27th June 2010, 11:58 AM
Quote:My point was to question the assumption that important archaeological sites 'need' visitor centres, marketing etc. It seems a bit chicken and egg to me. The so called 'success' of Stonehenge as a visitor attraction (actually more like the 9th or 10th most popular in the UK and a long way behind Blackpool Pleasure Beach!) has inexorably lead to inappropriate development within it's setting, car parks, subways and so on. It has also resulted in reduced access to the site itself. I personally have no interest in visiting such a heavily circumscribed and compromised site.Fear not... when eventually teased out of the witty one liners... Vulpes eventually is capable of forming full sentences - even paragraphs that make sense.. Rather than picking on people and being uber pedantic... there is a valid point to be made. However, we are in a position where Stonehenge has become 'Iconic' like it or not... and I notice Iconic for Britain... not just England. Tourism is a hard one... as there is a limit to how many people can physically go to Stonehenge... for my money Go to Stenness in Orkney (no visitor centre) or Kilmartin (great visitor centre) - you gets what you pays for... but in this case you ain't got nothing for what has been paid for.
Like Vuples I have no interest in going to this ringfenced bauble. I may have in the past (I remember wandering the stones when I was young on holiday there, and we drove the Austin A40 (I jest not) to the site. ) I enjoyed the French treatment of teh Pont du Gard... I hated the Pyramids... I loved and loathed Petra. but still people come... and so perhaps the best thing is to leave this to marketing people and keep us out of it.
So I agree in majority with Vulpes, just wish he would go straight to the point :face-kiss: - Its funny how some people complain about Forums... then can't help but come on and talk about how much they dislike forums ----