Llanbedr

MikeGodsell · Post by **MikeGodsell** » Tue Apr 22, 2008 9:21 pm

Hmmn... it's 30 years since I emigrated to Wales. Although my understanding of the language is rubbish, my awareness of Welsh sensitivities has grown, and I think this concerns more than aviation.
English people have long been retiring to Wales, but in recent years there has been a huge surge of young and old incomers. Large areas which were Welsh speaking have become Anglicized, and local people sometimes feel invaded and resentful. By all means write to the Snowden Society, but try to see how an influx of "wealthy" English aviators must seem to people who regard their national park as a last refuge from invaders. I hope they turn up at the open day, and I for one will do my best to reasure them, and perhaps get them to go flying.

Bob F · Post by **Bob F** » Wed Apr 23, 2008 7:02 pm

Mike,

Excellent point, good PR is going to be essential. The Open Day should be a fantastic opportunity if you can get the right people along. How are the local press & local radio sounding on the issue?

Bob F

Peter Anthony · Post by **Peter Anthony** » Tue Jun 17, 2008 3:55 pm

Got back from the Scout camp to discover that Llanbedr had been featured on Countryfile. http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/page/item/ ... d=b00c4xy3

The piece starts at 7mins 15secs and goes to 15mins 30 secs.

The Programme is available for another four days and there are further links to the piece on the country file web site
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sn/tvradio/programmes/countryfile/

Bob F · Post by **Bob F** » Tue Jun 17, 2008 6:59 pm

Peter,

Well spotted. Interesting, well shot & I thought it gave both sides a chance to have their say. Let's keep our fingers crossed it gets the go ahead. It will be a fantastic place to visit.

Bob F

leiafee · Post by **leiafee** » Tue Jun 17, 2008 7:03 pm

Maybe there should BE a concerted "fly a local" campaign

In point of fact the last Welsh course I attended was 80% English "immigrants", so I think sometimes the "Anglicisation" is slightly overstated. Welsh last I checked was the only "minority" language with an INCREASING number of speakers.

Bill McCarthy · Post by **Bill McCarthy** » Wed Jun 18, 2008 10:28 am

I have just got round to watching the "Country File" programme. So there was no noise when the RAF occupied the airfield then ? Most of the locals seem to want it's return into use. Only a couple from Surrey who perhaps went up to their holiday home there for a couple of weeks a year, and talked with plums in their mouths, wanted it kept shut. The indigenous population of Orkney are now outnumbered by incomers from south of the border who are laying down the law on local issues, so I can sympathise with the Welsh regarding the influx of outsiders. Mind you, the only thing that infuriates me about the Welsh is their habit of talking the lingo whilst in the company of those that don't - and they can't stop blinking well singing !

Dave Hall · Post by **Dave Hall** » Wed Jun 18, 2008 12:14 pm

I reckon the English wanting to learn Welsh is only so they can understand what the Welsh are saying about them! I remember going into a shop in Cardigan and noticing that the shopkeeper and customer immediately changed to speaking Welsh.

MikeGodsell · Post by **MikeGodsell** » Wed Jun 18, 2008 2:40 pm

Oh dear! what is it about some English folk. The myth of people switching to Welsh whenever an English visitor enters a shop has been around too long.
People in some parts of Wales speak Welsh. People in some parts of France speak Breton, but the French speaking French don't get paranoid about it.

Peter Anthony · Post by **Peter Anthony** » Thu Jun 19, 2008 10:29 am

I remember going into a shop in Cardigan and noticing that the shopkeeper and customer immediately changed to speaking Welsh.

Funny I get the same thing now I'm living in Swindon. As soon as I walk into a shop they start talking Polish, Armenian, Punjabi, Hindi, Tractor......

Usually it's the other way round for me when I'm in Cardigan I start off in Welsh, then notice the panic in the spotty assistants eyes and have to change to English. A little tip, you only have to worry if they're talking in stage whispers behind their hands. It's not just you, they do it to the locals as well.

Rob Swain · Post by **Rob Swain** » Mon Jun 23, 2008 4:04 pm

MikeGodsell wrote:Oh dear! what is it about some English folk. The myth of people switching to Welsh whenever an English visitor enters a shop has been around too long.

The funniest story on this score was from a splendid chappie from Anglesey I used to work with. Welsh was his FIRST language: he learned English when he went to school and so spoke it with negligible accent.
He and a friend went into a shop and were confronted by 2 women chatting in English who then immediately switched to Welsh to be rather rude about him and his friend. I believe he asked, in Welsh, if there was another shop in the village.

Dave Hall · Post by **Dave Hall** » Thu Jun 26, 2008 1:02 am

No myth, Mike, I actually experienced it.

Could be they were discussing an embarrassing medical condition - in which case I'm certainly glad I don't understand the Welsh language.

Planemike · Post by **Planemike** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 10:29 am

Apparently Concorde visited Llanbedr. Any idea when and why?

Planemike

Planemike · Post by **Planemike** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 10:30 am

Apparently Concorde visited Llanbedr. Any idea when and why?

Planemike

Peter Anthony · Post by **Peter Anthony** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 11:03 am

Don't know about Concorde visiting Llanbedr, but Aberporth were heavily involved in the initial trials. They did a lot of tracking runs using the Range head ATC radar which at altitude could follow it all the way down the Irish Sea from Scotland to Lands End and back again and again............... Made the mech support guys happy. Plenty of overtime on standby and apart from the occasional flap, spent mostly playing cards!

Planemike · Post by **Planemike** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 11:42 am

Thank you for the response. My info. comes from the Concorde Story by Chris Orlebar. In it is list of airfields visited by Concorde. Unsure if this list just covers commercially operated Concordes or the development a/c as well. Aberporth is not listed.

Planemike

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