Box Back Dorr padlocked!

[Blitz]

Just had this from the landlord of the Quarrymans via Neil Reaich ...

Hi Chris

John the landlord of the Quarryman?s Arms has just informed me that Hansons has padlocked the Backdoor. No notices and in fact some people were inside and fortunately reached the gate before being locked in. Can you let someone on access from CSSC know about this? They may well block all entrances.

Neil

Blitz

 

[popeass1]

For fucks sake! First ridge, then brewers, now box, there's going to be no quarries  left soon! I wonder if it relates to this?

http://bathandportlandstone.co.uk/box-ground-bath-stone-back-into-production-for-first-time-in-60-years/

 

[ChrisDavies73]

Brilliant now the kids are going to dig the gate out, nobody wins. Bats & Quarry certainly lose.

 

[ditzy 24//7]

So after all these years why now?
Whats the access like with the other entrances?
Give it a week or two and im sure chavs will destroy the gate!

 

[RobinGriffiths]

For fucks sake! First ridge, then brewers, now box, there's going to be no quarries  left soon! I wonder if it relates to this?

http://bathandportlandstone.co.uk/box-ground-bath-stone-back-into-production-for-first-time-in-60-years/

Probably end up as cladding on someone's breeze block pied a terre..

 

[graham]

For fucks sake! First ridge, then brewers, now box, there's going to be no quarries  left soon! I wonder if it relates to this?

http://bathandportlandstone.co.uk/box-ground-bath-stone-back-into-production-for-first-time-in-60-years/

Probably end up as cladding on someone's breeze block pied a terre..

Which is, of course, why the mines are there in the first place, broadly speaking.

 

[mikem]

or could it be that the gate has been left open so often recently that someone has complained to the quarry company... (they certainly were the last couple of times we were there).

Mike

 

[Brains]

Been haed enough keeping a gate with a derbyshire key intact, been repaired many times by the local underground community. Wonder how long this new anti access measure will last?

 

[ChrisDavies73]

Not long... he said menacingly. . Lol

 

[graham]

So, landowner locks mine. 'Persons unknown' remove lock within a couple of days. Hands up everyone who thinks that'll make it easier to negotiate a long-term agreement.

 

[ChrisDavies73]

*puts hand up! There is an existing agreement. Persons unknown implying they are Hansons without discussing it with anyone attempt to lock people in the mine.  You tell me who is acting responsibility here.

 

[graham]

*puts hand up! There is an existing agreement. Persons unknown implying they are Hansons without discussing it with anyone attempt to lock people in the mine.  You tell me who is acting responsibility here.

Many people by the sound of it. However, if there is, in fact, an existing agreement regarding that entrance then the responsible thing to do would have been to approach the landowner or their agent with whom that agreement has been made and politely ask them what is going on. Removing the lock is not responsible.

 

[martinm]

The lock has already gone. See:-

http://www.aditnow.co.uk/Community/viewtopic.aspx?p=143522#msg143522

 

[ChrisDavies73]

We don't want people trapped inside so padlocks will be removed if found untill a change  in agreement is made and communicated to the rest of the community.

 

[graham]

We don't want people trapped inside so padlocks will be removed if found untill a change  in agreement is made and communicated to the rest of the community.

I seriously doubt you'll get a new agreement, then. More probably you'll get every other entrance completely blocked.

Have you made an approach to the landowners or their agents?

 

[Brains]

To unilaterally lock an entrance when people may well be underground is very irresponsible, especially with no pror warning. Do we know who did the locking? or why?
To remove the offending locks is the only responsible thing to do. Compare this to someone changing a few cscc locks on Mendip of a Sunday lunchtime with no warning, or allowing people to descend a controlled cave which may be full of lethal fumes... Think of the fuss that might cause! 

There are many entrances, some on private property that have been nominated as alternatives should the lock it down and block it up vandals try and seal it off

 

[popeass1]

It isn't ever going to be totally blocked, I'm sure NE would have something to say if anyone tried, it being an SSSI and all.
I'm sure Box is practically always occupied by at least one group, so to lock up the entrance with no discussion or forewarning, is in my opinion, the height of irresponsibility. Has anyone tried phoning the number Hanson provides on their stickers left on the gate?

EMERGENCIES 0800 587 0999  :-\

 

[graham]

It isn't ever going to be totally blocked, I'm sure NE would have something to say if anyone tried, it being an SSSI and all.

They did jack shit back when Quarry Entrance was backfilled.There were lots of bats who used that way.

Nope grills without gates won't worry them in the least.

Has anyone tried phoning the number Hanson provides on their stickers left on the gate?

EMERGENCIES 0800 587 0999

Doesn't seem like it.

 

[popeass1]

Top trolling from Graham, as per.

Shouldn't you be upsetting northern cavers on some other thread? 

 

[cap n chris]

Potentially this could be a very serious change in access for this site. English Nature are effectively in charge, as the site is a bat hibernaculum. Graham is correct to remind everyone that the whole complex could be sealed off to everyone other than bats; this was the original default position of NE/EN prior to the present access protocol procedures being negotiated and put in place but with the caveat that if they were subsequently ignored or failed in any regard sealing off of the site would probably result = IIRC it was minuted to this effect at the time during negotiations between CSCC, Hanson and NE/EN. I have a large file on it. Perhaps circumstances have come to a head and NE/EN are now moving towards this. There is a significant archive file on this topic. Do not think for one moment that access to Box is assured. The bats have first dibs on the whole place.

Put another way: large or uncontrolled groups frequenting the site, especially if they were setting fires or disturbing bats was warned as being sufficient for the whole of BM to be permanently sealed by NE/EN. This was a VERY WELL publicised warning. I sincerely hope this is not now about to commence.