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Local Survey Punctures Etape’s Hopes
June’s Etape Caledonia cycle event that closed 80 miles of roads in Highland Perthshire was a flop and should probably not be repeated - according to a local survey conducted through Comment.
Results from a questionnaire circulated by Comment show genuine anger at inadequate consultation by the Etape Caledonia organisers and by Perth and Kinross Council. The £20,000 subsidy for the event provided by P&K was another bugbear.
240 local businesses and residents returned the questionnaire and many added notes citing the: “lack of transparency”, “PR disaster”, “waste of public money”, “high handedness and hype”, and P&K “arrogance.”
Marred by bad weather, the turnout was calculated to be only half the 2,500 hoped for by the organisers. But people resented being “imprisoned” by the road closures, and particularly that the ends of their driveways were coned off. At least part of the route was allegedly blocked one hour before the scheduled time.
There were many complaints that businesses experienced no upturn in business or lost money, sometimes substantially. Even businesses in Pitlochry, where the event began and ended, had mediocre trade.
A few people said the event was worthwhile and good publicity for the area while a couple thought opponents were being ‘Nimbies’.
40% of the questionnaires, which were independently analysed, came from people with local businesses.
80% of all 240 respondents were dissatisfied or very dissatisfied with pre-event consultation and there was similar dissatisfaction with pre-event communication.
Negative Impact
P&K had suggested that the event could bring £500,000 of extra income to the area. But only 12 per cent of respondents said the economic impact on them or their business was positive, and 50 per cent said the impact was negative.
The social impact also received a thumbs down with 20 per cent believing it was positive and more than 50 percent saying it was negative.
The overall impact on Highland Perthshire was negative or significantly negative according to 70 per cent of respondents.
Another blow for Ken MacDonald, P&K’s economic development boss and the event’s prime mover, came in a final question asking whether the event should be run again in 2008. Half said definitely not and more than 17 per cent said probably not, while only 24 per cent were supportive.
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