This region of Wales has long been favoured by holidaymakers seeking a fortnight’s rest by the sea and mountains, or weekends away at the many caravan parks by our coasts and hills.
We would like to think that as well as the areas of outstanding natural beauty that Wales has to offer, those choosing to come and stay here do so in part because of our unique heritage and history.
Part and parcel of that history and heritage is the Welsh language too. It is not a quirky anomaly of the past. It is living, vibrant, a verbal expression of Welshness, a salient and inalienable element of Wales itself.
For holidaymakers who choose to come to Wales, embracing the linguistic plurality of our nation is essential to understanding Wales itself.
Equally, for businesses that choose to make money here to profit from those holidaymakers, there is an expectation that they should at the very least understand and appreciate — if not fully embrace — the geography, history, linguistics, and societal values that combine to make their business venture viable.
Sadly, there is the case now of Allens Caravans, who have chosen to trample on the history and heritage of this region, ignoring the long-standing Welsh name of Glan y Môr at Clarach Bay just north of Aberystwyth.
Allens Caravans Estates Ltd seem intent on changing the name of the area to ‘Aber Bay’ — a location dreamt up by a marketing department with zero understanding that their creation is a tautology.
This is an insult to all who live here, and likely too to those who turn our caravan parks into Birmingham-on-Sea each long weekend.
Cymdeithas yr Iaith, the Welsh language group, are right to be concerned about the caravan park’s ability to anglicise Glan y Môr underscores legislation to preserve and protect traditional names.
Indeed, we must wonder whether Ceredigion County Council were aware of this name change when the planning application for a monstrosity of a new rec centre was approved on the sea front.
Should all councils not have a duty to protect the history and heritage of this region. This anglicisation is wrong and needs to be reversed. Shame on you, Allens Caravans.
Cofiwch Dryweryn. Cofiwch Glan y Môr.