“In May 2012 BBC News ran a story 'How and much is the Eden Project worth to the economy?' and the answer was a lot. Last summer was dreadful for everyone in tourism; the weather, the Olympics, the cost of petrol and just a general shortage of cash to spend. You can't give Cornish hotels away at the moment, they are being valued for around one sixth of their 2008 level. I'm surprised Eden is only laying off 15% of its staff. I would have expected it to be much more.”

“When is Cornwall going to make a go at something?...Without it being connected to the tourist industry, or better still, What has Cornwall achieved without the tourist industry, in the last 50 or 60 years?”

“Those that resent tourism,( and the income that tourism brings),for whatever reason, will always attempt to denigrate the benefits and highlight anything that might downplay tourism.”

“I agree youngcornwall. In fact the WMN has published a large number of letters from me over the years complaining about the amount of EU funding that has gone into tourism service industry and how little into transport infrastructure that we need for manufacturing and distribution i.e. completing the dualling of the A30 all the way to Penzance and not just one section on Bodmin Moor at Temple. The trouble is that Cornwall CC's submission for EU Objective One funding made tourism the centrepiece hence all the money spent on Newquay Airport but the road infrastructure is still medieval.”

“Greenwash... the trendy repackaged version of the Emperors new suit... still nothing there really but fools at all levels still get bamboozled into believing that there is for a while because they are, as always, scared of not being part of the herd.

Tourism while important is not the be all and end all of our Cornish economy... an element ... a part of the whole that would have been much better served by objective one money being spent on vital infrastructure to the benefit of all parts of our economy.

Its great that people from elsewhere want to come and share our coast countryside and heritage and spend some money with us while doing so but theres much more to Cornwall than that, the money spent on Newquay airport has not increased tourism to any great degree, it is still failing despite of the massive amounts of public investment it has absorbed due to bad management and uppity staff who are driving potential passengers away.

Eden has raked in funding from every available source to an eye watering degree yet it still struggles because for most it is a transitory attraction where ice cream and food is overpriced yet it still struggles to become viable indicating something is seriously wrong with its apparently bloated management structure just another money pit like Newquay Airport.

I have no wish to denigrate the Eden vision but those entrusted with its delivery and long term survival must embrace and adapt to changing times and a brutal economic climate where only the leanest and fittest will survive... I suggest a vigourous pruning of the top hamper coupled with a gentle stirring of the roots to invigorate a plant that may just have become pot bound due to past excess.”

“On the same B.B.C. page.

"Royal Cornwall Hospital could shed 700 jobs"

http://tinyurl.com/ahs89s7

10-times the job losses, but not a whisper from the neo-Celts.”

“That is the result of an English run NHS Slimslad. How is the NHS faring up in the North East of England?”

“"Its great that people from elsewhere want to come and share our coast countryside and heritage and spend some money with us while doing so but theres much more to Cornwall than that,"

Perhaps poldice you would like to share a little bit of this "much more to Cornwall than that" for the many millions that visit Cornwall year after year the amount that take up full time residence in the county seems to be minimal. Or is it that this anti English rubbish that is being spouted out on here and elsewhere no doubt by some, is having an adverse effect, and subsequently Cornwall is being held back. Thread after thread there never seems to be any lifting up of Cornwall these days.”

“I have a real difficulty accepting the privatisation of porter and cleaner services in Treliske hospital. We all know what will happen, the existing Cornish employees will be laid off and the contractors employed elsewhere in the country, who mostly employ gangs of cheaper migrant workers, will take over. I'm not a great fan of the NHS unions but this is starting to make me angry. I can see the way things are going.”

“Well said cliffwalker.

The affect on the local economy of 700 unemployed will be catastrophic. The reports on the news already state that there are not enough beds/staff to go around (Poltair hospital Penzance still closed)

I cannot see how reducing staff levels is going to improve the performance of the hospital or am I missing something? perhaps when everything in the NHS becomes private and owned by foreign companies whose profits increase year on year we will look back and realise what we have lost.”

“YC your propensity to twist what is said is amazing, nowhere did I make an anti English statement... the inescapable fact that despite sums beyond the dreams of avarice being pumped into both Newquay airport and Eden they still struggle to reach break even let alone profit and have not attracted the masses of tourists projected to justify these money pits tends to suggest that their management teams lack business acumen.

This could have two possible causes, either the schemes were lemons from day one or even more likely incompetent managements became public funding junkies rather than go getting entrepreneurs fostering cultures able to profit in a purely commercial environment.

Of course there is more to Cornwall than tourism, important as it is, it is but a part of an increasingly diverse economy which includes agriculture, food processing, engineering, renewable energy, transport, engineering, and Information Technology not to mention the smaller fishing and craft trades like boatbuilding etc.

Firms like Fugro Seacore and Pendennis are world leaders in their class followed by A&P, Imerys and a host of smaller but vigourous progressive firms that also punch well above their weight which collectively create a demand for a mind boggling array of both large and small service providers.

Todays news of what is proposed in the health service is indeed deeply concerning and a typical public sector knee jerk reaction that involves getting rid of those at the bottom of the food chain to appear to save money while those higher up the scale will probably get significant bonuses for the probably illusory savings bandied around.

