Change is a difficult notion to quantify - it's a difficult notion to imagine and an even more difficult notion to put into place. It also isn't helped by the fact that most people's opinions of change vary wildly and within even small enterprises and organisations change can be hindered by the fact that some wanted it and some don't.
I am sure most of you have seen the funfair which has been set up in Penzance for the last few weeks - a funfair which actually completely epitomises the depressing, run-down, desolte cliche of such things we see in the movies. If the people of West Cornwall (I include myself in this) want change so much; then why did we allow such a depressing site to be taken over by an even more depressing attraction - we all know this is not the direction we need in Cornwall - it is reducing us to many more years of economical depression as amongst many other things it reduces the amount of interest from people who have money and want to invest in the area. If Penzance had a CV this would certainly have made some people throw it straight in the bin.
It's a familar situation around the country, but what Penzance and West Cornwall have in general is a far superior POTENTIAL to most other areas. It is a word bandied around far too often - mostly I would imagine by the slightly disappointed tourists who arrive in the area to an overpriced bouncy castle. There are interesting, sophisticated and forward thinking organisations in the area but they do not have a public face - they are reduced to being sidelined and I would imagine many people are now thinking that they would actually want to see these things that make the area unique and beautiful. If there's one thing for sure, a grubby funfair makes this area look a lot more poverty stricken than it actually is - certainly in terms of its culture.
