Long Read Pitch

the end of ravenscraig

START

bY MURRAY HILL

Breakdown

wHAT IS MY LONG FEATURE ABOUT?

My long feature will explore the closure of the Ravenscraig Steelwork in Motherwell, how it happened and the effects it has had on Motherwell and the people living there.

I was born and raised in Motherwell, which is most well known for the old Steelworks, Ravenscraig. Ravenscraig was once the largest hot strip steel mill in Western Europe, but the destructive policies of Thatcher towards Scotland led to the Steelworks being mostly demolished and left as a shell of its former self. I hope to highlight the destruction of the Steelworks, and the consequences it had on Motherwell, to show how disastrous its closure was for the many people and towns that relied on heavy industry.

WHY DID I CHOOSE THIS?

What will my long feature cover?

demolition of ravenscraig

My long feature will discuss the effects that the closure of the Steelworks had on Motherwell and how its closure effected the people and the area.. The site where the majority of Ravenscraig once stood now lies vacant.

Who do I hope to interview?

the now vacant grounds at ravenscraig.

I hope to interview those who lived through the 80's and saw the increasingly hostile Conservative Government target industry across the UK, particulary in the North of England and in Scotland. I particulary want to interview those who worked in, or those close to them, about how the closure of the Steelworks affected them.

My piece will describe what has happened to the Ravenscraig site after the closure and the after-effects of the demolition.

I hope to use this long read to demonstrate the harm Thatcherism caused to Scotland and the lack of regard that the Conservatives had for Scotland. As such, I hope to send this long read to The National newspaper and their Senior Political Editor, Judith Duffy.