A council has condemned the “unwarranted and wholly unacceptable” actions of a “vocal minority”, after a group of campaigners opposed to the creation of mountain bike facilities on the grounds of a former golf course allegedly confronted and intimidated contractors working on the trails.

Last Tuesday, police were called to Newbold Comyn country park, on the outskirts of Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, following an alleged altercation between locals and contractors, which Warwick District Council has described (link is external) as an “unlawful” attempt by activists to accuse those working on the cycle trails of wrongdoing and to “impose their will against the wishes of the wider community”.

However, the protesters have claimed that the council’s version of events is “damaging and misleading”, and that the local authority is seeking to “silence and intimidate” them.

The construction of beginner-friendly cycle trails at the 300-acre Newbold Comyn – which the council hopes will provide an opportunity for families and children (link is external) to learn to ride their bikes in a safe environment – forms part of the authority’s ‘masterplan’ for the site, the home of a former golf course which closed in 2017.

The trails – the construction of which was partly financed by grants from Sport England and British Cycling through the Places to Ride fund, and which will be completed next month – were originally intended to extend across the entirety of the former golf course’s grounds.

However, following a series of public consultations, the plans were changed to situate the trails in one half of the park, leaving the other half free for the site’s other users.

Nevertheless, since the ‘masterplan’ was first proposed in 2020, the family-friendly cycling facilities have come under fire from locals who claim that the “plans favour cyclists over all the other users of the old golf course”.

The Friends of Newbold Comyn, a local campaign group opposed to the plans, said in 2021 that the park (link is external)was “a shared space and we feel no need for that to change”, and that other residents were “dismayed” at the proposed cycle trails.

Tensions seem to have come to a head last week, when a group of protesters allegedly intimidated contractors working on the completion of the trails.

Warwickshire Police says that officers were called to the site last Tuesday morning, but that no offences were recorded.

However, Andrew Day, the leader of Warwick District Council, accused the protesters (link is external) of “unlawful actions” and “seeking to intimidate” workers.

“It is regrettable that the actions of a vocal minority, who are seeking to intimidate our contractors working to create the Newbold Comyn cycle trails, has caused personal concern and undue stress,” Day said in a statement.

“It saddens me that some feel it is appropriate to take matters into their own hands, and to resort to unlawful actions in an attempt to impose their will against the wishes of the wider community. This behaviour is unwarranted and wholly unacceptable. Our contractors and staff should be free to carry out their duties unfettered, without fear or intimidation.”

In response, Katie Pittel, from The Friends of Newbold Comyn group, told the BBC (link is external) that the “inflammatory language” used by the councillor was “a deliberate ploy to silence and intimidate people who have spoken out”.

Pittel also said that the residents’ group was calling for an immediate half to work on the site, which she said was “more intrusive and damaging to the landscape than we could ever have imagined”.

However, in his statement, Day noted that the construction of the trails was agreed upon following “extensive public consultation” and a “comprehensive” planning approval process, which was conducted in the public domain. He also pointed out that the council is continuing to work closely with the local planning authority as the trails are constructed, “in accordance with ongoing expert archaeological and ecological advice”.

“To accuse our contractors of wrongdoing and to seek to personally intimidate them when going out about their business, is of serious concern,” he continued.

“I would like to thank officers from Warwickshire Police for their swift response in dealing with this matter and for confirming that immediate action will be taken should this unacceptable behaviour reoccur.

“I can assure residents that the attempt by a vocal minority to intimidate our contractors and council officers will not divert efforts to implement the agreed Newbold Comyn Masterplan in full, for the benefit of all.”

Newbold Comyn isn’t the only planned cycling facility set to be built on the grounds of a former golf course to attract the ire of furious residents in recent months.

Bath Bike Park, a proposed 30-acre facility situated on the grounds of the city’s former Entry Hill golf course, was set to feature five kilometres of purpose-built mountain bike trails, a pump track, skills and learn to ride areas, a bike shop and coaching services, as well as free-to-access walking, running, and family cycling paths.

