Outdoors Industry Slams Government

The body representing the outdoors industry has slammed proposed government inquiries into the foot and mouth debacle.

In a statement issued after the announcement of three seperate inquiries, the Outdoors Industry Association's director Andrew Maxted said:

'We are disappointed that the government continues to deny the public the full open inquiry that so many across the country are calling for.'

He went on to point out that walkers and climbers and the outdoors trade have demonstrated 'considerable support' for farmers, despite businesses in the sector seeing 'closures. job losses and as much as £60 million in lost sales.'

'Only a full inquiry will address the concerns of the outdoor community which must be given the reassurance that never again will the blunt instrument of mass closure be used to address any resurgence of foot and mouth or similar crisis in our countryside.'

Meanwhile, yesterday's Observer highlights the huge impact of the crisis on tourism-based rural small businesses and suggests that there's increasing hostility towards farmers, who are being handsomely compensated while stricken businesses go to the wall with no hope of government help.

The article highlights a number of small business collapses including one outfit running walking tours along Hadrian's Wall - the owner of the company is now homeless and £35,000 in debt.

We'll be updating our foot and mouth links tomorrow, but new cases are still appearing in existing host spots like Cumbria and Powys which access in North Yorkshire, the Dales, Mid-Wales and parts of the Lakes still badly hit.