Given that Cornwalls health provision is not keeping pace with an increasing population logic suggests that more workers not less will be required to even maintain local NHS services, what is needed is better motivated better paid workers not cheaper migrant labour that will only enrich the shareholders of the private firms that move in to do the work.”

“A good case Poldice. I have direct experience of trying to persuade a board of directors in the North of England to keep their Cornwall engineering operation going and not move it to Exeter because 'that's where the motorway runs out'. Newquay Airport was a lemon from day one and it costs council tax payers £3 million per annum to keep it going for a declining number of passengers. The fall in passengers is the largest percentage drop for any UK scheduled service airport and part of the reason is it's bloated management being paid inflated local government salaries.

Cornwall could do so much better. For a start we could stop exporting our live crabs to France and Spain for them to centrifuge the meat and sell it to their supermarkets. Use the Cornish foody brand to produce the finished product here.”

“Good point about the crabs cliffwalker why oh why do they send brown crab by truck to Portugal to be pasteurised bagged and shipped back to British supermarkets when it could easily be done here in Cornwall.

Cornwalls biggest asset is its unique priceless Brand Cornwall which belongs to us all and fits perfectly with our burgeoning food production and procesing sector which includes the worlds biggest brassica growing operation in its ranks,

SEF Growers is a real Cornish success story of determination and ability against the odds 6,000 acres of cauliflowers calabrese and cabbage is mindboggling then there is Riviera Produce as well which is certainly not small either.

Couple this to several growers with 2000+ acres of potatoes a massive acreage of daffodils and the significant livestock sector not forgetting the smaller specialised niche producers and it adds up to an economic powerhouse that exposes Eden for the sham it is bloated by public funding and still unable to hack it in the real world that offers Cornish people a secure future.

But theres the crab market to work on, Cornish hake is in surplus due to the partial collapse of the huge Spanish market yet the British are reluctant to even try this superb eating fish so theres a way to go in the fisheries sector.”

“PS I forgot Cornish Sardines.”

“by poldice
"YC your propensity to twist what is said is amazing, nowhere did I make an anti English statement..."

I am sorry poldice, my posting was not directed at you, only to ask you to expand on what you said regarding "much more to Cornwall than that". And who said you made "an anti English statement"? Certainly not me.

This is what I said and was trying to get over in my posting, nothing more or nothing less.

"Thread after thread there never seems to be any lifting up of Cornwall these days."”

“WHAT ON EARTH DO YOU THINK I AM TRYING TO DO THEN YC?

SHUT THE BLIDDY PLACE DOWN OR WHAT?

I OWN A CORNISH BUSINESS THAT EMPLOYS A WORTHWHILE NUMBER OF LOCAL PEOPLE WHO EARN DECENT WAGES

I HAVE INVESTED MY LIFE IN THE BUSINESS AND WORKING FOR CORNWALL AND THE CORNISH PEOPLE WHO OVER THE YEARS HAVE FOUND THEIR PRIDE AGAIN BY REFUSING TO BE THE STEREOTYPICAL UNDERDOGS THAT SOME WOULD HAVE THEM TO BE.

WE HAVE BEEN LEFT STANDING ON THE SIDELINES FOR FAR TOO LONGLOOKING ON IN HORROR AS HUGE SUMS OF PUBLIC MONEY HAVE BEEN POURED INTO MONEY PITS LIKE EDEN AND NEWQUAY AIRPORT IN OUR NAMES WHILE VITAL INVESTMENT IN OUR BASIC INFRSTRUCTURE HAS BEEN POINTEDLY IGNORED.

NOW IT IS ALL COMING HOME TO ROOST AS THE MONEY DRIES UP AND THE WHITE ELEPHANTS SQIRM BECAUSE THERE ARE NO TOP UPS FOR THEIR BEGGING BOWLS AS FINALLY PEOPLE REALISE HOW THEY HAVE BEEN CODDLED ALONG BY A BUNCH OF SELF SEEKING SMOOTHIES WAXING FAT OFF OUR MONEY WHICH HAS BEEN SQUANDERED ON FINANCIALLY FLAWED PROJECTS.

WE HAVE LONG BEEN VICTIMS OF BAD LEADERSHIP EVEN WORSE MANAGEMENT AND A MARKED LACK OF POLITICAL ENGAGEMENT THAT HAS GIVEN THE BAD LEADERSHIP AND EVEN WORSE MANAGEMENT FREE REIN TO ENGAGE IN VANITY PROJECTS THAT MASSAGE THEIR OWN OVERINFLATED EGOS RATHER THAN TRULY BENEFIT THOSE THAT THEY PRETEND TO SERVE.”

“"ENGAGE IN VANITY PROJECTS THAT MASSAGE THEIR OWN OVERINFLATED EGOS"?

If Cornwall ever gained any level of independence, would the attitude to "VANITY PROJECTS",(sic), like NEWQUAY AIRPORT, (sic), change?

A "nation" without an airport?

I think not.”

“You seem quite obsessed and affected Slimslad.

