The final edition of this series of the Tyne Tees Television current affairs programme ‘Briefing’ begins with a filmed report by Kevin Rountree into plans to make a large area of the North Pennines into an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (ANOB). What benefits or issues will the designation bring? Following the report Kevin holds a discussion on some of the points raised in his film with representative of both the Countryside Commission and the National Farmers’ Union. In the final part of...

The final edition of this series of the Tyne Tees Television current affairs programme ‘Briefing’ begins with a filmed report by Kevin Rountree into plans to make a large area of the North Pennines into an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (ANOB). What benefits or issues will the designation bring? Following the report Kevin holds a discussion on some of the points raised in his film with representative of both the Countryside Commission and the National Farmers’ Union. In the final part of the programme presenter Ian Breach discusses on what might be the effects of selling British Telecom to private investors? Title: Tyne Tees Briefing In the Tyne Tees Television studios in Newcastle presenter Ian Breach introduces the programme which begins with a filmed report by Kevin Rountree on the designation of a new 800 square mile Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (ANOB) in the North Pennines with the town of St John’s Chapel in Weardale at its centre. Wind and rain blow along a drystone wall, in the distance the pit wheel of a mine. Title: England’s Last Wilderness? The front cover of a pamphlet entitled ‘The Northern Uplands: Decline, Conservation or Development?’ produced by for a one-day conference changes to a car driving across the River Wear at Stanhope via its ford. In the town itself traffic moving along a rainy Front Street. A barn or property in the northern upland’s changes to Ray Hopper from the Northumbria Tourist Board sitting at his desk explaining that tourism in Northumberland is worth around £170 million and generates jobs for 48,000 people. However, the area of Northumberland in the North Pennies is only worth around £6 million so there is scope to increase both the volume and value of tourism and thus increase number of jobs. A rural Weardale valley with a village running through it changes to a road sign for ‘Farmhouse Bed and Breakfast’. On the edge of Barnard Castle, a hanging sign for the Jersey Farm Hotel. Two people work on the roof of the farmhouse while cows are herded through the yard. In the milk shed farmer John Watson and his wife Jean work to milk their cows. Outside John talks about the jobs and work for local tradesmen he and his wife have created from running the hotel. He talks with Kevin Rountree about setting up the hotel and the support they have received from the local tourist board. In the hotel kitchen Jean Watson scoops homemade butter into small bowls, in the dining room a waitresses serve bowls of soup to guests at one table. At a servery John Watson in a chef’s outfit goes through the meat options available to two guests cutting slices of port for one. Back in the dining room guests chat over their meal while at another servery a young man goes through the selection of deserts that are available. Just outside the village of Blanchland the Blanchland Bridge crosses the River Derwent. In the village itself The Lord Crewe Arms Hotel and in its garden the manager sits with his wife and is critical of tourist board for not doing enough to promote the village. In the distance a derelict building on an open moorland, in the foreground a road passing through the landscape and another building. Outside the Golden Lion Hotel in Allendale the owner Marie Bones talks about the challenges of getting a grant from the tourist board to upgrade her hotel. A party of pony trekkers come out onto a road from the stables at Sinderhope Pony Trekking Centre. A young boy sits on his horse as it slowly trots along a track. Kevin Rountree joins Robert Phillipson the owner of the trekking centre for a ride through the east Allen Valley asking him how the northern Pennines would be affected when it is made an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty? He sees red tape being an issue and believes the income generated from tourism would need to be balanced out with the farming community. As Robert talks about the issues, he had with taking out the tourist board grants the trekking party fords the River East Allen. In his office Ray Hopper accepts some of the criticism of the grants but explains that the tourist board have to work within the guidelines set by the government. As he talks about administering the system a display board of various Northumberland tourist leaflets. At the Eastgate works of Blue Circle Cement the sintering process of cement making with the raw materials being heated and turned in a massive kiln, in a control room a worker watcher over the process. At the largest quarry in Weardale massive excavators move the limestone used in cement production