No more rallies in the future?

[The Doc]

This will put any local squabbles into perspective. This has been posted on the UK forums. Norman is a well-respected rally organiser and not one to scaremonger. I know this is English, but Wales would be very likely to follow or be even harsher


ENGLISH HERITAGE, RALLIES AND SCHEDULED MONUMENTS

On Monday 19th October,2009 a meeting was held at English Heritage offices in York attended by Norman Smith of Northern England Weekend Searchers and The Portable Antiquities Scheme to discuss the protection of scheduled monuments on or near rally sites as a result of a suggestion that a Scheduled Monument had been detected during the Boroughbridge Rally(which it was found wasnt the case). The minutes of this meeting will be published in the detecting magazines. In reply to certain statements from E.H. Norman Smith expressed his dissatifaction with English Heritage and he voiced his concern that E.H. had totally misrepresented the data and statistics produced by the survey on nighthawking and he expressed the opinion that they had deliberately set out to paint the hobby in a bad light, both on national television and in the national press. He also went on to state that it his opinion that E.H. and others had used back door tactics to exert control over the hobby by pressurising Natural England to include restrictions on detecting in the terms and conditions of most rural scheme payments and that he believed they would take these restrictions even further exerting as much control over the hobby as they could gain, by making it a far easier choice for a landowner to deny detecting permission than to risk his payments from DEFRA.


On 18th November, 2009 a seminar is to be held in London hosted by English Heritage to discuss ways to implement the recommendations of the Nighthawking Survey. This implementation is thought to have been speeded along by Council For British Archaeology and English Heritage. At this meeting N.C.M.D. are being given the opportunity to address those present, who are from a broad spectrum of the archaeological world.There is no doubt that the national press will be in attendance and they will take up every word spoken by English Heritage, and more bad publicity is imminent.


Several regular contributors to the hobby magazines have been warning detectorists for several years now over their fears in relation to the dangers this hobby faces from certain quarters and after speaking to E.H. yesterday and after discussing the matter today with well informed detectorists who hold elected representative positions, I am firmly convinced that 2010 will see the end of metal detecting where there are more than 49 people which includes all rallies and also includes a large number of organised club outings. I also agree with a well informed detectorist who informed me today that the next tactic will be to reduce the amount of people allowed to detect in a group from 49 to much less in the Agri Environment Agreements that are renewed from 2011 onwards.


Someone today described the intentions of English Heritage and other bodies as a repeat of the STOP campaign of over 20 years ago, which was a battle the archaeological world lost, but this time round their efforts are more determined and far better coordinated and it would appear all we can do now is to sit back and wait for the inevitable.


Our hobby faces greater threats now than it ever has before.


I wish Steve Crytchley and others from N.C.M.D.the best of luck at the seminar and I hope that they can somehow influence their hosts that further restrictions on our hobby are undemocratic, uneccessary and would be counter productive when it comes to broadening our knowledge of the past.


Norman Smith

[coleggwent(phil)]

thats a kick in the teeth for us lot pete one more nail in the coffin 

[Tafflaff (Rob)]

This thread needs to be visible so I'm sending it back up the recent list.

[Terra (Mike)]

What can be done , it doesn't sound good

[Salty (Karl) Cardiff Scan Club]

at the risk of sounding defeatest, probably nothing, If they make their mind up this is how it will be, then were done for,
Look at at the fuss created over hunting, look how far it got those involved (yes i was one of them).
The common people of this country exist purely for the purpose of generating taxes, the government have no other intertest in us other than supressing us.

[outlaw]

If it were banned !, the hobby would go under ground and the museums and arkies know to well that no artefacts would be registered anywhere.

Cannot see it happening, though they might try to regulate the hobby.

[igglepiggle]

the responsable detectorist will hang up their detector and accept the decision of the government and these are the people who record their artifacts with the F.L.O.

the people who don't give a damn shall carry on, if they are not bothered now, they definitely won't worry about it being banned

whatever hobby people take up there will always be someone on a crusade to have it banned. these people who have empty and sad lives and the only way they can be heard is to be controversial

if metal detecting is banned what will be the next thing they will focus on? fishing,rambling, train spotting


i suppose there will be a "worm defence league" to stop us putting a spade in the ground before long 



with all that's going on in the world you would think there is someting more important than metal detecting


i think i shall take up mugging or stealing as a alternitave hobby. thats one the government cant seem to stop

[Al.Thepastfinder, ( Alan )]

ha ha ha  nice one Paul  lol

[Jonola (Jon)]

Many countries have already banned metal detecting so our government would love to implement a ban here. Or better still introduce a £200 license so as they could basically tax something that is now free.

[PHIL YNYSBOETH]

Well said/typed Paul !

Worm defence league,i think id like to join that i feel worms are poorly represented and Detectorist pay scant regards for theyre welfare and well being lol

This have been on the cards for years
I think detecting clubs in the future will run on the lines of the American Clubs, they hold mostly Coin Hunts and token hunts.
Big events will be something you tell your grand kids about, "Back im my day "ect ect

[outlaw]

Lets hope common sense prevails from both sides of the fence.

To ensure there is a hobby for our children to enjoy.

[handyman [Alan}]

in answer to the question 'what can be done'. i would urge everyone to write to their MP outlining the advantages of rallies and how responsible detectorists promote, record and display their finds.

clubs should be writing as a group, to represent a clubs views. individuals should also write. there is mileage in the DW team submitting their concerns as well, to the welsh MPs. [some of whom have constituencies in england.]

the real problem is that most people are happy to do sod all and then moan about it. If we were all to write, then it raises the profile. MPs gauge the public impression by the amount of letters received in their postbag.

everyone should provide solid evidence of how they have worked alongside archies, to the benefit of the local community, etc. anecdotal stuff must be backed up.

a very clear campaign to inform those involved is required from all the welsh clubs and detectorists. do nothing - don't moan. do something and we may have a chance of changing things