For the start of the Olympic torch's tedious journey around
the British Isles, in Cornwall the Land's End's visitor centre was spruced up. Target for
trippers and fund-raisers, the place is an
abomination, a ghastly tourist-trap counterpointing the surrounding scenery’s magnificence. Those in the know approach by foot along
the cliff paths, while the herd’s endless cars and coaches try to
ruin the area.
But until recently the centre’s entrance portico at least flew
the flag of St Piran, and was adorned with the landmark’s Cornish and English
names. Below we see some cyclists,
proudly posing after their sponsored journey from somewhere to raise money for
something. And behind them, the original sign.
Land's End: Cornish name, emblem and flag in position. |
Tarted up for the torch-following cameras though, we find the
Cornish name, emblem and flag have been removed and a bland hording put up in
English only. For its biggest exposure ever, splashed
across media round the world, Land’s End had all references to its Cornish
identity dispensed with.
Sign of the times: sanitised ready for Olympic world-wide publicity. |
I wonder who’ll put their hand up to this one.
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