A man who hated day trippers has bought their attraction - so he could close it down.
Paul Townley bought the popular beauty spot by the River Tees called Whorlton Lido because he was tired of the noise made by holiday-makers.
Neighbours said they were also sick of drunken youths who would go to the site in the summer months.
Whorlton Lido, near Barnard Castle in County Durham, has been an attraction since 1905 and has a miniature railway.
But Mr Townley, who lives in nearby Thorpe Hall, has won backing from his local parish council.
Carol Trevor, clerk to Whorlton and Westwick Parish Council, said: "We used to have appalling problems with the lido and we're awfully grateful that it's been taken over.
"I can remember going there as a child but it's not the place to go with a family now."
People used to have fun there, on occasions this created a certain level of noise, and some visitors were known to consume alcohol at that location. Many of them were from Middlesborough. He was right to close it down:-).
There is still access as far as I am concerned. Use the other bank along the path......make noise if you want.
The problem at the Lido seems to have been alleviated by the public right of way that descends from the hairpin bend on the road just above river left of the bridge.
We launched there with trad open canoes recently; a bit of a hassle with boats that size, but possible. With kayaks or white water canoes this would be virtually no chore what so ever. The path is good and straightforward.
At the moment this seems a like a reasonable compromise, but it will no doubt need paddlers to keep a low profile and not block the road at any point. A carry over the bridge is easy. Maybe staying out of the village centre and not parking on the hairpin would allow us to continue to enjoy this section of river without the hassle of paddling down from Barney.
Ken
to the dull mind nature is leaden, but to the illuminated it burns and crackles with light
People don't like 'youths' they think they are intimidating, loud, drunken (possibly are) and should be ejected from any public place. This is particularly an issue in 'parishes' such as the one mentioned where there are almost no facilities or places for the young to go. There is often no youth club and when they get toma certain age this really mey not be the 'cool' place to hang out.
I think parish councillors have a lot to answer for. They constantly complain about a whole section of the population but make absolutely no effort to support them in the way that other, older, groups are supported.
The answer seems to be to just take the toys away!
A year or two ago Taunton council removed some covered seating in the pedestrian-only High Street, because they attracted the wrong sort of bums. The minutes of the Council meeting where this was decided, went on to observe that "problems sometimes occurred with people
congregating at the main taxi rank".
Th Probus Parish Councel (Probus is the villege I live in) are the kigs and queens of messing around with the wrong sort of yoof.
there was a percieved problem with youths hanging around in the middle of the village (well not just perceved, they were trashing cars and stuff) so the councell built some shelters in the playing feild for them to hang out in instead (it's away from houses) and got the police to swing through the area they hung out in to try and drive them off. As soon as the group started hanging out in these shelters people living near the park started to complain so they pulled down the shelters (good thinking councel) and were then shocked when the youths started hanging out in there old haunt again.
It may not change the situation for paddlers except that they can't park in the field and have their car watched any more. From what I could understand the problem was more with the people who go there for the day in the summer and swim in the river, drink too much and play their music loudly.
This is why I can't understand the actions of the new land owner. He could claim his usual pound off each and every car that parks up over the winter, and let us get on with our harmless fun, and then keep the placed closed to visitors outside of the 'normal' padling season.
Problem solved. Everybody happy and a buck-or-two in the chaps pocket (for nowt).
Take nothing but pictures. Leave nothing but footprints. Kill nothing but time.
This being my local run i know the section quite well Kens way is perfectly easy with any Kayak under 3metres. The land owner was their the other week when we arriverd to do the section he said he would call the police for tresspassing but we then told him he couldnt as we were not using his land so he was alright with that. My advice was just keep your heads down and only leave one car at the top.
Also Ant M 24 don't comment on people from Middlesbrough we are saints compared to you Geordie scum bags. (joke)
