When something trends on social media and it is packed with people from across the country condemning, it leaves a stain. At Bournemouth beach and along the Dorset coastline over the last month or so that stain has become more like an ugly whole body birth mark. In fact given what has happened just down the coast at Lulworth the whole of Dorset has been in the news for the wrong reasons because of the behaviour of locals and non locals alike.
From this
to this
Dorset has been shamed publicly.
The big question is why did the local authorities… not have a plan? Why have they allowed themselves to be ridiculed and embarrassed not just by the local population but nationally and internationally? Why is it that Dorset landmarks have been all over the news in recent times when other parts of the country, including coastal resorts, have managed to escape the criticism?
Local people on social media blame people from outside of the county. In some regards this may be a fair comment apart from the fact that a great many were local people behaving in exactly the same way.
It should also be said that not all of Dorset has behaved this way. Many people have behaved sensibly. The problem is that we are culturally conditioned in the UK to spot the bad not the good. We are all tarnished by the same stereotypes….
This is the Bournemouth East MP’s response. He has been critical of his government in recent times but holds back here.
If we get a Covid-19 spike in Dorset, blaming outsiders will bring the county yet more ridicule. As much as some never want to take responsibility this has become a Dorset problem. We may escape the virus’ impact or we may not but something has gone very wrong and we must decide what comes next. All of us. Or shut up.
Penny Lane
Please tell me how the Dorset councils and local communities are meant to stop people coming to the county?
We have tried to put measures in place. Close car parks when they reach capacity. Close the roads etc, all of which are met with a barrage of abuse to those volunteers manning each location. They have been regularly abused by people travelling miles to our county and even spat at! It appears the lock down of 2020 has turned people into total animals with no respect for anyone or anything!
What plan would you suggest we had in place to manage these idiots?
Why would you even want to sit in a car with your family for hours on end just for a stressful BUSY day out? Common sense really is dead!
I think you’ll find that largely the problem is coming from people visiting from outside the area. If you care to look at some of the footage from our train station over the last two days you will find that it was flooded with people, therefore clearly not locals. As a local resident I can assure you that there is uproar at the behaviour and the amount of rubbish that is being left. The lack
If respect shown is appalling!! Check your facts, 558 parking tickets issued in one day, parking on double yellows and blocking access. Do you really think local residents would do this in their own town. Boris should have restricted travel to your own county, I am willing to bet my life on it that you would not have a need to write this report if that had been the case!! Yours ANGRY!