Corruption claims spoil the view in Churchill’s painterly retreat

Tobi Hughes·
Madeira News

If you are a subscriber to the Times, there is an article about Churchill, and the now corruption on the island.

The link here.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/corruption-claims-spoil-the-view-in-churchills-painterly-retreat-ctx002srk

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Tobi Hughes

10 Responses

    1. Corruption has spoiled a lot of things on this island; even Churchill could see what was coming. Imagine what he could see today: concrete jungle drug addiction, alcoholics, and mass tourism.

      1. Joe
        Great description of certain towns in UK Jul 21, 2022 — List of 10 Worst Cities for Drug Abuse · 10: Durham- 86.9% · 9: Northumbria- 89.7% · 8: Kent- 91.4% · 7: Humberside- 95.2% · 6: South Yorkshire- … and add their the famous county lines in the uk .

      2. I don’t suppose he would have experienced a lot of Madeira. Staying at Reids and being feted by the expat community, I doubt he would have seen the lack of sanitation, health facilities, electricity, infrastructure, education, jobs, which Madeira now has. All brought about by tourism.

    2. I read the article, pretty anodyne. What was interesting were the comments, 21 of them, a small number for the Times, that fell into three groups. Some like myself praising Madeira, regretting the changes that tourism brought to the island but acknowledging this brought improvements to the the Madeirans way of life. Some were about the length of Churchill’s stay, a couple about Churchill’s character. The third group were typical of the comments we read here and on the the other island blog. The Pestana hotels, The Savoy Palace, the Cruise ships, the ruining of “their” Madeira by mass tourism but none, just as in the comments that appear here, gave an economic alternative. I first visited in 1968, to look for a business opportunity, fell in love with the island, then walked away. All the people that complain of the tourism wouldn’t have looked at Madeira for a holiday back then and certainly not taken up residence.
      One comment I think, answers these people.
      ” And it’s not only tourism that changes places. Outsiders might mourn the loss of a bucolic peasant idyll but the locals don’t mourn the lifestyle of their ancestors.”

  3. This seems like old news this dirty clothing been washed in the street and there isn’t nothing new about this been down and dusted .And the UK newspapers seem not up date with the current news at all .

    1. Isabel, I always like to read your views. I have a couple of Madeiran friends in their 70s, who left to seek work in England in the 1960’s. Successful, they moved back to take over the family house and spend their retirement in Madeira. Whilst having afternoon tea and giving them the small gift we always bring, a packet of Bisto, I’ve asked, would you go back to the “old days?”
      “There are things we miss from the old days, but certainly not the living conditions.”
      I’m sure you are of a younger than them but would be interested if you agreed.

      1. George Nabbs
        Offer curse there many things that I missed a lot but there is nothing can be done it is sad see them going completely in the the end only memories . I would like see less mass tourism but at the same time they need this to live but needs to exist a balance if not the countryside will be complete destroyed .

  4. Russell,
    Would your post be in English if not for Churchill? I’m thinking German, assuming you still had the right to voice your opinion.

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