to waiting lorries. Back at the Blue Circle factory a montage of exterior views featuring its tall chimney. Overlooking the factory below Bernard Crane, Blue Circle General Manager explains the changes that will be needed to be made at the factory both to keep it competitive and because the area has been designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. His concern is that any new legislation which will slow down the process as the work needs to be done quickly. A montage of views around Weardale which along with Cornwall has been designated as an area for the potential development of new energy source known as hot-rocks. In the distance the remains of a chimney that is part of a disused lead mine, development of this new technology will not take place in Durham as it is believed these old lead mines maybe used instead for the storage of nuclear waste. On Market Place in the village of St John’s Chapel Kevin Rountree speaks with Lewis Mceldon Leisure and Tourism Officer for Wear Valley District Council. He states there will be strong resistance in Weardale to any idea of it being used for the storage of nuclear waste. Kevin asks him if Weardale does get Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty status will this threat be lifted? He believes so and is fully supportive of ANOB status and talks about how tourism is quite a new industry in Weardale and they are promoting the area as he believes it has a lot to offer. From the hills surrounding it the Hadrian Craft Ltd factory at Allendale Town, inside women work to attach frames to pictures. Outside Managing Director Bruce Ernest explains to Kevin Rountree that as the town is outside the special development areas, he receives no government assistance. He goes onto state that if he were to be setting up his company again he wouldn’t come to Allendale. A montage of Allendale Town with Kevin Rountrees explaining in voiceover the issues of young people leaving the area and more older people moving in as well as the decline in local services. Sitting on a nearby bench Kevin speaks with Tynedale Councillor Nora Handcock who lists other issues in the area such as paying more for petrol than those in nearby Hexham. She would also like to see support given to help younger people buy properties in the village. A Ridley Transport articulated lorry starts up and drives away, watching it depart is Councillor Handcock’s husband Bill who is Managing Director of J.M. Ridley Transport. He explains his concerns should the area be designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty as it doesn’t help him with his business. From the hills surrounding it the village of Nentshead in Cumbria in the valley below. In his workshop musician Chris May tests one of his high-grade electric guitars he and his partner produce for the music industry. In another part of the workshop his partner works to shape a piece of wood into another guitar. An exterior of the workshop they will shortly be moving from. At nearby Alston cars travel along cobbled Front Street passing the marketplace. Husband and wife architects Sonia and Peter Kempsey who have been employed to report on what the town can do following the closure of the Alston Foundry in 1980 explain to Kevin Rountrees that the provision of small workshops for small businesses as well as the promotion of tourism especially with regards the area’s history are their key findings. At Alston railway station a narrow-gauge train on the South Tynedale Railway pulls into the platform. The driver of the train Eddie Dyke steps onto the platform where Kevin Rountree asks him what sort of an attraction the railway will be for tourists when it is open and what benefits will it bring to the local economy. He believes the potential of tourism in the area in considerable with the railway attracting 7000 visitors last year. He also hopes the success of the railway will bring further employment for local people both with him as well as other businesses in the town. Title: End of Part One Part Two Back in the Tyne Tees studio Ian Breach introduces a discussion into some of the points raised in the film with Kevin Rountree speaking with Graham Coggins from the Countryside Commission and David Dent from the National Farmers’ Union. Title: End of Part Two Briefing Politics In this week’s edition of Briefing Politics Ian Breach speaks with Bruce Pickford from the Post Office Engineering Union and John McWilliam Labour MP for Blaydon regarding plans by the Conservative government to de-nationalise British Telecom. Why is it being done as it is making record profits and has been described as one of the most efficient science-based industries in Europe. The discussion ends and Ian Breach brings this final episode in this series of Briefing to a close. Credit: Presented by Ian Breach Reporter Kevin Rountree Lighting Cameraman Fred Crone Film Sound Ed Gray Film Editor John Louvre Research Lynne Petrie, Mike Jordan Political Editor John Sleight Director Bernard Preston Producer Bob Farnworth End credit: Tyne Tees Colour. © Tyne Tees Television Ltd. MCMLXXXIII