will bring Covid with them - https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9006013/Cornish-tourism-chiefs-insist-visitors-Tier-2-areas-welcome.html#comments

(5) Butler’s Tourism Area Life Cycle Model: A simple explanation - https://tourismteacher.com/butlers-tourism-area-life-cycle-model/