6 June 2012

Welcome to Dull and Boring

Some would said that it had to happen, that it’s inevitability was as certain as the sun rising in the morning. Today we can tell you that it looks extremely likely that the village of Dull in Perthshire, Scotland and the town of Boring, Oregon in the United States will officially be paired.

The townspeople of Boring (above) will decide shortly whether to pair up with their Scottish counterpart. The good citizens of Dull have already given their vote – an overwhelming yes. If the teenagers of Boring complain that nothing ever happens in their town of 10,000 now they can be threatened with a visit to Dull (below) which has a teenage population of approximately 10.Now here's a question.  If someone from Dull is a Dullard, then what is someone called Boring called?

The real question is, perhaps, why this hasn’t happened before now given the obvious wry smile it would bring to the faces of visitors to and residents of both communities. Perhaps it was considered a little too ironic, a little too knowing?  Perhaps the world was not quite ready for such a startling combination? Perhaps the idea was just too dull and, well, you get the idea.

It began, it seems, with a cycling holiday.  Elizabeth Leighton, who lives near the village of Dull stumbled on Boring while she was touring Oregon on her bike.  That evening she phoned her friend Emma Burtles, who lives in Dull (population 84) and proposed the link.

Ms Burtles got right to the task of bringing the two places together and it wasn’t long before the Boring Community Planning Organization was on board (as it were) and a vote is set.  The Dull Community Council has given the idea the thumbs up and a street party has already been organized for later in the month. They must have a mole on the council in Boring.

Yet the two places cannot be officially twinned – this will be more of a link. The major obstacle is the difference in body count between the two communities. Boring’s population is close to 10,000 and Dull's is 84. As such the two places cannot be officially twinned. That’s pretty dull and boring if you ask us.

However, we do look forward to the massive tourism and merchandise frenzy that is just about to ensue.