Fuddland

There’s a bit of a hoohah at the moment over the change to the name of East Midlands Airport to Nottingham East Midlands Airport.

The airport’s reasoning is that people from overseas generally haven’t heard of the Midlands region, let alone the East of it, and are unsure as to where the airport lies. Associating it with an historical city name such as Nottingham [the Robin Hood legend is pretty well known, even if that is partly due to Kevin Costner] at least gives them something to latch on to.

I’m fairly sure that the other towns and cities in the area can’t contend with this reason: quick, name something that Leicester is world-renown for. How about Derby? I’m stumped. Instead, they’re arguing geographical reasons why the name shouldn’t be changed:

The two council’s [sic] oppose the change because the airport lies within Leicestershire and the closest city is Derby.

I did some checking on Yell.com [which, incidentally, lists the address of East Midlands Airport and its surrounding hotels as being in Derbyshire, not Leicestershire] and found that although Derby is pretty close—13.3 miles away according to Yell’s driving directions—Nottingham isn’t exactly much further than that, at 15 miles. Leicester loses all argumentative ground by being 18.6 miles away. Loughborough appears to be mature enough not to care, despite being only 9.1 miles from the airport.

“If Nottingham East Midlands Airport chooses to ignore two of the cities around them, people off on their summer holidays may choose to ignore the airport.”

Is the general public so bothered about what it’s called that they’d suffer the extra expense of going to Stansted or Manchester just to boycott NEMA?

Anyway, someone’s [or someones] on the ball—they’ve registered nottinghameastmidlandsairport.com, nottinghameastmidlandsairport.co.uk and nottinghameastmidlandsairport.net. Damn, I just wasn’t quick enough.

#1

Vicky | 2004 / 01 / 23 – 12:28

Reminds me of the whole Leeds/Bradford airport thing, which is in neither Leeds not Bradford but Harrogate…

#2

mrtn | 2004 / 01 / 23 – 12:37

something of world renown from leicester? a certain red cheese springs to mind…

#3

Lyle | 2004 / 01 / 23 – 12:38

You were fine with “someone’s”, just so you know. As for the entire airport farce, I’m finding myself more and more thinking “Oh, who gives a shit?”

As for the domain name, they’ve stuck with EastMidlandsAirport.com, so the enterprising individual is looking like they’re poo out of luck. *grin*

#4

David | 2004 / 01 / 23 – 12:50

Re #1: And did Harrogate ever complain? Not to my knowledge. :)

Re #2: Yes, but it’s orange. No-one from Leicester actually eats it you know? It’s just a tourist trap. :P

Re #3: Heh, I’ve been switching back and forth from “someone’s [or someone’s] on the ball” to “someone’s [or someones] on the ball” [also toying with “someone is [or someones are] on the ball”] — I just couldn’t decide which one was right so just plumped for one and stopped worrying about it. :)

Regarding the domain name, it’s not just a matter of which one the airport wants to use, but also whether they’re bothered if the owner [or owners¹] put dodgy content on their nottinghameastmidlandsairport.* sites.

¹No apostrophe nonsense here! ;)

#5

Jonathan | 2004 / 01 / 23 – 13:10

According to a lecturer from Leeds, Robin Hood was from Yorkshire not Nottingham on the account that Sherwood Forest extended up to and beyond Yorkshire! So whats Nottingham famous for now then?

#6

Vicky | 2004 / 01 / 23 – 13:25

I never said they did! Just pointing out that airport naming conventions can be rather skewed :)

#7

mrtn | 2004 / 01 / 23 – 13:36

re #5: presumably robin hood’s arch enemy the sheriff of nottingham is still from nottinham, right? ;)

#8

David | 2004 / 01 / 23 – 13:50

Re #5: Lecturer from Leeds claiming Robin Hood’s a Yorkshireman eh? No chance he might be biased at all? ;)

Re #6: I know, I was agreeing with you [in my own unique way]. :) It’s well known airports are never near the town they’re named after — look at Laguardia airport, it’s nowhere near France! ;)

#9

brown | 2004 / 01 / 23 – 15:58

It should have been either the “Gary Lineker Airport” or “Showaddywaddy Airport”.

#10

richard | 2004 / 01 / 23 – 18:50

I live in Harrogate and I’m mighty surprised to discover that we have an international airport. I wonder where it’s hidden.

#11

Damian | 2004 / 01 / 26 – 11:50

Historically famous people have come from Leicester as well, there’s Daniel Lambert and of course the elephant man.

Yay Leicester, the city of the freak.

#12

David | 2004 / 01 / 26 – 12:03

Re #11: What’s freakish about selling wine? Oh wait, you meant Daniel Lambert as in the fattest man ever.

I think we should get the City Council to adopt “Leicester — City of the Freak” as the new slogan for tourism, or at least have it on the “Welcome to Leicester” sign as you leave the motorway.

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