Shooting community furore over renaming of Gun Quarter

Birmingham City Council?s plan to rename the historic Gun Quarter have been thrown into disarray following a backlash from the local community and those who accuse the council of pandering to political correctness.

The move had been proposed as part of the Birmingham Big City Plan, described by the council as ?the most ambitious, far-reaching development project in the UK?.

However, a council spokesman told Shooting Times magazine that it is the name of the area in which the Gun Quarter sits that is changing, not the Gun Quarter itself.

The spokesman said: ?It?s only right and proper that the wider area is called St George and St Chad?s because the Gun Quarter is only a small element of it.?

Amended drawings show the new St George and St Chad?s area as occupying all of the land formerly known as the Gun Quarter.

Only a small part will still be called the Gun Quarter.

Former employees of Birmingham?s gun trade remain concerned that the slimmed down Gun Quarter will struggle to retain its identity.

They were also amazed that the council?s decision calling for the renaming was made after a petition was submitted featuring just 50 names.

Birmingham gun chequerer Mike Dingley said: ?The gun trade is part of our heritage. People seem to want to change history, and that?s wrong. The council?s petition has 50 signatures. I?m sure we can raise more.?

Indeed, after just 48 hours online, a petition which calls for the council to save the Gun Quarter name has been signed by more than 2,000 people.

Sign the petition here!

BASC?s Conor O?Gorman told Shooting Times magazine: ?BASC is lobbying city planners and the council to ensure that the heritage of Birmingham?s gun quarter is retained.?

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