The National Botanic Gardens based in Llanarthne should not receive public funding while in breach of its language duties - that's the call from language campaigners in a letter to the First Minister and Leader of Carmarthenshire County Council following complaints about English-only signage.

Members of Cymdeithas yr Iaith in Carmarthenshire have criticised the National Botanic Garden of Wales for breaking its Welsh language scheme with a sign on the M4 that is only in English, and sending correspondence in English only. In a letter to the Director of the Garden the language campaign group says:

"The 'justification' you have given for a monolingual sign is that tourists are the target market, but this goes against the Language Scheme on the Garden's website .... We held meetings with you a few years ago that led to bilingual signs in the garden, and there was discussion about offering Welsh lessons for staff, and encouraging staff to make use of the Welsh language. It seems though that the mindset within the gardens has not changed. "
"As a national institution that receives significant public funding and support from the local authority and central government it stands to reason that there should be full Welsh language services available. The response to public complaints about shortcomings in Welsh provision are bordering on arrogant, and it raises significant questions about the attitude of the whole organisation towards the Welsh language, and to the professionalism of some of your staff. "

In letters to the First Minister Carwyn Jones and the Leader of Carmarthenshire County Council, the Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg says:

"The Garden's attitude towards the Welsh language is very far from what is expected in the twenty-first century. Not only that, but when people have complained about the lack of basic services and respect towards the Welsh language, response from the Garden's officers have been completely unacceptable, and bordering on rude.
"We understand that you provide significant funding to the Garden every year. We call on you to hold the funding back until the Garden shows due respect to the Welsh language. As a leader of a Council where the Welsh language is facing such a crisis I am sure you want to act on this matter urgently. "

Manon Elin on behalf of Cymdeithas yr Iaith added:

“Over the weekend more signs have gone up – again only in English. Why should people fund the National Botanic Garden of Wales when it is so disrespectful towards the Welsh language? More than breaking its language plan, we get the impression that the Garden believes that visitors from England are more important than visitors from Wales. Many people, in Carmarthenshire and Wales visited the National Botanic Garden of Wales each year, and because the language is official here in Wales, our national institution should reflect that - to the people of Wales and beyond. "

The story in the press:

National Botanic Garden Defends its Approach to Welsh Laguage - Walesonline April 13

Calls for Botanic Garden to Lose Funding over Langugae Row - Carmarthen Journal April 15

M4 Sign Steers Botanic Garden into Language Row - South Wales Guardian April 17