The plans received widespread support from residents, though local golfers had previously led a campaign to save the two loss-making golf courses at Entry Hill after Bath and North East Somerset Council revealed that each round played cost taxpayers £8.

One golfer complained that the first public consultation on the future of the site was taken over by a ‘cycling lobby on steroids’ after 78 percent of respondents expressed support for turning it into a cycling centre.

However, despite this support, the park’s construction faced a number of challenges in recent years, sparking almost constant delays, until Bath and North East Somerset Council finally confirmed in December that the plans had been abandoned altogether due to rising costs after a funding bid failed, and that the site would remain as it is “for the short term”.

https://road.cc/content/news/anti-cycle-trail-protesters-intimidating-contractors-299365

On 16/02/2023 06:12 pm, Simon Mason wrote:

> A council has condemned the “unwarranted and wholly unacceptable” actions of a “vocal minority”, after a group of campaigners opposed to the creation of mountain fairy-bike facilities on the grounds of a former golf course allegedly confronted and intimidated contractors working on the trails.
> Last Tuesday, police were called to Newbold Comyn country park, on the outskirts of Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, following an alleged altercation between locals and contractors, which Warwick District Council has described (link is external) as an “unlawful” attempt by activists to accuse those working on the fairy-cycle trails of wrongdoing and to “impose their will against the wishes of the wider community”.
> However, the protesters have claimed that the council’s version of events is “damaging and misleading”, and that the local authority is seeking to “silence and intimidate” them.
> The construction of beginner-friendly fairy-cycle trails at the 300-acre Newbold Comyn – which the council hopes will provide an opportunity for families and children (link is external) to learn to ride their fairy-bikes in a safe environment – forms part of the authority’s ‘masterplan’ for the site, the home of a former golf course which closed in 2017.
> The trails – the construction of which was partly financed by grants from Sport England and British Fairy-Cycling through the Places to Ride fund, and which will be completed next month – were originally intended to extend across the entirety of the former golf course’s grounds.
> However, following a series of public consultations, the plans were changed to situate the trails in one half of the park, leaving the other half free for the site’s other users.
> Nevertheless, since the ‘masterplan’ was first proposed in 2020, the family-friendly fairy-cycling facilities have come under fire from locals who claim that the “plans favour fairy-cyclists over all the other users of the old golf course”.
> The Friends of Newbold Comyn, a local campaign group opposed to the plans, said in 2021 that the park (link is external)was “a shared space and we feel no need for that to change”, and that other residents were “dismayed” at the proposed fairy-cycle trails.
> Tensions seem to have come to a head last week, when a group of protesters allegedly intimidated contractors working on the completion of the trails.

"allegedly intimidated contractors"

> Warwickshire Police says that officers were called to the site last Tuesday morning, but that no offences were recorded.

"no offences were recorded"

Please note that, Master Secretary: no offences were recorded.

> However, Andrew Day, the leader of Warwick District Council, accused the protesters (link is external) of “unlawful actions” and “seeking to intimidate” workers.
> “It is regrettable that the actions of a vocal minority, who are seeking to intimidate our contractors working to create the Newbold Comyn fairy-cycle trails, has caused personal concern and undue stress,” Day said in a statement.
> “It saddens me that some feel it is appropriate to take matters into their own hands,
> and to resort to unlawful actions in an attempt to impose their will against the wishes of the wider community. This behaviour is unwarranted and wholly unacceptable. Our contractors and staff should be free to carry out their duties unfettered, without fear or intimidation.”

