Date: 26 April 2010
Originally published in: News & Star (UK)
Written by:
Who would have thought it 29 years ago, when she was young and moody and singing about kids in America?
Kim Wilde has been a regular visitor to Cumbria for the past few years, and she spells out her affection for the county in an interview with Virgin Trains’ magazine.
She reveals that her gold award at the Chelsea Flower Show in 2005 was inspired by the landscape of Cumbria.
She said: “Cumbria has to be the jewel in the crown of the UK. The people there have had a tough time [after the floods] and they’ve been fantastic and beaten the odds. I love Keswick in particular – I feel totally at home there.”
Praise indeed. But how can Cumbria capitalise on Kim’s love of the place?
Perhaps the tourist board could persuade her to record a new version of Kids In America, called Bairns in Cumbria?
Some of the words might need changing.
‘Looking out a dirty old window’ does not give a good impression of the county’s hotels and B&Bs.
‘Down below the cars in the city go rushing by.’ Not with all these one-way systems and traffic lights, luv.
