Lancashire Magazine
Nov 2nd, 2008 by philjay
Worth £1.60p of anyones money in the present economic climate, and although i’m not a regular reader, I was intrigued by the front page headline ‘Why Rivington is Lancashires Lake District’. Venture to page 28 and you will discover 5 pages of stunningly beautiful photographs of Rivington in all its unspoilt splendour. Read on, and Graham Johnston paints an equally beautiful literary picture, refering to Rivington as ‘A treasured refuge’. How disturbingly surprising then to read on even further, only to find that almost all of the issues upon which United Utilities are basing their defence of commercialisation of Lever Park are included in the latter half of his article. As if that were not disturbing enough, Jerome Mayhew of GoApe, comments that Legal advice was taken by UU with regard to (the 1902 act) and assures them (GoApe) that it does not conflict with the ‘terms of the gift’. Graham Johnston goes on to insinuate (possibly via UU), that an attempt at the restoration of many of the original features of Lever Park was thwarted by a local action group some ten years ago.
Sadly, this is yet another high profile article that has been clearly influenced by United Utilities and GoApe. I never cease to be dissapointed by todays press ( and I include The Chorley Guardian in that). They are obviously aware of the existence of an action group opposing these current changes, why then are we not even offered the common courtesy of consultation, that we may explain the truth behind our objections and therfore balance the argument. Perhaps we don’t have the influence. Sadly we are unable to ‘court’ the press like UU. But rest assured UU, we won’t go away.
As for The Lancashire Magazine, well it may find it’s way into the smallest room, just in case GoApes continual felling of perfectly healthy trees, results in a world shortage of loo paper.