"no offences were recorded"

> In response, Katie Pittel, from The Friends of Newbold Comyn group, told the BBC (link is external) that the “inflammatory language” used by the councillor was “a deliberate ploy to silence and intimidate people who have spoken out”.
> Pittel also said that the residents’ group was calling for an immediate half to work on the site, which she said was “more intrusive and damaging to the landscape than we could ever have imagined”.
> However, in his statement, Day noted that the construction of the trails was agreed upon following “extensive public consultation” and a “comprehensive” planning approval process, which was conducted in the public domain. He also pointed out that the council is continuing to work closely with the local planning authority as the trails are constructed, “in accordance with ongoing expert archaeological and ecological advice”.
> “To accuse our contractors of wrongdoing and to seek to personally intimidate them when going out about their business, is of serious concern,” he continued.
> “I would like to thank officers from Warwickshire Police for their swift response in dealing with this matter and for confirming that immediate action will be taken should this unacceptable behaviour reoccur.

no offences were recorded"
>
> “I can assure residents that the attempt by a vocal minority to intimidate our contractors and council officers will not divert efforts to implement the agreed Newbold Comyn Masterplan in full, for the benefit of all.”
> Newbold Comyn isn’t the only planned fairy-cycling facility set to be built on the grounds of a former golf course to attract the ire of furious residents in recent months.
> Bath Fairy-Bike Park, a proposed 30-acre facility situated on the grounds of the city’s former Entry Hill golf course, was set to feature five kilometres of purpose-built mountain fairy-bike trails, a pump track, skills and learn to ride areas, a fairy-bike shop and coaching services, as well as free-to-access walking, running, and family fairy-cycling paths.
> The plans received widespread support from residents, though local golfers had previously led a campaign to save the two loss-making golf courses at Entry Hill after Bath and North East Somerset Council revealed that each round played cost taxpayers £8.

That's quite a contrast with the fairy-bike trails where every
individual use costs the local taxpayer £85, or the bike-hire schemes
which cost the taxpayer £250+ per hiring, isn't it?

By comparison, £8 per visit per person seems like a bargain and a good
way of getting locals to take some exercise.

> One golfer complained that the first public consultation on the future of the site was taken over by a ‘fairy-cycling lobby on steroids’ after 78 percent of respondents expressed support for turning it into a fairy-cycling centre.

Many a true word, perhaps...?
>
> However, despite this support, the park’s construction faced a number of challenges in recent years, sparking almost constant delays, until Bath and North East Somerset Council finally confirmed in December that the plans had been abandoned altogether due to rising costs after a funding bid failed, and that the site would remain as it is “for the short term”.

Good. As far as it goes, at least.
>
> https://road.cc/content/news/anti-fairy-cycle-trail-protesters-intimidating-contractors-299365

I think we should make cycling (and indeed road) infra of the kind that they do in the Netherlands - however I'm not so keen to import what seems to be their happy approach to endless building: "hmm... there's some green space there... we could dig that up" *. So I'm a little mixed about this. But again it's a case of "fighting over scraps" because the amount of space we've given up for cars (and our hurry to build and sell houses) means that there's a premium on ANY less-developed motor-vehicle-free public space.

I'm also always mixed when I hear "provide safe space for learning to ride".. I mean - that's great, but what happens when the kids (or even adults) can ride? Where is the safe, pleasant, social space where they can do that after?

However overall this one seems like "they're taking a chunk out of my nice park for some activity which I'm not interested in! Grrr!"

* Unfortunately - because we can't possibly much reduce the vast amounts of space already in use for motoring purposes (e.g. see article here (link is external), and images here (link is external)...) - maybe we may "have to" chew up and tarmac over some green space initially to make active travel space. That then gives us a shot at reducing our car addiction for so many journeys and so reduce pressure for so much tarmac! It is actually possible to start redressing the balance (link is external) once people aren't driving everywhere. That's because cycling is a much more space-efficient mode. Walking is slightly better space-wise - but it's not terribly efficient in energy terms

Avatar
eburtthebike | 4077 posts | 1 hour ago
1 like

So converting half of a 300 acre redundant golf course into a family-friendly cycling facility, something the community appears to want, is the latest scheme to attract the ire of petrolheads, who see any space whatsoever given over to cyclists as damaging to their interests. One might be driven to ask when the peak of anti-cycling absurdity will be reached. These people would object to a cycle track on the moon.

