Hyndburn to be axed.

[KIPAX]

Originally Posted by Wynonie Harris

And I think the advantages in terms of national profile far outweigh the disadvantages.

I can see all the disadvantages which arn't just money. But I can't see any advantage other than Greg Pope won't be too embarresed to mention where he comes from..

What about the many companies who have built up reputations using Hyndburn in the company name.. are listed in directories on and off line and who are known far and wide as hyndburn blah blah ... what about them ? It isn't just a case of changing there bins..

I can only see percieved advantages which are on thin ice to say the least. I see real and actual disadvantages.

[WillowTheWhisp]

Anyone relocating to Accrington, Ossy, Rishton, Harwood or wherever will relocate to those towns and probably not even see the name Hyndburn until they get their council tax bill.

At present Ossy, Rishton, Harwood, Clayton, Altham all retain their own identities equally under the Hyndburn umbrella alongside Accrington. This will no longer be the case when their seperate identities are lost as the whole area become part of Accrington district. How can the people of Ossy be so pleased at the prospect of losing their individual identity?

Rossendale is a similar entity. There is no town known as Rossendale. There is a town called Rawtenstall and it is within Rossendale. Would Haslingden be happy to be simply a part of Rawtenstall?

[garinda]

I'm standing by my information that one 'Welcome to...' roadsign costs £5,000, according to my reliable source. I challenge anyone from the council to come up with another figure.

As there are four signs in Oswaldtwistle alone, that's twenty grand, never mind the rest of the borough.

Going by by what was spent on refurbishing Broadway as a guide, I put the figure for this name change at half a million pounds.

[garinda]

Originally Posted by Wynonie Harris

Possibly, but as far as I'm aware, Castle Cement's been there for a long time. If you're looking to attract new business into an area, it pays to have a well-known name. At the moment, the borough is promoted as Hyndburn which means zilch to anyone outside East Lancs. I've already said that the other factors you mention are important, but, in my personal opinion, to have a known brand name could, in certain situations, give the borough the "edge".

As stated earlier, I think it is naive to think that the name of the borough has any bearing on anybody either relocating, or investing in the area. It just wouldn't enter into the equation.

I had the job of finding a location, and setting up a new part of the business, as part of a larger multi-million pound company.

The location was Glasgow. Again as stated earlier, the fact that we paid our business rates to Strathclyde Regional Council, didn't even come up. However what they had to offer us as a company, and how much they would charge us to trade there via business rates, did matter.

[cashman]

[QUOTE=Gayle;433690]



The thing is that it's going to have support - mostly from the slightly older end if you'll forgive me for saying - because most of those people didn't want the name Hyndburn in the first place.------------------------ your spot on with that gayle,i,m an older git than wynonie.

[steeljack]

just curious , but dont the 'old' urban districts still have their own entry signs still up e.g. " Welcome to Great Harwood" or " Now entering Great Harwood" or Rishton or Oswaldtwistle
As for the Bin wagons , is there really any need to change the Logos from Hyndburn ? since they will still be servicing the whole borough , not like each 'district ' still has its own assigned equipment

[Gayle]

Originally Posted by Wynonie Harris

Yes, Gayle, I know I'm an old git! But I really don't see what's the problem with naming a borough after the largest and best-known town in that borough. There are examples of it all over the country. And I think the advantages in terms of national profile far outweigh the disadvantages.

Because the population of Accrington is only one third of the population of Hyndburn.

Yes, if it had been called Accrington and Districts 30 years ago then I'd be making the same protests now if they wanted to change it to Accrington. It is not the name that is broken and changing it won't fix all the things that are.

Two rights don't make a right.

[Wynonie Harris]

All I can say is this - I believe that Accrington is a much better known name than Hyndburn. But that's not saying much because Hyndburn is totally unknown outside of East Lancashire. I also believe that Accrington is a much better known name than all the other, smaller towns in the borough. In my opinion and in my experience, Clayton Le Moors, Church, Rishton, Great Harwood and Altham are not well-known at national level. Again, in my opinion and experience, Oswaldtwistle is known, but only in a limited way.

Accrington, on the other hand, enjoys a degree of national recognition way, way beyond its standing as a small North-West ex-mill town of 38,000 souls. There are towns much bigger than Accrington which are not nearly as well-known. There are two major reasons which have been discussed at length on this site and elsewhere - one involves courage, loyalty, comradeship and ultimately tragedy. The other concerns a dream that was cruelly shattered and then through sheer persistence, came to life again in the face of all odds, proving that in today's harshly commercial sporting world, there is still a little bit of romance to be found occasionally.

The end result is that Accrington is a nationally, perhaps even internationally famous brand name. It therefore seems to me that the borough should make the most of this by changing its name from Hyndburn to Accrington & Districts. I know that business rates, available workforce, communications and many other factors are of far more importance to companies who are looking to relocate or expand and perhaps you're right, Gary, perhaps I am being naive. But the people who make these decisions are human beings and I believe that sometimes a well-known name can swing it in a particular area's favour. As I said before, I have no examples to prove this, it's just something I feel instinctively.

