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Campaign launched to oppose Bannau Brycheiniog rebrand

13 May 2023 4 minute read
Bannau Brycheiniog

A group backed by the Welsh Conservatives has launched a campaign to oppose the recent rebranding of Parc Cenedlaethol Bannau Brycheiniog.

The campaign group, Our Bannau Brycheiniog/Brecon Beacons (OurBBNP) which is made up of local businesses and backed by various Welsh Tory politicians claim the name change by the National Park Authority has not respected bilingualism.

OurBBNP say they’re considering legal action against the park as the name rebrand conflicts with the 1993 Welsh Language Act which states that English and Welsh languages should be treated equally.

The park switched to using its Welsh name, Bannau Brycheiniog, in April as its management claimed the association with a wood-burning, carbon-emitting blazing beacon was “not a good look”.

The Welsh name for the region translates as “peaks of Brychan’s kingdom” – a reference to the fifth-century king in the region.

An anonymous source who contacted Nation.Cymru by encrypted email suggested that Cllr Iain McIntosh, the Conservative member of Powys County Council whose resignation from the park authority prompted the Daily Mail’s interest in the matter, may himself have voted for the name change.

OurBBNP launched their campaign against the rebrand yesterday (May 11) alongside Welsh Conservative MP for Brecon and Radnorshire, Fay Jones.

During the launch Ms Jones said on Twitter: “Good to join the Bannau Brycheiniog/Brecon Beacons Businesses Group this morning in launching their campaign to reinstate the bilingual name and logo for BBNP.

“Clear sense of the outrage at the absence of prior consultation by BBNP and I support them fully.”

OurBBNP say they have “significant business support” from across the park and are gaining “more backers every hour”.

Their Twitter account currently has 31 followers and a Change.Org petition calling for the name to be reverted has amassed 104 signatures.

The group say that over 50 businesses have pledged their support for the campaign.

“Nonsense”

A video was re-tweeted to the campaign group’s Twitter account featuring local butcher, Arwyn Morgans, who says he previously campaigned for the Welsh language to be protected in Wales.

In the video he said: “I remember 60 years ago marching to save the Welsh language and bilingual in Wales, in Aberwystryh and Machynlleth and we marched to save the Welsh language and everything else.

“But not this nonsense we’ve got today. We’re a mixed nation, Welsh and English and we’ve got to maintain it. Not the nonsense we’ve got now.”

The video was originally posted by one of the group’s founders, Helen Howarth who owns Brecon Retreat.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, Ms Howarth said: “I firmly believe that losing our identity as the Brecon Beacons National Park will be detrimental to us all and especially tourism, hospitality and trade.”

Marketing specialist, Owen Williams said: “It’s the national park authority that has rebranded, that doesn’t mean that everyone else needs to rebrand as well.

“The English name, if you think about it, minimised the national park’s scale. The town of Brecon is a historic market town in Powys – but it’s a little town.

“The national park spans a vast area. A catch-all name is valid, Brycheiniog speaks of something more ancient, more regal – it has a potency that the English name simply doesn’t.

“You wouldn’t call The Lake District “The Kendal Lakes” for example, now would you?

“This supposed legal action is a political stirring in an attempt to create a wedge issue in Powys ahead of the general election. It has the air of orchestration about it.”

Director of Dan yr Ogaf Showcaves, Ashforth Price and Brecon butcher, Cllr Steve Morgans have also played a part in founding the campaign.

“Concerns”

Welsh Conservative MS for Brecon and Radnorshire, James Evans Tweeted his support for OurBBNP’s campaign launch saying: “The Brecon Beacons National Park Authority must listen to the concerns from business and the community.

“I’m a proud supporter of the Welsh Language but we are a bilingual community and the people running the park should respect that.”

Member of the House of Lords, Baroness of Buckley, Claire Regina Fox, said: “I tweeted support for OurBBNP on Brecon Beacons. My TL crammed by angry offended Welsh Lang Nats.