These people aren't "protestors" as the period for protest was when the plans were published, consulted on and revised. What other purpose could confronting the contracters have but to intimidate them? There was certainly nothing the contracters could have done to change things.

Katie Pittel, from The Friends of Newbold Comyn group, fails to mention what legitimate purpose their visit to the site was for if it wasn't to intimidate the contracters; it could not have had any constructive, useful purpose.

"The Friends of Newbold Comyn, a local campaign group opposed to the plans, said in 2021 that the park was “a shared space and we feel no need for that to change”

Uh-huh. "Shared space" as in, "it's where I walk my dog so no bikes please". It's the same round here where a number of previously not well known MTB trails have become more visible through the lockdowns (loads of walkers/dog walkers now using them & ebikers sessioning them through the winter) & despite them being totally unsanctioned trails - ie not public footpaths or bridleways either, the local NIMBYs & stick men have a fit if you ride there (at all, at any speed) now. They'd rather have the space to themselves to leave dog shoot filled bags hanging from trees don't you know.

You'd have thought that an old golf course was big enough to accomodate both a family (won't somebody please think of the children!) MTB area AND leave loads of space for people doing other things...... Sounds like a minority group didn't get their way and have taken the stick man approach to exciting new levels.

Simon Mason <swldxer2022@gmail.com> wrote:
> "The Friends of Newbold Comyn, a local campaign group opposed to the
> plans, said in 2021 that the park was “a shared space and we feel no need
> for that to change”
>
> Uh-huh. "Shared space" as in, "it's where I walk my dog so no bikes
> please". It's the same round here where a number of previously not well
> known MTB trails have become more visible through the lockdowns (loads of
> walkers/dog walkers now using them & ebikers sessioning them through the
> winter) & despite them being totally unsanctioned trails - ie not public
> footpaths or bridleways either, the local NIMBYs & stick men have a fit
> if you ride there (at all, at any speed) now. They'd rather have the
> space to themselves to leave dog shoot filled bags hanging from trees don't you know.
>
> You'd have thought that an old golf course was big enough to accomodate
> both a family (won't somebody please think of the children!) MTB area AND
> leave loads of space for people doing other things...... Sounds like a
> minority group didn't get their way and have taken the stick man approach
> to exciting new levels.

The sort of dog-in-manger attitude depicted in the selfish, small-minded
post quoted above adds verisimilitude to the story of the sacking of a
long-serving Pedestrian Association official due to a cabal of cyclist’s
running-dogs taking it over to boost their particular cause.

--
Spike

They should be grateful. Here in Maidenhead the golf course is being turned into... a housing estate

Pretentious types and complete arseholes aside.

It's a pity ALL GOLF COURSES aren't retasked to serve a wider spectrum of the community.

I'd rather let locals use the space for cycling and local trading zones that bans all ball games.

On 16/02/2023 07:03 pm, Simon Mason wrote:

> "The Friends of Newbold Comyn, a local campaign group opposed to the plans, said in 2021 that the park was “a shared space and we feel no need for that to change”

Quite right too.

> Uh-huh. "Shared space" as in, "it's where I walk my dog so no bikes please". It's the same round here where a number of previously not well known MTB trails have become more visible through the lockdowns (loads of walkers/dog walkers now using them & ebikers sessioning

"sessioning"?

Is English your second (or perhaps fifth) language?

> them through the winter) & despite them being totally unsanctioned trails - ie not public footpaths or bridleways either, the local NIMBYs & stick men have a fit if you ride there (at all, at any speed) now. They'd rather have the space to themselves to leave dog shoot filled bags hanging from trees don't you know.

But you cannot trust chav fairy-cyclists to stick to the bit they've
been allocated.

Look at their behaviour on footways, footpaths and in pedestrianised
areas, for a start. They are scofflaw scum and we all know it.

> You'd have thought that an old golf course was big enough to accomodate both a family (won't somebody please think of the children!) MTB area AND leave loads of space for people doing other things...... Sounds like a minority group didn't get their way and have taken the stick man approach to exciting new levels.

