News from Celtic League - Rebranding of coastal path represents “a wrong move in Cornwall”

This news just published by the Celtic League:

News from Celtic League - Rebranding of coastal path represents “a wrong move in Cornwall”

The Kernow branch has written a letter to ‘Natural England’ expressing concern about the news that this organisation is currently thinking of rebranding Cornwall’s coastal footpath as ‘England Coast Path’

If the decision was taken by Natural England to continue with the rebranding for Cornwall, then Ordnance Survey, the ‘Mapping Authority for Great Britain’, will be forced to change all their new maps of Cornwall.

In the letter the Convenor of the Branch, Mike Chappell, said:

“This rebranding will quite simply represent a wrong move in Cornwall…We all sadly recall the situation just a few years ago when English tourism signage right across Cornwall was spray painted over, such was the strength of feeling here about this. Eventually, following much regrettable damage caused, Cornwall was allowed to adopt its own tourism signage which even excluded the English Rose symbol which was universally despised in the Duchy. If this simple act had occurred in the first instance and people were listened to as opposed to being dictated in the usual top down manner, then no paint spraying would have occurred and much money could have been saved.”

An edited version of Mr Chappell’s letter can be found below:

“Following numerous communications from concerned parties, we have recently been in contact with Ordnance Survey following their media release which indicated that Natural England intend to rebrand the coastal footpath the ‘England Coast Path’ including in Cornwall.

“Already this proposed move is causing upset in Cornwall and indeed, a number of Tourist Information Offices have raised concerns over this rebranding. Even they see the unpopularity of this.

“This rebranding will quite simply represent a wrong move in Cornwall and we can all appreciate that Natural England are already not at all well regarded here due to the increasingly bad publicity caused by the mismanagement of Penwith Moors and the enormous numbers now engaged in this lawful protest.

“We all sadly recall the situation just a few years ago when English tourism signage right across Cornwall was spray painted over, such was the strength of feeling here about this. Eventually, following much regrettable damage caused, Cornwall was allowed to adopt its own tourism signage which even excluded the English Rose symbol which was universally despised in the Duchy. If this simple act had occurred in the first instance and people were listened to as opposed to being dictated in the usual top down manner, then no paint spraying would have occurred and much money could have been saved.

“Our Organisation does not condone such damage or a repeat of it. We merely urge a common sense and pragmatic approach to this issue in order to avoid its recurrence.
“Accordingly, we write inviting you to embrace our Cornish language, our history and our heritage in all your dealings in Cornwall. The Cornish are equally as enthusiastic as their close relations, the Welsh and indeed the Scots in such matters.

“We are not English and identify closely with our landscape and country. Please rest assured that signs designating our Cornish coastal path as being of ‘England’ or ‘English’ will surely provoke a backlash as witnessed in the recent past.

“Plenty of reliable and approved advice regarding more acceptable signage is available in this respect from the Cornish Language Partnership whose offices and staff are situated within Cornwall Council and with a website including full contact details here:
http://www.magakernow.org.uk/ - cornishlanguage@cornwall.gov.uk
Similarly, ‘Visit Cornwall’ who’s Head of Tourism is Malcolm Bell, has contact details here:
http://www.visitcornwall.com/about-cornwall/contact-us

“We have copied both organisations in on this communication as well as our MPs representing constituencies in Cornwall.

Michael J Chappell
Branch Convener

Copies:
All Cornwall’s MPs
MAGA
Mr Malcolm Bell”

Link:

Ordnance Survey:
http://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk

Natural England:
http://www.naturalengland.org.uk

News item:

http://www.celticleague.net/news/rebranding-of-coastal-path-represents-a...

For comment or clarification on this news item in the first instance contact:

Rhisiart Tal-e-bot
General Secretary,
Celtic League
gensec@celticleague.net
M: 07787318666

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