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from Voice Magazines - Broadmeadows, South Normanton, Blackwell, Newton & Hilcote Edition - April 2021
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South Normanton & Pinxton Electoral Division
Councillor Jim Coyle
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Derbyshire, and in particular the Peak District, is full of pretty villages and stunning scenery, making the area a hot spot for tourism. Tourists are of course welcomed with open arms by those who directly benefit from the cash they bring with them. Many shops, cafes, hotels, pubs and B&B’s cannot survive without the visitor economy, a fact which has been highlighted by the disruption caused this year due to the Coronavirus and resulting lockdowns. Something else that has been brought to the fore by the events of 2020 is that many visitors to rural locations have absolutely no idea of how to behave in a countryside setting. A fact which has caused local residents in many areas to despair at the behaviour of (an admittedly small) number of people. Lighting fires and disposal BBQs in tinder dry locations; leaving behind mounds of rubbish for other people to clear up; allowing dogs to roam freely amongst livestock, and more. Residents in our picturesque villages have been left scratching their heads in disbelief. Many of us may remember the TV advert from the 1970s featuring Joe and Petunia, an inoffensive but clueless couple ‘enjoying’ a visit to the countryside and leaving chaos in their wake. The content of that particular ad was based on The Countryside Code, a public information document drafted in the 50s and updated several times since. Aardman Studios (of Wallace and Grommit fame) produced an advert featuring the creature comfort characters when the code was revised in 2004. For some inexplicable reason however, many visitors seem to be oblivious of the Countryside Code – or maybe it’s simply that a certain section of the public feel rules do not apply to them. Judging by the illegal parking that went on over last summer, when city dwellers were given the green light to get in their cars and ‘exercise’ in the countryside, maybe that is the case. So here, for the benefit of the few (i.e. those who live and work in our rural communities) is a condensed list of ‘rules’ for the ‘many’ to adhere to the next time they get into their cars for a trip to the countryside (taken from https://www.gov.uk/government/ publications/the-countryside-code):
Respect other people
• Consider the local community and other people enjoying the outdoors • Park carefully so access to gateways and driveways is clear • Leave gates and property as you find them • Follow paths but give way to others where it’s narrow
Protect the natural environment
• Leave no trace of your visit, take all your litter home • Don’t have BBQs or fires • Keep dogs under effective control • Dog poo - bag it and bin it • Enjoy the outdoors • Plan ahead, check what facilities are open, be prepared • Follow advice and local signs and obey social distancing measures None of this advice is complicated, in fact most of it is just common sense, and yet following these simple guidelines will make our rural communities pleasant places to visit at any time of year.
These articles are researched and written by Laura Billingham, a local content writer and author. Laura moved to the Peak District several years ago to pursue her passion for writing.
