EARL SPENCER poured scorn
yesterday on plans to boost
tourism in Northamptonshire, the
county where his sister, the late
Diana, Princess of Wales, spent a
small part of her childhood, by
calling it Diana Country.
The slogan, which marketing
experts see as a strong "brand name" for the county,
would be used on Northamptonshire's road signs,
promotional leaflets and videos.
It is one of a number of options being "seriously
considered" by the county's Chamber of Commerce,
which represents the business community.
Among other suggestions for a brand name is Boot
Country - Northamptonshire has a proud cobbling
tradition and is the home of the Doctor Marten boot -
Middle England, and Squires and Spires.
"They are all a bit grim," a spokesman for Earl Spencer
said yesterday. "Surely they can come up with something
better?"
The Chamber aims to find a name that will capture the
spirit of the Midland county, the geographical centre of
England and site of Althorp House, where the Princess
lived during her early teens and is now buried. The
county's current, ten-year-old slogan is Rose Of The
Shires.
A spokesman for the Chamber said: "Many people come
to Northamptonshire because of the Diana link, and her
name would make a strong brand.
"There is no denying that the whole Diana image and
legacy she has left behind is strong. Branding is an
important element of overall strategy and getting it right is
vital if we are to create a strong identity and successfully
market tourism."
More than 300 businesses will be asked for their views
before a final decision is taken.
Not everyone, however, was happy with the Diana
Country name. Mike Young, county council leader, said:
"I think the name Diana Country is in questionable taste.
I'm also not sure that it will last as a slogan. The interest in
Diana is likely to fade with time.
"It's also one-dimensional and doesn't capture the spirit of
the county as a whole. We have other attractions here that
we are just as proud of."
Another council member said: "A lot of people could be
offended by the Diana Country name, and there is a
danger that the county could be seen to be cashing in on
her popularity.
"She only lived here briefly as a girl and, though her death
was tragic, the whole world did not revolve around her."
Althorp House, the Spencer family's ancestral home for
more than 500 years, has just opened to tourists for the
third year. It has a museum dedicated to the Princess's
life, established by her brother. After nearly 150,000
visitors in 1998, advance ticket sales for this year were
only 70,000.
Several other counties have already used their most
famous sons for marketing campaigns. Robin Hood
promotes Nottinghamshire and road signs in
Warwickshire remind drivers that they are travelling
through Shakespeare country.
~*~
Empress Dowager laid to rest(Electronic Telegraph)
THE Empress Dowager Nagako of Japan, who died last month aged 97, was
laid to rest in Tokyo yesterday in a mausoleum next to that of her husband,
Emperor Hirohito.
More than 1,000 dignitaries and members of the imperial family attended the
Shinto ceremony and 12,000 people lined the three-mile procession route
despite heavy rain.
But there was no sign of widespread public mourning for Nagako, who had
slipped almost entirely from public view in the last 20 years. In line with
tradition, Nagako was given a posthumous name, Koujun. Colin Joyce,
Tokyo
~*~
'Marine' princess to stay in US(Electronic Telegraph)
THE family of a teenage Bahraini princess who faces criminal charges for
sneaking into America to marry a Marine say they now want her to stay after
initially pleading with her to return home.
Meriam Al Khalifa, 19, disguised herself as a US Marine and illegally entered
America last year with her boyfriend, L/Cpl Jason Johnson, 25. Simon
Davis, Los Angeles