Actually ..."Shooting is involved in the management of two-thirds of the UK's rural land area. Almost two million hectares are actively managed for conservation as a result of shooting."  Just one snippet from the report The Value of Shooting – conducted by Cambridge-based Public and Corporate Economic Consultants (PACEC).

 

More stuff here about blasters in Blighty:

http://www.shootingfacts.co.uk/

http://www.shootingfacts.co.uk/press_release.html

"I'm not sure why you attacked me in your post above"

 

"what you meant by your hurtful  phrases"

 

no offence was meant to any individual - the issue I have is that these things seem to creep in without

I have just spent 20 minutes sorting out a reply and suddenly the site died -- oh well -- I will revisit and post later  

Surely the 'manicuring' sym refers to - quite rightly - are age old also? There's a shoot on my sister's land in Lincolnshire that she has to allow by covenant. I believe it's been in existence for several hundred years. I was disappointed that I only saw them take one dead duck last time!

Oh dear Mal ... this isn't the start of GET SYM WEEK is it?  What's poor old Sym done to deserve getting tuned like this?

 

The next time folks drive past Alnwick on the A1 on that long bend up and out past the town, look left for the castle in the distance and then right to observe sculpted landscape (as described by me above) specifically layed-out for blasting game birds;  it's typical of sites all over Blighty.  Once you get your 'eye in' and know what to look for you'll observe this type of topography elsewhere. 

Trouble is Symptoms, lots of our generation have crossed the divide.

Where once we would have been servants now we own the land or the houses.

A relative bought a 'Shooting Estate' of 2,000 acres and besides all the information on numbers of birds killed there was also a 'Shooting Club' coming on to the land.

At night they came to sort out foxes!

Highland Clearances etc are a horrible side of some of these estates.

Re introducing wild animals is worrying !

One grandson was doing Duke of Edinburgh Award this last weekend and some of these animals could put kids in danger.

I am not sure of what the answer is !

If our World has entered the extinction phase, we may have a lot more to worry about in the future.

Bedlington needs so much and we can only hope help comes along.

We have so little power to change things.

All we have is a right to an opinion, even if it differs dramatically from others.

Not get Sym week kidda, its just what you wrote didn't seem like you somehow?   

 

You have never come across as the shy retiring type.  

Mal - I've just re-read my meagre offerings above yet can't see how they could have been rendered by my numb left hand.  They are points of fact and, apart from the "nob" reference, quite benign really.  Yep, I could have gone off on one about grand estates bounded by stone walls inside which patrolled armed game keepers ... their function to manage the quarry species for their Lords and Masters to blast but also to bray in the heads of the poor peasants caught snaffling a bunny for the pot.  Oh, and lets not forget these same keepers would march the poachers off to the pokey to be transported to OZ or topped by the magistrate (often the nob who owned the estate).

 

Is that more like it?

Sym, those were the days! I'm probably preaching to the converted, but have you read The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists, by Robert Tressel (Noonan)? If not, please do so, but make sure you get the unabridged version.

Edited July 1, 201511 yr by mercuryg

Merc, I read the tome (the full fat version) when I was a student.

I figured you may have Sym!

If you go to Hastings you can follow the Robert Tressell trail around the town.

If memory serves me well there is a character called Barrington who seeks to convert the many.

Have you thought about a name change Symptoms!

ECONOMICS & a council that will help people get on in running a. Business

If you go to Hastings you can follow the Robert Tressell trail around the town.

If memory serves me well there is a character called Barrington who seeks to convert the many.

Have you thought about a name change Symptoms!

 

Interesting Maggie, next time I'm down that way I will do so. Barrington isn't the one who seeks to convert....not giving the plot away!

Mags wrote: "Have you thought about a name change Symptoms!"

 

I have but Jesus/Lucifer have already been taken, anyhow the West is likely to become a very, very 'unfriendly' place for those wishing to convert others.         

nice to see there has been some progress made on the Tesco site

Publicity for the three labour councillors and Arch.

Rather interesting articles first published in the News Post Leader and then in the Chronicle.

Labour and Arch seem to want everyone to believe they have been the leading lights in all the negotiations.

Maybe they have changed and are truly working to help our town.

Long way to go unfortunately.

More today in the News Post Leader on the huge investment in Ashington.

Something the leaders of the NCC and Arch are very proud to represent.

Just part of the regeneration.

New link road and lots of money.

Poor old Bedlington.

Will we ever get a look in!

Come on the three labour councillors representing us on NCC let's hear what investment is available for Bedlington.

Not just a simple purchase.

Actions speak louder than words.

Some of our Labour Councillors have their priorities all wrong.   Rather than representing the people  who voted them into office, they are more intent on trying to justify the misdeeds of NCC against Bedlington.