What’s In A Name Change?
What is in a name change? Does it really matter what our street name is? What do we feel about the name of our street? And should anyone, including ourselves, be able to change it just because we associate it with events or people we disagree with? Who would be harmed from any change? And who will be footing the bill for the change? Should Cumberland Close (Kirriemuir) have a name change?
Cumberland Close ~ Keep or Lose?
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Cumberland Close ~ Keep or Lose? 〰️
Ainetheon Arts Ltd., 4-5 Cumberland Close, Kirriemuir DD8 4EF
Mid-March and we are going through a rather challenging start to our Spring Season. We are normally busy preparing for all our events and plans for 2024. Instead I find that our resources are being stretched in our bid to justify our needs and wants in keeping our address as it is. There is currently a Consultation in place (closing date is 21st April 2024) by Angus Council with the residents of Kirriemuir asking them to vote on replacing the street name Cumberland Close with another name. This is in response to a petition raised by a gentleman who has very strong feelings about the word Cumberland as he believes this to be linked to Prince William Augustus, The Duke of Cumberland [1721-1765]. There is no reference to the Duke in any visible part of the Close or in the signage, but that does not mean the original intention may have been to commemorate the said Duke when renamed by another gentleman as part of an agreement with Angus Council 1909.
This week has seen me respond to many comments and enquiries about this proposed change. I’ve also had to plan a campaign to challenge the original petition and put forward an appropriate opposing argument. I have given an interview as Director of Ainetheon Arts Ltd to STV this week. I have created a new section on this website to inform our Artists, Customers and others of our views and activities concerning any proposed change. Timewise, it has been a bit of an administrative battle. This issue of whether or not to have the name Cumberland removed from Kirriemuir is both time consuming and getting more expensive by the day. Time and money I could have and should have spent on our small company.
The new section on this website, called Cumberland Close, has various pages within it giving our online visitors both information and an opportunity to comment and/or complete a short survey on the subject. This section has been built on a balanced, transparent and non-discriminatory basis. We show and tell both sides of the argument regarding the proposed name change of Cumberland Close. There are links to documents, both our own and Angus Council, for our visitors to learn more. We have included a link to the Angus Council Consultation for residents of Kirriemuir to vote and have their say in this. Our own survey allows anyone to comment and/or complete our survey whichever side of the debate the favour. This will be available to Angus Council.
Annie McLean, Director
All future Blogs about Cumberland Close will be placed in the Cumberland Close Blog Page. You can visit them here:
