Countryside Alliance challenges falconry display cancellation

The Countryside Alliance has written to Darlington Borough Council after the Hopetown Darlington railway museum cancelled a free falconry display booked for 31 July. The birds of prey event, to have been run by the Walworth Birds of Prey team from Walworth Castle in County Durham, was pulled after objections from local vegan and animal rights groups.

Why was the falconry display cancelled?

Hopetown Darlington had promoted the free flying display as part of its summer programme, billed as an educational day with talks on bird habitats, life cycles, food chains and conservation alongside expert question-and-answer sessions and photo opportunities. The Walworth team had appeared at the museum earlier this year.

After objections from local animal rights and vegan campaigners, the museum called the event off, saying it had listened to concerns raised by local campaign groups; in later correspondence it added that the decision was also due to very low ticket sales for the free event. The museum confirmed that all appropriate welfare, accreditation and safety standards had been met before the cancellation. The story was first reported by the BBC.

The Alliance says it can see no justification for the decision. In a letter to the council’s chief executive, Rose Rouse, it has urged the museum to reconsider and not to rule out similar events in future.

What does the Countryside Alliance say?

Mo Metcalf-Fisher, director of external affairs at the Countryside Alliance (countryside-alliance.org), said: “Museums exist to educate and inspire. Responsible birds of prey displays provide the public with a rare opportunity to experience these remarkable birds up close and to learn about their ecology, conservation and cultural significance.”

He said the museum should have stood firm against “manufactured outrage from so-called animal rights activists”, adding: “I can see no justification for cancelling it.”

The Alliance said it had dealt with several similar incidents and had “been pleased when bodies recognise the hurt and upset a decision to cancel an event has caused and reconsidered”, adding: “We hope Hopetown Darlington reconsider and don’t rule out running similar events in the future.”

Why does it matter to fieldsports?

Public flying displays are, for many families, their first close contact with trained hawks and falcons, and cancellations under activist pressure have become a recurring pattern for country shows, museums and visitor attractions. Falconry itself is recognised by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage, and display teams argue their birds are ambassadors for raptor conservation.

What happens next?

Darlington Borough Council says future events at Hopetown will be considered on a case-by-case basis, and it has not ruled out hosting birds of prey events again. The Alliance’s letter is with the chief executive, and the organisation says it hopes the museum will reinstate such displays in its programme.