SIR - What a pity that Mr Fielden completely missed the point of my letter regarding a major new tourist attraction in Settle to replace the income lost over the last few years. I wrote in response to an article in the Craven Herald asking local residents to come up with ideas about suitable schemes to generate income, as Renaissance money is apparently available for large scale developments.

Whilst Settle is exceptionally well provided with activities for retirees, it lacks a major attraction which all ages can enjoy together.

My idea for a model village(s) perhaps replicating in miniature local villages and all linked by a model railway, I felt would fill this need - from Granny with her bad hip, Grandpa with his angina to Mum with baby in push chair, toddlers, older children, disabled groups etc. In other words, an attraction for everyone between one and 91. This is what is missing.

Such a scheme, occupying several acres, would have a shop and cafe serving light refreshments only (more substantial fare being available at our excellent town centre cafes) a play area with slides, swings etc for small children and a large car-parking area all set in landscaped gardens.

I envisage bus loads of children clutching work-sheets drawn in from the industrial towns and coaches full of pensioners reminiscing about how villages have changed since their youth. Later they would visit the town shops and cafes, and whole families can have a day out, combining a journey by rail on the Settle-Carlisle with the model village experience.

The model village our family visited at Beaconsfield was literally teeming with visitors, many buying souvenirs or snacks in addition to the entrance fee and it employed up to nine local people to serve in the shop, five gardeners who tended the wonderful gardens, others to supervise and do maintenance, and five mechanics to keep the model railway trains running.

Paid staff were supplemented by volunteers. It provided both revenue and employment.

We relocated to Settle from our former home less than seven miles away, because Settle offers such a variety of outdoor and indoor activity for the retired, such as walking, visiting exquisite local villages, market day on a Tuesday, the cinema, the theatre, the swimming pool - mostly without needing to use the car.

With nearly 20 years as local inhabitants I think we can claim to know what is on offer, but I feel it is totally unrealistic to risk taking our toddlers anywhere near the river, as was suggested by your correspondent, especially with another in a push-chair and Granny a bit unsteady on her pins.

It is only since we acquired four grandchildren aged under four, that we have become aware of the need for something three generations can enjoy together, and which would also bring into Settle people who don't even consider visiting it now.

P.S. How about Northern Legoland then?

Monica Jenkins

Giggleswick

Settle

SIR - In answer to Harry Metcalfe's query (Craven Herald Letters, June 13) "where are all the live music lovers", the lack of music venues is solely due to the declining audiences in the local area pubs and therefore the financial viability of live bands for the business.

At the Cross Keys we have staged live bands for seven years every Friday night. As well as local bands, we have musicians from as far afield as Manchester, Rochdale, Blackpool, Huddersfield, Sunderland. These bands perform for little more than travelling expenses because they love doing it and because that is all we can afford to pay due to the poor attendance of the public.

My accountant thinks I only have live bands because I like it and sometimes I think he must be right.

So are these many live music fans in "Skipton and district" or do they prefer singers with backing tapes: ie glorified karaoke.

Unless the music-loving public supports the few existing venues, even these stalwart locations will disappear and karaoke will have won.

Richard Day,

Cross Keys,

Otley Road,

Skipton.

Editor's note: Today, Friday, the Nick Dow Blues Band will be performing live at the Cross Keys from about 9pm.

SIR - On reading your extracts from 100 years ago in the edition of June 6 I was amazed to see my great uncle's name mentioned as the first local man to descend Gaping Gill pot.

This must have been quite an achievement on a rope ladder and, to the best of my knowledge, he was not a very strong or athletic person.

In fact he was quite small in stature and 38 years of age at the time.

He was quite an amazing man in other respects. Born in 1865 to a poor, working class family in Clapham (where he remained until he died in 1938) he had very little education but went on to become a music teacher - self-taught - teaching piano, organ and violin.

He also composed music, wrote poetry, had at least two books published and was a very accomplished artist.

He was also the first person to run Clapham Cave as a show cave. This was, no doubt, how he came to meet Monsieur Martel, the Frenchman with whom he was involved in the Gaping Gill expedition.

GA Cross,

New Street, Langcliffe.

SIR - The coronation picture (Craven Herald June 6) of the children and neighbours of Settle's High Hill Grove, or "The Gardens" as we who lived there called the area, generated a lot of interest in our family.

We could name several faces as I, along with my three sisters and three cousins, are pictured but I should love to know who the little girl is at the front; I'm the one bending over and holding her.

So far we can name Edna and Alan Kilburn, Monica and Mary Jackson, Colin Taylor, Elaine Fletcher, Pat Burrows, Brenda Ward, Mavis Marsden, Margaret Haygarth, Mrs Sanderson, John Sanderson, Mrs Fairhurst, Mrs Demaine, Judith 'Tetty' Cox, Dorothy Marsden, Phylis Ramsbottom, Joyce Capstick, my cousins John and Terry Kitson and I think Barbara at the front and my sisters Shirley, Rita and Janet Sykes and myself.

Wendy Duce,

Rowan Garth,

Sutton-in-Craven

SIR - Once upon a time someone, somewhere, had a brilliant idea (or so it seemed at the time).

Why not issue, free of charge, plastic doggy bags (for want of a better word) to encourage people to clear up after their pets. With strategically placed bins in which to deposit them when full.

Good idea eh?

