At last, a home for surfing
North Devon is to pay homage to its most popular past time, by hosting the British Surfing Museum in Braunton.
Looks like Peter Robinson has pushed through planning permission with the North Devon Council and something should be in the pipe for 2010. The funds are some way away though, and they are pursuing various ways of raising capital.
I’ve often wondered why we haven’t made more effort to recognise our surfing heritage, and this looks like we finally will do. We may be directly influenced by Australia and America, and those countries have a very positive record of their heritage. There are a handful of museums in California, where some really great activities take place, shows and exhibitions. Which is why I’ve always wondered why we hadn’t followed suit.
The United Kingdom has some fantastic waves, some right under your nose, some you’ll never find. We have some of the most competent shapers in the world, from Nigel Semmens to the boys at Gulf Stream in Wooly. The blend of artists, film makers, photographers and writers make the British Isles deservedly warrant a museum. The sheer number of visitors to the travelling museum speaks for itself, and Devon makes great sense for a permanent full time home. Great work Peter.
