Plan B Forum

A fishing village's park known as 'Hitlers Walk' since the 1930s is to have its name reinstated after it was removed a decade ago.



The old signs in Mevagissey, Cornwall were taken down in 2005 following a small number of complaints that the name was offensive. The decision by the then Restormel Borough Council to remove the signs was branded 'political correctness gone mad'. And villagers insisted the moniker did not honour the Nazi leader but was adopted in the 1930s in reference to an overly-officious local councillor. The man was said to have a habit of walking up and down checking on the boats moored in the harbour.

In 2005, then parish clerk John Olford said the decision to remove the two signs was 'ludicrous'. This week he said he was 'delighted' that the decision was being reversed. 'It's about time,' Mr Olford added.
'It has been called Hitlers Walk since the 1930s, then some idiot who was an incomer said "oh, you can't call it Hitlers Walk". I'm delighted it's being put back up.' The parish council voted to restore it, saying the park - once called Cliff Park - had been called Hitlers Walk for more than 60 years and was known by villagers as such.



Councillors heard that a quote had been obtained to replace the sign at a cost of £147. Coun John Daniel, one of those who has been calling for the sign to be replaced, said: 'This is not just for me, it is for all the parish.' Fittingly, news of the council's reversed decision comes on the day the nation marked the 50th anniversary of Winston Churchill's state funeral. The boat that carried the coffin of the wartime leader down the Thames on this day in 1965 traced the same route to the Palace of Westminster, where a wreath was laid in tribute.

Tower Bridge was raised as members of Churchill's family, on board the merchant vessel Havengore, sailed past crowds of well-wishers who had gathered to commemorate the revered former Prime Minister.

A Cornish village has angered the Jewish community after agreeing to reinstate a sign saying Hitlers Walk.

The sign for a park overlooking Mevagissey was taken down by the now-defunct Restormel Council in 2005 after complaints that it was inappropriate.

Now Mevagissey Parish Council has ordered a new sign, saying that is what local people call the park.

Harvey Kurzfield, of Kehillat Kernow, which represents the Jewish community of Cornwall, said it was "outrageous".

The park, on a sloping site a little smaller than a football pitch at the top of Polkirt Hill, was named in the 1930s after a dictatorial local councillor, who was nicknamed Hitler.

Parish councillor John Daniel, who has campaigned for the sign's reinstatement, said: "Local people have known it as Hitlers Walk since the 1930s."

Mr Kurzfield said he would be writing to the parish council to object.

"I think it's outrageous and completely unfeeling," he said. "It is unbelievable to stoop to doing something like that.

"I would urge Jewish people to boycott the village."

Parish councillor Jade Barron, who backed the sign, said: "We didn't want to offend anyone, it's just always been known as Hitlers Walk.

"It's a massive part of the village's history and it would be a shame to take that away."