....whatever that means.

On 16/02/2023 07:56 pm, Simon Mason wrote:

> They should be grateful. Here in Maidenhead the golf course is being turned into... a housing estate
>
> Pretentious types and complete arseholes aside.
>
> It's a pity ALL GOLF COURSES aren't retasked to serve a wider spectrum of the community.
>
> I'd rather let locals use the space for fairy-cycling and local trading zones that bans all ball games.

Of course you would.

You're a chav fairy-cyclist. Normality offends you.

I think a few of you have correctly guessed the reasons why this protesting gang formed (dog walkers) in the first place... it went something like this.. it might not be exactly right in terms of order of events and timelines... but it's certainly close enough to get the story...

1) Five years ago after the second and last commercial golf club failed to make the council maintained 18 hole course work for them and closed, the council tried to put in place a dog control order within an area of Newbold Comyn, a local FB group entitled 'Let Dogs Run Free' kicked off started a petition and the council kicked the decision down the road.

2) About four years ago the council went to consultation/survey about plans for the whole comyn but in particular the large 18hold golf course which is now unused and costing them money still mowing and maintaining it for no apparent reason. Ideas included commercialising parts of it, building an astro turf football pitch, building a new changing rooms to including a information centre and cafe, extending parking areas, extended cycle trails, nature reserve areas and more walking routes.

4) Covid hit, any commercial interest by the likes of Go-Ape and another outdoor commerical type company I can't remember was pulled.

5) Council conducted more local surveys - all consultations and surveys have included cycle trails and more cycling areas as a key 'want'

6) British Cycling showed council what a town based cycle hub could look like and offered half a million quid contribution - council think this ticks a few boxes and is a great idea.

7) Council go to local bike clubs and ask what we'd want to see, we say 'Cannock, a kids skills area and a kilometer long crit track' council says fat chance.

8) Trail experts design some decent trails totalling about 12km which eventually gets boiled back to about 3km of trails, a rebuild of the 4X track and a kids skills track, in size terms the actual trails will take up about 3% of the whole comyn and will be placed over about half of the old golf course area - local cycle clubs are very happy.

9) Council puts plans in for planning.

10) Cue whataboutery! Local Dog Walking group goes apoplectic. Gains a load of local support by effectivley telling everyone they can that the trails will be fenced off to the public, take up the whole 18hole area of the comyn, will be floodlit, will destroy trees, kill wildlife, increase traffic, warnings of hoards of cylists flooding in from around the country, the 'danger'.

11) Local cyclists try and quell fears and provide some truth, dog walkers deny it's about dog walking and start leaflet drops and stapling leaflets to trees in and around the common calling for people to object to the plans... NIMBY's rally to their cause! Some very dodgy goings on by one of the ringleaders who gets the police called on him at least once.. intimitdation of women, filming kids on bikes etc.. things get pretty mean and horrid.

12) 2000+ planning comments later, ten people (with dogs and a banner) turn up for a ‘protest’ outside the planning permission meeting, planning was passed with based on environmental and archaeology surveys. There are tears outside the town hall.

13) Archeology find a part for concern but allow work to continue .. good news, there are no bats and newt concerns,

14) Nine months after the planning was granted, work starts, dog walkers have been pretty quiet since the planning, workers disturb a badger set (old?).. council, police and nature people are called in..work continues. Diggers make a right old mess of various grassy areas aroudn the trails. Dog walkers put the old gang back together and restart ‘moaning’ with gusto as if the planning wasn’t granted or the work on the trails done at that point was irrelevant (which is half complete at this point). Northampton trails created by same company building at Newbold are water logged and in need of repair, doggo protesters shout a bit louder.

15) Dog walkers start a new FB group called ‘Friends of Newbold Comyn’ and invite everyone to join this delightful group of friends as long as you are agast at the ‘destruction of the space’ or are against ‘astroturf’. Somebody somewhere along the line gets some extremist protesters involved and there’s a couple of nasty threatening comments against cyclists put on FB. Leader of the doggo’s denys all knowledge and ejects said protester from the group for being too extreme even for them. Cyclist makes an awful comment about one of the doggo people, things get pretty mean and horrid. Somebody suggests hammering frozen sausages into someones lawn.

