Here’s a quote from p22 of Thursday’s Free Press, a page-long article on how Rhuthun’s shopkeepers are turning their hand at reselling the town.“… according to a website allegedly authored by local people, there is an ‘air of despondency’.”
Was it Derek Jamieson who came up with the line “Do they mean us?” The answer always was “They surely do”.
Well, do they mean us? There is no other site we know of that they could possibly have in mind†.
The story continues, “It’s precisely that type of reporting which [is]… a large part of the problem. Pessimism is our biggest enemy…”
Does all this misrepresent this blog’s views?
How often in the last six months has this blog promoted Rhuthun?
- We’ve consistently said Rhuthun is today more prosperous that at any time in the last 20 years
- We’ve recently welcomed new shops such as Nelson’s and Well Street Pharmacy (well ahead of p22 in the paper)
- We’ve positively joined in the town centre manageress’ challenge for new ways of promoting Rhuthun
- We’ve lent our support for the town by encouraging people to shop in Rhuthun
- We’ve suggested a way Rhuthun traders might themselves overcome what they feel are high parking charges
- We’ve supported Rhuthun’s filling stations in the brunt of some comments about high fuel prices
- We’ve chronicled the recent increase in businesses opening for trading in the town (e.g. Well Street)
- We’ve highlighted the good about Glasdir and how it might have an uplifting effect on the local economy
- We’ve written in full support of the heritage weekend
- We’ve drawn the conclusion that Rhuthun is a great place to live, work and be educated.
The BBC said of this site that it is “promising to remain impartial”.
And if there’s any criticism of figures we’ve quoted about the post-Tesco decline in trade in the town, the statistics have come from the traders themselves—from the Federation of Small Businesses and reports in the newspapers. An example was the closure of the grocery side of the business by Reebees, blamed in the press squarely on Tesco’s.
We feel in the portrayal of Rhuthun, we’ve been responsible. What more could we have done? But we also observe things as they are. The original intention here was to chronicle what was happening to the town before and especially in the wake of Tesco’s and we’ve been doing that since February 2005. And in doing so, we try to remain impartial towards both Tesco and the town, even though others’ views tend to be polarised.
But it’s easy for us to forgive the Free Press for its comments, though. After all, we do understand it was trying to promote the town. And long may *that* continue.
† Update: Facebook has subsequently become such a place
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