Brecon Beacons

After Brecon Beacons National Park announced it will be changing its name, residents say they were not consulted.

The Switch - to Bannau Brycheiniog National Park - its 66th anniversary.

Park bosses said The Change promotes the area's culture and heritage.

Some residents in the Powys town of Brecon say people will continue to use Brecon Beacons , but a business has already ordered labels with the new name on it.

The Welsh name means " the peaks of Brychan 's kingdom" and is pronounced ban-aye bruch-ay-nee-og, with the ch making the same sound as in loch.

Brycheiniog - named after 5Th Century King Brychan - was an independent kingdom in the early Middle Ages , and its borders roughly match those of the National Park today.

Brecon resident Derek Price, 82 said: " I must say, I don't really understand it if you're looking at these places as places that are welcoming to people from all over The World .

" We have always known the Welsh, but I Am sure when people come from other parts they will not be quite sure about the Language and are Still Going to call it the Brecon Beacons .

" The Other thing I Am perturbed about is the cost of it, when you consider what they are going to have to do to make that change.

" It's not that I don't support the Language , I do. But we do have to Be Careful with regard to our viability. "

His wife Ann Price, 80, said: " It's the meaning behind it I don't understand. And they don't seem to have taken the cost into consideration. I think there should have been some discussion, but I think it would have happened anyway. "

Bailea O'Connor, 22, from Sennybridge said: " In all honesty, I don't think it should have happened.

" If you are not Welsh, you have a right to call it Brecon Beacons .

" I know a few locals who will be negatively affected by the name change because Some People can't pronounce it. Especially for a tourist, coming to the area asking for Brecon Beacons .

" I do appreciate the positive impact it has on the Welsh Language - possibly teaching some Welsh in English schools or schools abroad [would help]. "

Anthony Jones , of Left Bank Brewery in Llangorse, Brecon, said: " We're not changing The Names of the beers, because we already incorporate the Welsh Language , but our bottles say 'brewed in the Brecon Beacons '.

" I already ordered some labels Last Night which say 'brewed in Bannau Brycheiniog '.

" Everything blows over, but we will use it as publicity, because We Are virtually the only brewery in the National Park and if people are talking about it in any sense, at least they're talking about it. "

The Change will also affect visitors, said Lynn Chapman, who was visiting Brecon from Bodmin, Cornwall.

" It's alright for the Welsh People , because they want to encourage the use of the Welsh Language . But if we were to come here and everything's changed, we wouldn't know where to go.

" It's nice for the Welsh People to keep their Language , but I think it would be nice to have the English underneath so people visiting for the First Time can see where it is.

" It's our second time we've come here, and we will still come back but I think I would have problems pronouncing it.

" It's on The National news, so everyone is going to know about it, it's not going to be a surprise, but it's about getting used to that change. "

Marie-Anne Griffiths of Beacons Crafts said she only heard about it The Day the name changed.

" We have been here for 27 years and We Are not going to change our name. I think it's probably money poorly spent, " She Said .

" For Five Minutes it's brought The Park to The News , but I think The Money could have been spent in a better way. I don't feel it was necessary.

" There must have been a lot of people who hadn't heard anything and it seems a shame because it's The Local people it matters to a great deal and it would have been nice to be consulted, " Ms Griffiths said.

Source of news: bbc.com