16) Doggo’s are calling councillors corrupt and pestering workers at the site.. police are called, turn up and no crime is reported/logged. Council send out statement to condone this behaviour, Dog Walkers deny any incident took place and say that the corrupt councillor made it all up. Dog walkers tell all of their mates it’s all made up and a few of them believe it, go online and start mud slinging again. Things get pretty mean and horrid.

17) Local yoof on electric MX bikes are using the closed off and unfinished, unbedded in trails causing local cyclists concern. What to do about this?

18) Despite all the huffing, puffing and bluster, work continues (it never stopped).. and we’re heading for a early April opening.. Expecting a big bike bbq to take place at some point soon, time to dust off the gazebos!

The TL;DR version of this tedious story is….

When cyclists demand something - that’s good.

When other people demand something - that’s Very Bad.

swldx...@gmail.com <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:
> I think a few of you have correctly guessed the reasons why this
> protesting gang formed (dog walkers) in the first place... it went
> something like this.. it might not be exactly right in terms of order of
> events and timelines.. but it's certainly close enough to get the story...
>
> 1) Five years ago after the second and last commercial golf club failed
> to make the council maintained 18 hole course work for them and closed,
> the council tried to put in place a dog control order within an area of
> Newbold Comyn, a local FB group entitled 'Let Dogs Run Free' kicked off
> started a petition and the council kicked the decision down the road.
>
> 2) About four years ago the council went to consultation/survey about
> plans for the whole comyn but in particular the large 18hold golf course
> which is now unused and costing them money still mowing and maintaining
> it for no apparent reason. Ideas included commercialising parts of it,
> building an astro turf football pitch, building a new changing rooms to
> including a information centre and cafe, extending parking areas,
> extended cycle trails, nature reserve areas and more walking routes.
>
> 4) Covid hit, any commercial interest by the likes of Go-Ape and another
> outdoor commerical type company I can't remember was pulled.
>
> 5) Council conducted more local surveys - all consultations and surveys
> have included cycle trails and more cycling areas as a key 'want'
>
> 6) British Cycling showed council what a town based cycle hub could look
> like and offered half a million quid contribution - council think this
> ticks a few boxes and is a great idea.
>
> 7) Council go to local bike clubs and ask what we'd want to see, we say
> 'Cannock, a kids skills area and a kilometer long crit track' council says fat chance.
>
> 8) Trail experts design some decent trails totalling about 12km which
> eventually gets boiled back to about 3km of trails, a rebuild of the 4X
> track and a kids skills track, in size terms the actual trails will take
> up about 3% of the whole comyn and will be placed over about half of the
> old golf course area - local cycle clubs are very happy.
>
> 9) Council puts plans in for planning.
>
> 10) Cue whataboutery! Local Dog Walking group goes apoplectic. Gains a
> load of local support by effectivley telling everyone they can that the
> trails will be fenced off to the public, take up the whole 18hole area of
> the comyn, will be floodlit, will destroy trees, kill wildlife, increase
> traffic, warnings of hoards of cylists flooding in from around the country, the 'danger'.
>
> 11) Local cyclists try and quell fears and provide some truth, dog
> walkers deny it's about dog walking and start leaflet drops and stapling
> leaflets to trees in and around the common calling for people to object
> to the plans.. NIMBY's rally to their cause! Some very dodgy goings on
> by one of the ringleaders who gets the police called on him at least
> once.. intimitdation of women, filming kids on bikes etc.. things get
> pretty mean and horrid.
>
> 12) 2000+ planning comments later, ten people (with dogs and a banner)
> turn up for a ‘protest’ outside the planning permission meeting, planning
> was passed with based on environmental and archaeology surveys. There are
> tears outside the town hall.
>
> 13) Archeology find a part for concern but allow work to continue .. good
> news, there are no bats and newt concerns,
>
> 14) Nine months after the planning was granted, work starts, dog walkers
> have been pretty quiet since the planning, workers disturb a badger set
> (old?).. council, police and nature people are called in..work continues.
> Diggers make a right old mess of various grassy areas aroudn the trails.
> Dog walkers put the old gang back together and restart ‘moaning’ with
> gusto as if the planning wasn’t granted or the work on the trails done at
> that point was irrelevant (which is half complete at this point).
> Northampton trails created by same company building at Newbold are water
> logged and in need of repair, doggo protesters shout a bit louder.
>
> 15) Dog walkers start a new FB group called ‘Friends of Newbold Comyn’
> and invite everyone to join this delightful group of friends as long as
> you are agast at the ‘destruction of the space’ or are against
> ‘astroturf’. Somebody somewhere along the line gets some extremist
> protesters involved and there’s a couple of nasty threatening comments
> against cyclists put on FB. Leader of the doggo’s denys all knowledge and
> ejects said protester from the group for being too extreme even for them.
> Cyclist makes an awful comment about one of the doggo people, things get
> pretty mean and horrid. Somebody suggests hammering frozen sausages into someones lawn.
>
> 16) Doggo’s are calling councillors corrupt and pestering workers at the
> site.. police are called, turn up and no crime is reported/logged.
> Council send out statement to condone this behaviour, Dog Walkers deny
> any incident took place and say that the corrupt councillor made it all
> up. Dog walkers tell all of their mates it’s all made up and a few of
> them believe it, go online and start mud slinging again. Things get pretty mean and horrid.
>
> 17) Local yoof on electric MX bikes are using the closed off and
> unfinished, unbedded in trails causing local cyclists concern. What to do about this?
>
> 18) Despite all the huffing, puffing and bluster, work continues (it
> never stopped).. and we’re heading for a early April opening.. Expecting
> a big bike bbq to take place at some point soon, time to dust off the gazebos!
>

