Traders vow: “We won’t take ‘I love Larne’ lying down!”

The programme, screened on BBC1 on Monday October 20, was greeted with widespread condemnation on social media and by Councillors, who accused it of making the town a laughing stock.

Joint owner of Ann’s Pantry Helen Porter says that despite agreeing to and recording an interview with Director of the documentary Guy King, her positive comments on the town’s businesses and inhabitants were left on the cutting room floor.

She told The Times: “I was interviewed and I put across that this was a good place to visit and we wanted to attract people to our town but it wasn’t used, it was cut. He only showed the people he interviewed outside the bakery. I was disappointed as there was nothing positive in any of what was said and we do have a great town.”

The second generation family business has been on Larne’s Main Street since 1967, when it was started by Helen’s parents. She continued: “My husband has a stall for our business at St. George’s market in Belfast and we are part of the Belfast Food Tour around Northern Ireland so we are trying to attract people here.

“A lot of people from different parts of the Province come to shop and enjoy our Main Street, which is vibrant. Yes we have a few derelict shops, but on the whole we find most people enjoy the mix of the independent traders like ourselves and bigger traders.”

Helen says that she was ‘surprised’ to find her contribution had been edited out of the final documentary. She added: “I was so disappointed-that was not a true reflection of our town. We have a great community spirit in Larne. A lot of people come together and do good work and a lot of things go on here. “We have great walk ways and path ways, a leisure centre, summer schemes and church organisations doing fundraising. On Main Street we have celebrations and parades for children and families and there is a great atmosphere. There were so many things that could have been used in the documentary that unfortunately weren’t.”

Another local businesswoman who didn’t have the chance to air her views was Joint Owner of Thompson’s Lighting Irene McGookin. Irene, a former Tourism Representative with Larne Borough Council, revealed: “He interviewed me and met me a couple of times in a cafe. I definitely promoted Larne and its positives-they were the key. But after a couple of initial visits I could feel him backing off. I believe in Larne and I thought we were a good, newsworthy story but I was left confused when we were cut out of the documentary.”

Irene believes that one of the reasons for the documentary’s failure is the lack of a staff PR officer at Larne Borough Council. She explained: “The council should have a PR officer as a dedicated member of staff. At the minute each head of department looks after their own marketing and PR, so there is no continuity of message, which doesn’t help the brand.”

Irene was left further disappointed by the fact that many of the area’s key attractions did not feature. She continued: “Larne is a great place to work, live, relax and play. There are so many attractions-Carnfunnock, beautiful Glenarm, the harbour, the forest.

“It is also a good place to shop as you don’t need to spend a fortune like you would in other facilities.

“My message to people is don’t be but off-Larne is a fabulous place and this documentary will only make us have more pride and weld us together. We won’t take it lying down.”