Do you have any sense of county pride? It’s an interesting question, and for some areas of the country I suppose the loyalty is greater (I can imagine a Yorkshire man proudly stating his county to the world, but not someone from Bucks!) I however do have a great pride in living in Buckinghamshire.

The reason I’m writing this rather peculiar blog/rant is because of several things. The first is what I call county confusion. Google ‘Cliveden hotel’ and go to the website. Then read the address. What does it say? ‘Taplow, Berkshire’. That’s when my blood starts to simmer. It’s not in Berkshire at all! Even the postal county argument is redundant as they are no longer used.

It’s happening everywhere. Beautiful Buckinghamshire attractions are being stolen by our neighbours! The list goes on: Cliveden, Dorney Court, Dorney Lake, Taplow Court and the villages on Boveney and Dorney are frequently placed in Berks. Oxfordshire is doing it is as well, nicking several locations which are near Henley, but not in Oxon.

Now I know this is a quite a petty, irrelevant topic to get upset about. But it annoys me so much. When the BBC proclaims that Berkshire will be hosting the Olympic rowing events, my blood does start to boil. How dare they! Dorney Lake is a Bucks lake! Grrr!

Actually, the BBC forms the second reason for my annoyance. Anyone who listens to BBC local radio or logs on to BBC local news online will know of the totally unfair (well in my opinion anyway) system which operates. Counties like Berkshire and Oxfordshire are deemed important enough to warrant their own radio stations and news sites etc. But not my Buckinghamshire! No, we have to share! With two others! Are we not good enough? That makes two blows from the BBC- we are not worthy of a news station of our own, plus our attractions are given to other counties! Why oh why!

Ok- rant over. I’m not going to pretend that this is a major issue for the town, or than many people are going to care. But I’ve got it off my chest. Phew.

NB. Look out for the history of Wycombe part II, coming soon to a blog near you!

IV © MMIX