--
Spike

On 17/02/2023 02:32 pm, Spike wrote:

> The TL;DR version of this tedious story is….
>
> When cyclists demand something - that’s good.
>
> When other people demand something - that’s Very Bad.

And when something is correctly spelled throughout, reasonably
grammatically correct and even witty, in a sort of half-educated way,
you know that Mason copied and pasted it. But without citing the author.

> swldx...@gmail.com <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:

>> I think a few of you have correctly guessed the reasons why this
>> protesting gang formed (dog walkers) in the first place... it went
>> something like this.. it might not be exactly right in terms of order of
>> events and timelines.. but it's certainly close enough to get the story...
>>
>> 1) Five years ago after the second and last commercial golf club failed
>> to make the council maintained 18 hole course work for them and closed,
>> the council tried to put in place a dog control order within an area of
>> Newbold Comyn, a local FB group entitled 'Let Dogs Run Free' kicked off
>> started a petition and the council kicked the decision down the road.
>>
>> 2) About four years ago the council went to consultation/survey about
>> plans for the whole comyn but in particular the large 18hold golf course
>> which is now unused and costing them money still mowing and maintaining
>> it for no apparent reason. Ideas included commercialising parts of it,
>> building an astro turf football pitch, building a new changing rooms to
>> including a information centre and cafe, extending parking areas,
>> extended cycle trails, nature reserve areas and more walking routes.
>>
>> 4) Covid hit, any commercial interest by the likes of Go-Ape and another
>> outdoor commerical type company I can't remember was pulled.
>>
>> 5) Council conducted more local surveys - all consultations and surveys
>> have included cycle trails and more cycling areas as a key 'want'
>>
>> 6) British Cycling showed council what a town based cycle hub could look
>> like and offered half a million quid contribution - council think this
>> ticks a few boxes and is a great idea.
>>
>> 7) Council go to local bike clubs and ask what we'd want to see, we say
>> 'Cannock, a kids skills area and a kilometer long crit track' council says fat chance.
>>
>> 8) Trail experts design some decent trails totalling about 12km which
>> eventually gets boiled back to about 3km of trails, a rebuild of the 4X
>> track and a kids skills track, in size terms the actual trails will take
>> up about 3% of the whole comyn and will be placed over about half of the
>> old golf course area - local cycle clubs are very happy.
>>
>> 9) Council puts plans in for planning.
>>
>> 10) Cue whataboutery! Local Dog Walking group goes apoplectic. Gains a
>> load of local support by effectivley telling everyone they can that the
>> trails will be fenced off to the public, take up the whole 18hole area of
>> the comyn, will be floodlit, will destroy trees, kill wildlife, increase
>> traffic, warnings of hoards of cylists flooding in from around the country, the 'danger'.
>>
>> 11) Local cyclists try and quell fears and provide some truth, dog
>> walkers deny it's about dog walking and start leaflet drops and stapling
>> leaflets to trees in and around the common calling for people to object
