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The criminalisation of public photography continues

Big Brother Watch missed this article when it appeared in the Bournemouth Echo last week:

A beach warden – who would only identify himself as “Beach 8” – challenged our photographer as she took snaps on the promenade at Branksome Chine yesterday.

He demanded to see a licence and told her she shouldn’t be taking pictures without one. After years of taking photos on the beaches unchallenged, our snapper Hattie Miles ploughed on regardless. 

Stuart Terry, coastal works manager at Poole council, said the beach was council land and it was “standard industry practice” to seek permission before taking pictures.

Photobeach This episode shows that yet again a photographer has been unfairly placed under suspicion by an overbearing, interfering council busybody.

This episode is repeated almost daily across the UK. Law-abiding people taking photos are being treated as criminals without reason.

Amateur Photographer magazine – who have been among the most vocal opponents of the stopping and searching of photographers taking pictures of landmarks – have investigated further and found that the council's regulations are in place to prevent large-scale film crews, rather than individual people.

Still, be careful when taking snaps on the beach in Dorset – you might find yourself on the wrong-end of the overbearing state!

By Dylan Sharpe

Posted on June 4, 2010 by Big Brother Watch Posted in Overbearing state
  • Gareth

    “Stuart Terry, coastal works manager at Poole council, said the beach was council land”
    Wouldn’t that make it public property and hence people can take pictures willy and indeed nilly?

  • http://profile.typepad.com/sadbut SadBut MadLad

    This isn’t councils stopping photographers taking pictures. It’s poorly trained, egomanic, little hitler, council staff who think they are god’s gift to security stepping outside their remit.
    The council are at fault for not training their staff properly. The staff are at fault for not using common sense.
    The training issue is probably because rather than use experienced staff they use anyone who wants it even if they can’t do the job.
    The staff issue is probably because staff aren’t allowed to have common sense. It’s drummed out of them during their inadequate training when they are told that H&S comes first. They are also told that they don’t need to take responsibility for any mistakes if they follow procedures and rules (no matter how crap they are) and if they do everything by the book.

  • Purlieu

    The article says that the photographer was on the promenade not the beach, so what has this got to do with Mr Beach 8 ?

  • Purlieu

    “He demanded to see a licence”
    What’s a photography licence look like ?

  • Neil Robinson

    And where do you get a ‘photography licence’ from? Britain is filling up with idiots like this.

  • ZacS

    Any land that is below the spring tide mark officially belongs to the queen. So they have to get hold of her if they want to stop you taking pictures!

  • Tony G

    I’d have asked him to say “cheese”

  • jude

    “Stuart Terry, coastal works manager at Poole council, said the beach was council land”
    Wouldn’t that make it public property and hence people can take pictures willy and indeed nilly?
    No because councils are private corporations.

  • blastproof

    “standard industry standard”
    Wot?
    Don’t go to Dorset.