Slow Life Blog from the Lake District
  • Home
  • About Me
  • Contact Me

The Big Society in a Big Tent

11/3/2011

0 Comments

 
Picture
I’ve no more idea than the next person what the Big Society is but there may be a hint of it in this Big Tent. The tent has been the home for the last few days of the Best of Lakeland Show, put on by the Lakes Hospitality Association. 
It’s a trade show for hoteliers, restaurateurs and the like and has attracted hundreds of visitors. It’s in a new venue, right in the heart of Bowness. I went round all the trade stands this morning, speaking to the exhibitors and they all spoke enthusiastically about the success of the show. ​Last night there was a highly successful dinner for 100.
​
The reason that I mention the Big Society is that this event has been organised by just one part-timer, Gail Bartolf and her part-time assistant Rebecca. They have sourced the new venue, got the council’s consent, obtained planning permission from the National Park Authority, organised power, catering, toilets, stewards, car parking, signage, the dinner, advertising, sold the stands, etc., etc.,. They are the only employees of the LHA and have carried out all their other duties for its 550 members at the same time as organising the show.
If this had been a public body, relying on public funds, I’ve no doubt at all that the same work would have required at least a dozen full timers on vast salaries. Those salaries would have been paid for by you and me. If this is the Big Society, let’s have more of it.
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.


    ​About Slow Life

    The idea of Slow Life is to take the principles of Slow Food, which are “good, clean and fair”, and extend them to life in general.

    Here in the Lake District, the air is clean, the pace is slow and the atmosphere is calm. If we don’t grow food ourselves, we can buy it in friendly small shops, where you know the quality is going to be the best.

    This blog is a celebration of the Slow Life, with forays into the world of design, music, the arts, gardens, and my particular weakness, Japan.

    Archives

    September 2024
    June 2017
    December 2016
    August 2015
    May 2015
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010
    October 2010
    September 2010
    August 2010
    July 2010
    June 2010
    May 2010
    April 2010
    March 2010
    February 2010
    January 2010
    December 2009
    November 2009
    October 2009

    RSS Feed

Home   |   About Me   |   Contact Me

Jonathan Denby's Slow Life blog from the Lake District

© Copyright Slow Life 2024. All rights reserved   |   cookie policy    |   Site by Treble3
  • Home
  • About Me
  • Contact Me