>> to the plans.. NIMBY's rally to their cause! Some very dodgy goings on
>> by one of the ringleaders who gets the police called on him at least
>> once.. intimitdation of women, filming kids on bikes etc.. things get
>> pretty mean and horrid.
>>
>> 12) 2000+ planning comments later, ten people (with dogs and a banner)
>> turn up for a ‘protest’ outside the planning permission meeting, planning
>> was passed with based on environmental and archaeology surveys. There are
>> tears outside the town hall.
>>
>> 13) Archeology find a part for concern but allow work to continue .. good
>> news, there are no bats and newt concerns,
>>
>> 14) Nine months after the planning was granted, work starts, dog walkers
>> have been pretty quiet since the planning, workers disturb a badger set
>> (old?).. council, police and nature people are called in..work continues.
>> Diggers make a right old mess of various grassy areas aroudn the trails.
>> Dog walkers put the old gang back together and restart ‘moaning’ with
>> gusto as if the planning wasn’t granted or the work on the trails done at
>> that point was irrelevant (which is half complete at this point).
>> Northampton trails created by same company building at Newbold are water
>> logged and in need of repair, doggo protesters shout a bit louder.
>>
>> 15) Dog walkers start a new FB group called ‘Friends of Newbold Comyn’
>> and invite everyone to join this delightful group of friends as long as
>> you are agast at the ‘destruction of the space’ or are against
>> ‘astroturf’. Somebody somewhere along the line gets some extremist
>> protesters involved and there’s a couple of nasty threatening comments
>> against cyclists put on FB. Leader of the doggo’s denys all knowledge and
>> ejects said protester from the group for being too extreme even for them.
>> Cyclist makes an awful comment about one of the doggo people, things get
>> pretty mean and horrid. Somebody suggests hammering frozen sausages into someones lawn.
>>
>> 16) Doggo’s are calling councillors corrupt and pestering workers at the
>> site.. police are called, turn up and no crime is reported/logged.
>> Council send out statement to condone this behaviour, Dog Walkers deny
>> any incident took place and say that the corrupt councillor made it all
>> up. Dog walkers tell all of their mates it’s all made up and a few of
>> them believe it, go online and start mud slinging again. Things get pretty mean and horrid.
>>
>> 17) Local yoof on electric MX bikes are using the closed off and
>> unfinished, unbedded in trails causing local cyclists concern. What to do about this?
>>
>> 18) Despite all the huffing, puffing and bluster, work continues (it
>> never stopped).. and we’re heading for a early April opening.. Expecting
>> a big bike bbq to take place at some point soon, time to dust off the gazebos!

it's funny anywhere they think about sticking a bike park the usual suspects come out of the woods ( no pun ) .

SImilar thing in the Lincolnshire Wolds near Market Rasen.

The protestors tried to hijack the actual website address by using a similar name to the one being created by adding a co.uk compared to .com

https://www.woldsbikepark.co.uk/ (link is external)

Skegness is the sole constituency in the UK that believes Brexit has been a success.
Tells you everything about these inbred gammons.