Newquay Airport appeals to a small section of the community for a host of reasons. As such it will never be busy enough to be viable hence requiring disproportionate subsidy. Compare Plymouth Airport which is now closed.”

“by Gurnards_Head
"WHAT ON EARTH DO YOU THINK I AM TRYING TO DO THEN YC?"

At the outset to make a living for yourself and your family I would have thought, those that you employ are all part of the growth of the business, very commendable I am sure, may your business continue to grow and prosper if it is a worthwhile business that is, sounds like you are in the manufacturing business of flags and the like for the holiday trade.”

“There you go YC, I am not as you speculate a manufacturer of flags or anything else but rather involved in distribution within Cornwall running a fleet of trucks, the long term success and organic growth tends to suggest that we are doing something right, largely due to my loyal highly competent staff and even more loyal customers.

Its not about getting rich but more about steady sustainable prosperity by doing a good job at a fair price to everyones benefit including the next generation who I am in the process of handing the reins over to being satiSfied that they are up to while I take more of a back seat.

This is where our culture as a Cornish family business differs from the likes of Newquay airport or Eden who are run by graduate level high flying executives addicted to public funding streams to keep them going because they seem clueless about building a viable business.

I am a graduate of the University of Lifev via the School of Hard Knocks, the biggest favour anyone ever did me was when I started my business 30 years ago having mortgaged our house house to the hilt was when my bank manager saw me as a bad risk and would not lend to me, it made me live within my very limited means which is what these other types ought to grasp.

YOU SQUEAKED slim?

I am not your normal bitter Cornish Nationalist in a hair shirt or whatever your fevered imagination envisages, Kernow is an ancient Nation that the Romans preferred to trade with becuase it was civilised and prodced tin which the Romans badly needed but they did invade subdue and civilise what is now Called England which tells me something.

I believe in Cornwall as a brand which properly used and promoted will produce sustainable prosperity for the people of Cornwall who uniquely colectively own such a valuable thing rather than some financially rabid multi national corporate entity out merely to strip mine profits out of every country it operates in.

This is practical modern nationalism that does not need to invole conflict or hatred which would be entirely counterproductive, the aim being to create a cklimate where enterprise and individuality could prosper.

A NATION WITHOUT AN AIRPORT? ONEN HAG HAL

Only if and when the meatphorical kick up the butt fails to turn Newquay airport into a viable financial entity which given the right regime in charge it could be, remember everything is there but the real future will be in airfreight and aircraft servicing or storage if the right operators could be attracted.

If not turn it into one massive development site to house the all blow in's in an environment suited to their needs in order to save our precious open countryside which currently is under the biggest threat if is ever likely to face.

NEXT SQUEAK PLEASE SLIM.”

“"If not turn it into one massive development site to house the all blow in's".

"I am not your normal bitter Cornish Nationalist in a hair shirt or whatever your fevered imagination envisages"?

Really?”

“by Gurnards_Head
"This is where our culture as a Cornish family business differs from the likes of Newquay airport or Eden who are run by graduate level high flying executives addicted to public funding streams to keep them going because they seem clueless about building a viable business."

And I bet a £1 to a 1d if and when your business is big enough and profitable enough for outside investors to come in and buy you out lock stock and barrel you wouldn't think twice if the price was right, good for you, no different to the rest of them boy.”

“Moderator eh slim do your worst my boy if thats the best you can come up with... I reiterate your imagination if not exatly fevered is strange and paranoid seemingly with a nat in every furze bush on the downs.

Look at it this way me dear if the airport fails (which it will not do if properly run) it is around 800 acres of brownfield site next door Watergate Bay so beloved of those I would describe in passing as blow ins about 8000 houses plus some commercial workspace could be accomodated onsite equivalent to an entire new town in an ideal locationn.

Cornish Council taxpayers would clean up by realising the site value and lose a potential albatross around their necks in the process so everyone would be a winner, our council tax may even go down (joking).

YC you speak for yourself boy two years ago I turned down a very attractive offer that would have seen me very well fixed from a company that wanted to buy us out to shut us up, no deal I am fixed ok anyway, our articles of association are tight we are a closed company with no outside investment allowed or indeed needed because we dont need to get any bigger just better at what we do.

So there 'ee be me dears next question or squeak bring it on because while you are on my case snapping innefectually at my heels the freeloaders who sap the public purse are looking for the next handout.”

“Actually, the Newquay Airport management is going in probably the only direction that will keep them afloat by developing part of the airport site for aviation related development. Cornwall Council has already made the draft order enabling the airport to fast track planning applications. You see there are very few planning restrictions on the airport operating hours, weight of aircraft, direction of approach and take off and all the other environmental restrictions that other UK airports are lumbered with. The most obvious use is air freight, which needs lots of warehousing and flies at night. It isn't a coincidence that the Government has just decided to fund the dualling of the A30 Temple bottleneck giving an uninterupted dual connection to the M5. Hope this helps the discussion.”

“"those I would describe in passing as blow ins"

"Blow-in-an unwelcome newcomer or stranger".

In passing?”

“Are there any airports in the North East of England, Slimslad?”