In an attempt to clarify some comments featured in a recent Guardian newspaper article ‘Sun, sand and inequality: why the British seaside towns are losing out’ 22/6/14:
Firstly, regarding ‘cultural wastelands’ ‘Graveyards of opportunity’ comments etc these were clearly neither made by me, nor targeted at Bridport.
The article was supposed to report on comments made by Sir Michael Wilshaw the chief inspector of schools, stating that ‘aspiration and achievement was now a major issue in seaside towns’. There were also reports from the Child Poverty Commission highlighting concerns.
Why was I involved in that? I was approached due to publishing a book recently that looked at a (fictional) darker side of country living (The Borassic Coast). In terms of being an authority on the subject, that’s the entirety of it. I think several more informed sources from other coastal towns perhaps should have been selected.
I was asked for an opinion on what were the more negative issues of living in small ‘beautiful places’. The focus of the article was on the negatives (for a change) so I am slightly surprised people immediately began banging the drum for the positives. I think it is taken as read that Dorset is beautiful, has an amazing coastline, that Weymouth, Portland and Bridport has plenty of community spirit and artistic endeavour and that the area is steeped in history and popular with tourists etc, etc.
That isn’t the whole picture though.
Over 90% of my time speaking to the journalist was about second homes, a loss of rural services, a lack of affordable homes, low wages and lack of available social housing. None of these comments made it into the article, but other peripheral comments did.
Regarding drug problems, as serious an issue here as it is for those that are affected in urban areas, I made the point that in small communities a person’s ‘history’ can stay with them a long time. The escape routes can’t easily be found from individuals or substances if people are ‘locked into position’. I cited a family I worked with, who moved back to London to get quality rehabilitation care for their two heroin-addicted teenagers. I particularly didn’t like the way that was over-simplified.
However, to say there isn’t a drug or an alcohol problem in West Dorset is denial. Otherwise why are/were there so many people involved in counseling or informing users, or supporting the victims of users?
Now that funding for this type of support and care work has been cut these matters do need raising publicly; removing support and sweeping things underground pretending there is no problem won’t help anyone.
I think my remarks were somehow lost in translation; I certainly don’t recognise any context applied (or the correct dates) when I mentioned schools, petrol stations, pubs, post offices and shops in villages closing over time. Nor the speculation that this trend is either simply people’s lifestyles changing or is in part a consequence of second-home ownership; a subject that urgently needs debating in all tourist areas.
It is odd seeing your name in a paper next to some potentially inflammatory comments. I’m sure many (myself included) would welcome a more far reaching study into the effects of cuts in rural local economies and the increasing disparity between house prices and wages. Furthermore we’d like to see some local strategy to help our poorer citizens deal with the cuts rather than the ‘big society’ nonsense.
I also believe there are many social issues that are worth acknowledging and that support is required for those trying to address problems that are partly created by the area’s ‘popularity’. Fortunately there are still numerous examples of volunteers, schemes and individual’s efforts to bring opportunities to young people, or those experiencing isolation or poverty within our community. So many of these efforts being left to chance or the goodwill of volunteers, surely isn’t the way forward. Where there are needs we should impress upon our representatives the need for proper funding, maybe diverting funding from other less community minded enterprises. (Cough, cough council-offices, cough!)
It may not occur to some people that Dorset is anything other than a paradise; and in comparison to some other places it probably is, but despite the beauty of our natural environment, we have important issues that are rarely featured in the ‘Jurassic narrative’. Hopefully if more people put these subjects up for discussion it may assist those trying to help tackle them.
I would probably also reach for the pitchfork, were there no substance at all in the subjects touched upon in the article. There have been many comments and observations offered, frequently from polar opposites on local websites and the Observer’s feedback page, reflecting a broad diversity of experience of residents, visitors and from long term or more recent arrivals.
It has predictably sparked a bit of debate. Expressing concern and finding solutions is a healthy symptom for any community. Or should we all shut up, question nothing and keep taking the Jurassic?
Sean Geraghty
East St,
Bridport