“But as Plaid Cymru implodes in sexual harassment scandal & Wales emulates SNP’s gender ideology, in whatever language, I hope to see as much energy defending women’s rights. Diolch.”

A spokesperson from Parc Cenedlaethol Bannau Brycheiniog said: “Parc Cenedlaethol Bannau Brycheiniog has decided to prioritise the Welsh name for the organisation going forwards.

“The Park is not asking other people or organisations to prioritise the Welsh name. This is an organisational decision and applies to all the work they do. Others are welcome to use whichever name they choose for the park.”

OurBBNP were contacted for comment but did not respond.


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Bwgan
Bwgan
10 months ago

They do not understand the Welsh Laguage Standards. They are there to make sure that the Welsh language is not treated unfairly when compared to the English. English does not need protecting.

Last edited 10 months ago by Bwgan
Dafydd B
Dafydd B
10 months ago
Reply to  Bwgan

Absolutely correct. The BNNP or whatever they call themselves are trying to use this legislation to legitimise their actions but the Welsh Language Act is gone forever. It was replaced by the Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011 which seeks to protect the Welsh Language and to ensure equal status with English. Comisiynydd Y Gymraeg – any thoughts?

Twrch ap Trwydd
10 months ago
Reply to  Bwgan

We cannot be above the law that is toxic. STOP

Bwgan
Bwgan
10 months ago

The language act they refer to is gone. It has been replaced. Nobody is going above the law as you suggest. Please read and understand the new Welsh Language Measure. It is clear that the only toxic people here are these bunch of trouble makers. It is ridiculous that such attacks on Welsh is still considered acceptable.

Alwyn Evans
Alwyn Evans
10 months ago

Is it just a coincidence that the initials of this group BBNP, echo the late unlamented BNP?

Riki
Riki
10 months ago
Reply to  Alwyn Evans

Yeah, it’s sadly ironic that these people who are supposedly pro Britain seek to replace the British language with a Germanic one.

Harry Williamson
Harry Williamson
10 months ago

The Daily Mail clutching Right fight back.

hdavies15
hdavies15
10 months ago

Lots of hot air from this BNP group. Despite the park’s change of name there’s nowt stopping them using Beacons in their marketing. Bunch of howling cry babies

Mab Meirion
Mab Meirion
10 months ago
Reply to  hdavies15

I can’t find any historical record of them ever having being used as ‘beacons’…

John
John
10 months ago

Solution is easy.
Name the individuals concerned and boycott their businesses.
I have refused to take my children and grandchildren to Ashford Price’s caves for years because of his right-wing bigotry.

Cymraes65
Cymraes65
10 months ago
Reply to  John

Yes I hope the 50 business involved own up to who they are so I dont have to spend another penny in them again

Notttabottt
Notttabottt
10 months ago
Reply to  John

There is a list on their site, including many English owned, second home holiday homes and a butcher who apparently marched for Welsh language rights and now has a 0 hygeine rating at his business

Barry Pandy
Barry Pandy
10 months ago
Reply to  Notttabottt

I don’t believe that the butcher who claims to have marched for Welsh language rights did any such thing. Someone who fights for Welsh language rights wouldn’t have the mindset of a bigoted Welsh language hater. He is a liar end of.

He’s probably the sort of person who, when discussing issues of race, begins the sentence with the words ‘I’m not racist but…’ and who then goes on to spout out a lot of racism.

Cawr
Cawr
10 months ago

Target the businesses. Make life hell for them.

Cymraes65
Cymraes65
10 months ago
Reply to  Cawr

Too right. They need to be known

Windy
Windy
10 months ago

Perhaps giving equal rights to both English and Welsh means that every map showing England sold in Wales should bear the Welsh translation of every place in england

Steve A Duggan
Steve A Duggan
10 months ago

Legal action will not stop a national park changing its name, if it wants, especially as individuals and other organisations can continue to call the area what they want. As for equality between the languages, don’t make me laugh, Welsh has had to battle to be seen and heard for centuries, even now there are incidents of Welsh names being changed into English. There is absolutely no way English is being hard done by.

