Submission to The Burns Inquiry
21,2,00
My Lord,
I run a local show called the Bywell Country Fair which has been on the go for 20 years, it was organised by the former British Field Sports Society and now by the Countryside Alliance to whom I work. This show would not happen if Hunting, were to be banned, I rely heavily on this show with the help of the local hunts who provide the bread and butter support.
The show pulls in a crowd of 7000 many of whom, come from the grey of Tyneside and Wearside and hopefully learn a little bit about the countryside and the activities that take part, we do provide a service as we all once came from the country in our past. All sports are represented the hounds are displayed and promoted, there are terrier and Lurcher racing as well as falcons.
We make a profit of £5,000 plus, we spend money in the local economy, tentage alone is £3,500, advertising is £2,000 and we hire in other trades like the local brass band, there are lots of craft tent stalls that would lose an opening. The organisations that come to promote themselves like the Environment Agency and the local colleges would all miss that chance of meeting the public face to face.
I am sure that if hunting were banned a raft of local people who work together to promote the countryside would be lost, my job would probably go in time and a small show would not be replaced, we are just a small stitch in a pasture of patch work that makes the difference, to a healthy living, working countryside we do not want to be a political cabbage that’s kicked by those who either don’t or wont want to understand their heritage.
Yours Truly
Richard Dodd
Date uploaded to site 4 May 2000