‘We need the jobs’: Cumbrians divided over new coalmine
“If it brings jobs, then I’m all in favour of it,” said retired chemical worker Keith Walker as he wandered with his dog Eddie on the site of what could be something many thought would never be seen in the UK again: a coalmine.
Walker worked at the Marchon chemical works on the outskirts of Whitehaven, the proposed site of the mine, for 27 years.
“That was the drift mine down there,” he said, pointing. “It was Marchon’s own drift mine. They mined for phosphate rock, but there wasn’t the amount they needed so they had to go to Casablanca for it.”
Speaking to the Guardian hours before the government gave its go ahead, Walker said: “From all the literature I’ve seen it looks like its going to be quite contained and well set out. I don’t think it’s going to be a blight on the landscape.”
Most people in the town are in favour of the mine. They have been waiting for the news of the go ahead for what seems a long time, people repeatedly said.
But there are dissenting voices. “It’s not right,” said Margaret Telford, a retired shop worker. “Every family round here has lost a lot of people to mining and apart from that, it’s not good for the world, is it?
“I had three uncles and two cousins killed in the mines and that is nothing round here, a lot of people did. My dad made sure my two brothers never went down the mines.
“It isn’t just my family, it’s the fact we should be stopping mining altogether really, I know it’s coming from other countries but someone has to make a stance.”
Graham Roberts, a Conservative county and town councillor, was out buying a copy of Country Life on Thursday. He too was eagerly waiting for the news. “We need the jobs,” he said.
“The hysteria is out of proportion. The amount of pollution this would create compared with India or China is negligible. And why should we import coke and coal when we’ve got it here on our doorstep? We’re saving the country money.
“Mining has come a long way since picks, shovels and ponies. This is hitech mining.”
Those sentiments were echoed by farmer Carole Wilkinson from Aspatria. “When times are hard, people need jobs. Look at this town. We need regeneration.”
Support for the mine comes from politicians of every party locally.
Even people who have lost relatives to mining said they wanted the government to give the go ahead.
Jean Brayton, 80, is on her way to her karate class and is very much in favour of the mine. “My dad worked down the pit. I lost two uncles. It has always been a mining place. But we need to be self-sufficient.
“It’s not going to be a coal mine like they were. It will be up to date. It will have to be, won’t it?”
Scott Kiggins, 28, is walking his two babies Ronnie and Bobby and thinks about their future in Whitehaven. “If it is bringing jobs into our area then I’m all in favour it. My grandparents and uncles were miners, but it’s everyone’s family round here. It surrounds us.
“West Cumbria is dominated by Sellafield and we need other jobs.”
David Cook, a retired Sellafield worker, said: “This is a coal-mining area so I want it come back. The thing is will it last? They’ll probably open it, start mining and within two years they’ll shut it down.”
Peter Gale, a soon to be retired car salesman, said he had been in favour because of jobs but the more he heard, the more he read, he had changed his mind. “It is too late for me but it’s the damage it might do to the environment and the climate.
“This thing though has just dragged on and on and on. Every time you think they have sorted it there’s another delay. When it comes, will it happen?”