Gwyn Hopkins
10 months ago

 
The name “Brecon Beacons” is a nonsense for 2 reasons: Firstly, Brecon is not a proper, authentic English name but a corrupt, anglicized version of the name of king Brychan of Brycheiniog (419 – 480).  Secondly, my 2006 Collins English Dictionary defines Beacon as “a signal fire on a hill or tower” a clearly incorrect name for any mountains whereas my Welsh Dictionary gives “Peak” as the English equivalent of the Welsh word “Ban”. Thus, Bannau Brycheiniog is an accurate, meaningful description of the mountains in the Aberhonddu area whereas Brecon Beacons is certainly not.  

Brechdan Wncomunco
10 months ago
Reply to  Gwyn Hopkins

Diflas ar dwr drewllyd.

Gareth
Gareth
10 months ago

I wonder how many of these people run their businesses , giving Cymraeg and English equivalent status, such as names of businesses, promotional and advertising etc. How do these people think that they have the right to dictate to the park what it should call itself, because they dont like it, I have no more right to tell them what to name whatever it is they do, so they should just shut up now.

Kerry Davies
Kerry Davies
10 months ago
Reply to  Gareth

Well neither of the royalist Tory politicians do as many of their constituents are pointing out to the hypocrites.

WilliamsG
WilliamsG
10 months ago

The Tories tying to prevent the Welsh having their own identity, Sound familiar ?

Riki
Riki
10 months ago
Reply to  WilliamsG

No, that’s exactly what they want. They want you to see yourselves as “Welsh”. Gives them free license to pretend that the English are Britons. When in reality it’s Wales that is British! Historically and culturally.

Riki
Riki
10 months ago

This is all the proof we need – they seek to replace British with English. We must fight against this anglicisation of the The true Britons and our language will all our might.

Brechdan Wncomunco
10 months ago
Reply to  Riki

Bugger the law we are above it.

Wrexhamian
Wrexhamian
10 months ago

I think it’s more a case of ignorance of the law, on the part of the anti-Welsh lobby, than a belief that the law doesn’t apply to them. They are possibly unfamiliar with the 2011 Measure, and may possibly be unaware that the National Park Authority have as much legal right to choose a name as a bloke who decides to change the name of his house. These businessmen and their Tory backers are free to take their lead from Sunak and to continue to use the tourist name for these mountains if they really wish to, with no legal… Read more »

Karl
Karl
10 months ago

English Tories after our language and culture again. The hate mail I care nothing for, their hisotry is inhumane.

Rhosddu
Rhosddu
10 months ago

The Tories’ are now at risk of being seen as nothing more than gratuitously anti-Welsh on a level approaching pettiness and bloody-mindedness. Their involvement in this Brecon business crystallises their unreal interpretation of modern Wales entirely — they constantly act on the assumption that the vast majority of the Welsh electorate is pro-holiday homes, anti-Welsh language, eager for greater integration with England, and in favour of the abolition of the Senedd. They seem almost on a suicide mission electorally. Other than their support for the recognition of the obvious fact that HS2 is not an englandandwales project, and their agreement… Read more »

Minynantian
Minynantian
10 months ago
Reply to  Rhosddu

Totally agree.

Frank
Frank
10 months ago

Please publish the list of businesses objecting. We need to know who they are.

The Original Mark
The Original Mark
10 months ago
Reply to  Frank

Yes we need a full list of businesses who are supporting this as not all of us do facebook or twatter, maybe for those local to Brecon should just go elsewhere, I will be.
Just a little side note, when we were protesting the use of the Epynt as a burial site during foot and mouth, we had no support from the people or businesses of Brecon,

The Original Mark
The Original Mark
10 months ago

I live and work in the BBNP and have done so for over 30 years, reading this article makes me feel physically sick and so bloody angry, who do these people think they are, they do not represent me, I’m seriously thinking of retiring to Ireland and leaving what is rapidly turning into a cesspit of right wing bile.

