Many people opposed to parking charges and sobriety at Stonehenge have said they’ll go to Avebury instead. This seems to have prompted the National Trust to take action: “A new plan has been drawn up by the Trust, which owns the stone circle in the Wiltshire village, to clamp down on the growing numbers of people staying outside the village and blocking the Ridgeway, which runs along the hillside just to the east of the village. The crackdown will also see more enforcement of tighter new parking restrictions.”
However, as at Stonehenge the real motivation seems to be less about parking than an attempt to limit numbers and improve behaviour – “to curb the excesses of the revellers who gather there”, to make solstice “a more peaceful occasion” ….. “safe for everyone and respectful of the World Heritage Site”…. “We want the Solstice at Avebury to continue to be known for being a peaceful, respectful occasion which all those who care most about the henge and the village would want it to be”. To this end, “As part of the plan, the Police and Wiltshire Council will increase patrols on the Ridgeway – a byway east of Avebury where the number and behaviour of people gathering during Solstice has become a problem.”
No doubt the Trust will get a lot of stick (and Heaven knows, there isn’t a stick big enough on some occasions!) but it would be nice if the complainants at both Avebury and Stonehenge recognised that there IS a behaviour problem that needs addressing.
4 comments
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21/04/2016 at 09:43
Edwin Deady
Patrol the Ridgeway! The Ridgeway has been policed wrongly ever since Avebury became popular as an alternative solstice venue. Camping and travelling along the Ridgeway has been done for, mmmm!, four thousand years and the police have no business interfering with that.
22/04/2016 at 08:09
Marnie Burden
What bad behaviour? I have never seen anyone behaving badly or damaging Stonehenge I think this is made up by English Heritage to ‘Control’ and make money! Stonehenge belongs to the people….here we go again!!!!
23/04/2016 at 09:26
Bard of Ely
How can you create a “peaceful occasion” when inviting confrontation? The authorities are creating problems at Stonehenge and now following with more at Avebury! How they expect those displaced from Stonehenge by car parking charges and an alcohol ban are going to react to this? How sad that this is what it has come to! I am glad I will not be attending either event!
The Druids call for peace in the Druid’s Oath: “We swear by peace and love to stand, heart to heart and hand in hand…” and English Heritage and the National Trust are calling for peace and calm too but are imposing regulations and policing which will create confrontation and conflict!
23/04/2016 at 09:32
heritageaction
But it’s not about Druids is it? It’s about confronting people who act appallingly. By what logic should they NOT be confronted?