The Guardian editorialises:
On Saturday, Durham's
narrow streets will be thronged with thousands of people, young and old, from
the county's pit villages. Miners' Gala Day, the Big Meeting, is a celebration
of the industry that has stamped its mark forever on the landscapes and memories
of County Durham.
Don't ever say
"former" pit villages, even if the last mine closed in 1993. The
colliery banners and bands processing for hours through the city tell us
otherwise. Coal is still king on this proud day. Once, all aspiring Labour
politicians needed to be seen there.
It remains a
politically and emotionally charged day for the working people of Durham.
Nostalgic? Not when you see the bonds of connection and common purpose that
such communities in the
north-east feel.
To them, Durham's great
cathedral, packed for the miners' service in the afternoon, is a symbol of
belonging to a distinctive, deprived but greatly cherished region of England.
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