And can I just say to you Hyndburnites who are thinking, "It's all right for him, he won't have to pay for it." that I have fought for this since 1974. I conducted a war of words against committed Hyndburn supporters like Wyn Hogan and Eric Roberts in the letters columns of the Observer in the early '80's while living in my little bachelor pad in Bash, so I was quite prepared to pay for it...because I think it's worth it.

I shal now go and get my tin hat.

[Gayle]

We're not arguing with you on that Wynonie. Accrington is known around the world and if I wanted to attract a big business to the area I would produce a brochure inviting people to see Accrington and surrounding districts.

The point is and always has been that Hyndburn is an administrative name. It can remain an administrative name within the area and the towns can be promoted beyond the area individually because they are all individual.

I won't argue with you that it shouldn't have been changed in the first place - I was only young at the time and have no recollection of it. But just because it shouldn't have changed in the first place is no justification for changing it again. And remember, it's not being changed back and that is a very weak argument. It was never Accrington and Districts and I suspect that you would have objected to that just as strongly back in 1974 as a resident of Baxenden.

Yet another argument - Accrington and Districts sounds really old and stuffy - it's an old fashioned name, find me other '.....and Districts' in the UK - if you want to link something with its heritage then go with an old sounding name but if the desire is to attract new business then you need something bright and exciting. You can't have both!

[WillowTheWhisp]

It can still be promoted to potential investors as "The Accrington Area" even if we pay our taxes to Hyndburn Borough Council. The two things can and do co-exist. Two wrongs don't make a right.

[Wynonie Harris]

Originally Posted by Gayle

I won't argue with you that it shouldn't have been changed in the first place - I was only young at the time and have no recollection of it. But just because it shouldn't have changed in the first place is no justification for changing it again. And remember, it's not being changed back and that is a very weak argument. It was never Accrington and Districts and I suspect that you would have objected to that just as strongly back in 1974 as a resident of Baxenden.

In 1974, I was actually living in Claret Street (just around the corner from Mr & Mrs Britcliffe's off-licence!). Didn't move to Bash until 1981. However, my instinct was to name the whole area Greater Accrington. Given the choice bewtween Hyndburn and Accrington & Districts, I would go for the latter everytime. The first part of the name is instantly recognisable and the fact that there is no other "& Districts" in the UK is pleasingly individualistic to me, a little like the exclamation mark in Westward Ho! It also acknowledges that there are other towns in the borough which is surely what you want. Personally, I like the new name!

[spinner]

Originally Posted by garinda

I'm standing by my information that one 'Welcome to...' roadsign costs £5,000, according to my reliable source. I challenge anyone from the council to come up with another figure.

As there are four signs in Oswaldtwistle alone, that's twenty grand, never mind the rest of the borough.

Going by by what was spent on refurbishing Broadway as a guide, I put the figure for this name change at half a million pounds.

all those businesses ( ie sighn makers)who will benefit from this venture will be chums of the council leaders no doubt. nobody cares for the name hyndburn and hence it doesnt get mentioned. i have never in my life told anyone im from hyndburn so why spend money on this as everbody already refers to accrington as accrington. it is accrington nothing will physically change

[spinner]

Originally Posted by Wynonie Harris

. The first part of the name is instantly recognisable and the fact that there is no other "& Districts" in the UK is pleasingly individualistic to me, a little like the exclamation mark in Westward Ho! It also acknowledges that there are other towns in the borough which is surely what you want. Personally, I like the new name!

i agree the district bit sounds cute, but is that a realistic reflection of the town. and would you spell that out fully to people everytime someone asks where your from.
the instant recognition stems from a footy advert- now in my mind that means chav territory. how can that improve a towns image?
why waste precious resources in this day and age on uneccessary idle luxuries in the times of global warming

[Wynonie Harris]

Originally Posted by spinner

the instant recognition stems from a footy advert- now in my mind that means chav territory. how can that improve a towns image?

Firstly, it was a milk advert.

Secondly, that was in the late 80's. Do you not know about what's happened to the town's football team since then?

Thirdly, Accrington Stanley are not associated with chavs and never have been, or do you think that all football is automatically associated with chavs?

Fourthly, have you never heard of the Accrington Pals?

[Lilly]

Originally Posted by garinda

I'm standing by my information that one 'Welcome to...' roadsign costs £5,000, according to my reliable source. I challenge anyone from the council to come up with another figure.

As there are four signs in Oswaldtwistle alone, that's twenty grand, never mind the rest of the borough.

Going by by what was spent on refurbishing Broadway as a guide, I put the figure for this name change at half a million pounds.

I have been told that the 'welcome to' signs are replaced regularly and are due to be replaced this year anyway,if the name wasn't being changed there would still have been new signs made bearing the old name so there will not be extra cost.