Hoodwinked

‘ON the subject of car crashes and Princess Diana, it is worth remembering that, if William Hague had had his way, Heathrow Airport would now be Princess Diana International.

Robin of Scunthorpe

The practice of naming airports after people is of course widespread across the world, most famously perhaps JFK in New York.

Generally, the rule is that the person in question should be dead and that he or she should have some connection with the area served by the airport that is to bear his or her name.

Thus, Liverpool decided to rename its Speke airport after John Lennon who qualifies on both counts – namely, being dead and from the city.

But all rules are made to be broken so, when the powers that be were looking for a name to call the new Doncaster Sheffield airport, they decided to borrow one.

The Guardian reports that the £80m airport on the site of a former RAF station will henceforth be known as Robin Hood Doncaster Sheffield airport – ‘much to the bafflement of people 41 miles away in Nottingham’.

‘It isn’t the awkward name they object to,’ explains the paper. ‘It’s the appropriation of their most famous son.’

Ian Walker, chief executive of the Tales Of Robin Hood attraction near Nottingham castle, said he hooted with laughter when he heard the name.

But added: ‘It is sad that people in other parts of the country do not use their own local heroes or legends rather than trying to adopt, hijack or pinch ours.’

The excuse for the name seems to be that Robin Hood was believed to have spent some time in the Doncaster area.

In which case, it is surely only a matter of time before Glasgow Prestwick airport is renamed Elvis Presley Airport because the King Of Rock ‘n’ Roll had a two-hour stopover there in March 1960.’

Posted: 14th, April 2004 | In: Broadsheets Comment | TrackBack | Permalink