'Little England' braced for trouble from Eisteddfod militants

The annual celebration of Welsh culture was an explosive affair last year when several important participants attacked the desecration of their language and called for stricter controls on the "in-migration" of the English.

This year, as the Eisteddfod gathering rolls into south-west Wales – near St David's, or Tyddewi to the purists – there are fears that the more militant supporters of the Welsh language might cause trouble in a small corner of Pembrokeshire around St David's nicknamed "Little England".

Earlier this month Leon Downey, the award-winning founder of the Llangloffan Cheese Centre near Mathry, received an e-mail from someone threatening to create "embarrassing scenes" during the Eisteddfod week if he did not put up Welsh signs.

Other local businesses fear their lack of support for the mother tongue may anger those turning up next week.

"A lot of people are anticipating problems during the Eisteddfod, but we don't know if it's just hearsay," said one local trader, who recalled a recent Eisteddfod in nearby Fishguard, when Welsh-speakers refused to use English.

Last year Meirion Evans, Archdruid in charge of the Eisteddfod crowning ceremony, completed his duties at the festival near Denbigh, north Wales, by comparing the threat to the Welsh language to the destruction of Swansea by Nazi bombers. A Plaid Cymru councillor, Seimon Glyn, added fuel to the fire by calling for stricter controls on the number of English people moving into Welsh-speaking communities.

Their views appeared to engender nothing but humour from the St David's community – an area which thrives on tourism and where, in their own words, the English and Welsh have "rubbed along happily" for years.

As one local insisted: "The south and west Welsh dislike the north Welsh more than they dislike the English."

While the Welsh language was certainly in evidence, it remained an individual choice. Chris Martin, 43, a born-and-bred Welshman whose great-grandfather wrote the hymn "Calon Lan", conceded he spoke just about enough of the language to help his children with their homework.

"The Eisteddfod will be a boost for the local economy. I would be alarmed if there was any sort of fall out. I think we need to look after our heritage but we don't necessarily need to speak Welsh," he said.

Gaynor Cottrell, 55, manager of the Window on Wales gift shop, said: "My father only speaks to me in Welsh because he is annoyed I don't use it.

"There is a resurgence of the language, particularly in schools. I can read and speak it but if I don't understand one word the whole thing goes, it is a panic reaction. And the language is different in north Wales," she explained.

Down the road, Freya Dixon and her husband, David, "outsiders" who arrived from Yorkshire 12 years ago to set up the Oriel Albion Gallery, had tried to learn the language. "There has never been any pressure put on us at all, but we felt it was important to learn Welsh and we have only ever experienced helpfulness from everyone."

Another English "invader", Jenny Kitchell, who arrived from Birmingham 20 years ago, said she spoke "pidgin Welsh" but would be translating her art stall signs at the Eisteddfod as a matter of courtesy.

But there was opposition among some. Vikki Jones, part owner of The Printing House tea shop in nearby Solva, said: "Frankly, it would be more relevant for us to have our signs in Dutch or French."

Yesterday Betsan Williams, spokeswoman for the Eisteddfod, insisted that no problems were anticipated.

"There are always people who have extreme views in any community but the majority just want to get along and be part of creating this unique festival. We have a bilingual policy on site and we have offered the local community translation free of charge if they want it."

The Eisteddfod begins on 3 August.