Llyn
Llyn
10 months ago

As you live in BBNP I was wondering if have you seen the huge drop in visitors, trade and the confusion regarding the existence of the National Park, as claimed by those opposing the name change?

The Original Mark
The Original Mark
10 months ago
Reply to  Llyn

It’s incredible, loads of people wandering around scratching their heads and looking confused at their phones, asking “where are we”?,

Nope no change what so ever.

Andy Williams
10 months ago

Watch out everyone, Andrew RT Davies is on a mission, to save us, from that nasty Welsh language.

Nobby Tart
Nobby Tart
10 months ago
Reply to  Andy Williams

Has he tweeted on this yet?
He’s usually very vocal on ‘woke’ things and likes to play to the Daily Mail crowd.

Dafydd B
Dafydd B
10 months ago

Bore da pawb. I have been giving some thought to this as someone who worked as a Swyddog Iaith for 25 years . The Tories introduced the Welsh Language Act in 1993 and used to be very supportive of the Language, far more than Labour ever were. What has changed? Labour have made a real effort to engage Welsh speakers and the Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011 and the 1,000,000 Welsh speakers by 2050 campaign. What have the Tories decided to do – appeal to the anti Welsh as Labour have stolen a march on them. This attitude will fail… Read more »

Llyn
Llyn
10 months ago
Reply to  Dafydd B

What is happening is the Tories have an “anti-woke” electoral strategy (as shown on steroids on Andrew RT Davies’ Twitter account) of trying to shore up their electoral base and trying to bolster their support on the right and far-right (in particular those who might vote for Reform UK) by attacking anything and anyone they see as opposing them – BBC, Welsh language, refugees, civil service, EU, human rights, LGBT rights, anyone with centre to left wing views, judges, academics, “metropolitan elite”, “people of nowhere”, protesters….

The Original Mark
The Original Mark
10 months ago
Reply to  Llyn

Exactly this, why would a councillor go to the Daily Mail with a story before venting his spleen in the local Brecon and Radnor, unless he’s getting instructions from elsewhere or just following an agenda, its also why Sunak stepped in with “I’ll call it the Brecon Beacons” etc etc, its showing all the little englanders that the tories have got their back.

Llyn
Llyn
10 months ago

Yep. The Daily Mail, Telegraph and Express basically work for and are part of the Conservative Party.

Riki
Riki
10 months ago

The real identities of the people of Wales and England are British (Britons) and English. Not Welsh and British! We are already on the back foot when we say British government in relation to the English government and any English policy. The best way to fight for independence is to remember who we and the Anglo are, and embrace and fight for our history and culture. The flag of England and Scotland is a union flag of a Germanic and the Scoti People. No British involvement at all! Something we need to remember.

Windy
Windy
10 months ago

Let’s not forget the fact that the people in pestminstet need Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland to prop up England as without them what would England be on the world stage, nothing but a small interfering country with no military or monetary standing as the tories have reduced our armed forces to a laughing stock and sold everything of any worth to so called overseas investors

Nige
Nige
10 months ago

Welsh Tories, ’nuff said…

Clive Jones
Clive Jones
10 months ago

Businesses have spent years promoting The Brecon Beacons and now they want to change the name. The Welsh language is under threat because it’s a dying language and mass immigration has increased the use of the English language not the native Welsh language. I do not hear Welsh and in some areas not even English being spoken .

Conlin
Conlin
10 months ago

Why name a region after a slave owning obscure warlord

Paul
Paul
10 months ago

All the people now jumping on the bilingual bandwagon only ever refer to it as BBNP.

The national park authority should, if they have to be bilingual, use a direct translation of the Welsh. Using the direct translation enhances Welsh identity of the area over the meaningless ‘Beacons’

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