Well, unfortunately what was not taken into consideration was the small percentage of visitors and maybe even the odd local, who find this seemingly simple scheme difficult to take on board.

What these people (I almost called them barmy b- - - s) do, after filling the doggy bag, is to look for the nearest wall or window sill to leave it on; actually quite a few are thrown over my garden wall.

Perhaps the council could launch a campaign to try to educate this minority. That bag goes into this bin and also point out that on the fells nature and the elements will soon remove all traces of their dogs' muck, instead of hanging full plastic bags from the nearest branch or style.

RJ Potter,

Low Lane, Grassington.

SIR - I would like to say thank you to Hopkinson Transport, Panache Hairdressers and Diane and Ian from the Gala Committee for all their help - it wouldn't have been possible to enter the fun day without their help and support - once again, it was a thoroughly enjoyable day. Thank you.

Laura Smyth

Crosshills & Glusburn Gala Queen.

SIR - May I add my small voice in support of Michael Jones. During my daughter's recent break in the dales we decided to walk from Langcliffe to Malham and back, walking around Langcliffe Scar. The first part of this walk was heartbreaking seeing the way that the area has been treated by "off roaders".

Not only have they completely destroyed the old route, they are now spreading ever wider away from the track destroying in places a least 50 metres of rural countryside.

They may have a legal right to use these tracks/lanes but I do not think they have a moral right and they certainly do not have any right to transgress on to open farmland when their so-called legal right of passage has destroyed the original track to the state that they themselves cannot use it. Let alone those of us who believe the motor car is a necessary evil to get us from A to B and not a instrument for so called leisure activity.

We prefer to use our own locomotive prowess to enjoy the countryside in all its peace and quiet and natural beauty.

By the way I drive a 4x4 and the only time I have ever been off road was an unfortunate diversion due to ice!

John Raine,

Helwith Bridge.

SIR - I have been going through various documents, and found further proof of the land at Glusburn Corn Mill being used as a tip.

In one of Sir John Horsfall's diaries, date I do not know, but it must have been before October 1920 when Sir John died, the entry reads: "Disposal of rubbish from the mill (Hayfield) is taken to a field beyond Pearsons' corn mill." It must have been of considerable significance to Sir John to have been included in his diary, and over 40, perhaps 50 years, my assumption of thousands of tons of stuff from Hayfield Mill dumped over the years would be correct.

Hayfield Mill was in a different category from most other mills in the area which were weaving mills. Water was used for power transmission as was the case at the corn mill, and at Hayfield it was used for scouring and wool washing along with chemicals.

Some liquid waste went back in the river, but all wet solid residues went on the tip - tons and tons of it. Goodness knows what the contour of the land would have been in the 1920s and earlier.What was actually dumped there in those early years is a matter of conjecture, but it wouldn't have been very nice.

In my time, tyres, metal containers, some still containing - what? would make the land very unstable with air trapped. Along with the evil smelling muck that Fred Overend tipped, this would make it, in my opinion, "a veritable time bomb." Anyway, that is for other persons to decide to build houses on.

As for the mill itself, it has possibly a thousand years of history. I was once told that the mill was listed in the Domesday Book of 1086, and windows were walled up for the window tax of 1696.

Skipton Castle, as it now is, is only about 700 years old, and Glusburn Institute a mere babe at around 110, perhaps both should be turned into flats, God forbid it hasn't already happened.

History needs preserving for future generations, or there won't be any history.

Thomas Pearson,

Ingleside,

New South Wales, Australia.

SIR - In response to a letter in last week's Craven Herald can I make the following comments about K Oxley's presumption that the whole world is falling apart because a councillor decides not to wear a tie.

Firstly, can I mention that I am immaculately groomed and attired for every meeting I attend. This I do through choice, not because someone forced me.

I believe in the freedom of people to express themselves without fear or prejudice. Just because I decide to wear a shirt and tie does not mean that I should force somebody else to through an unworkable policy. However, I am aware that councillors do take their positions seriously and do not need a policy to dictate to them what they can and cannot wear. A council member can look smart without the aid of a tie.

Let's presume, for one moment, that the council did pass a dress code policy at the reported meeting. How would it work? Would a member be thrown out of the meeting because he was not wearing a tie? Would a member be thrown out of a meeting for not being smart? Who would decide what is smart? People can look very scruffy wearing a suit too? If a policy was passed to regulate what male councillors should wear, then surely it would only be fair to then pass a policy to dictate what the lady councillors wear to meetings.

Should their skirts be an inch below or above the knee? Should we throw them out of the meeting if they do not have more than sixteen flowers on their frock?

What a waste of time! I would prefer to use council time to address issues such as finding affordable housing for our youngsters, finding ways to make Craven more prosperous, tackling litter and mess, preventing flooding, getting cheap and reliable transport, regenerating Skipton and generally trying to make our way of life better.

Councillors should be judged on how effectively they represent their local community. Not by what they wear. Never judge a book by its cover.

Coun Paul English

Deputy Leader,

Craven District Council,

SIR - My God, the arrogance of some people is quite unbelievable, I am referring of course to the article in the Craven Herald about the plans of the Spence family to once again cause havoc with their childish firework displays.

Their last two so-called displays were nothing than an excuse to make as much noise as possible, some of their bangers sounded more like bombs, one firework kept on banging for over five minutes; my dogs were absolutely terrified.

I wonder how it affected the patients at Airedale Hospital which lies between me and the family.

Under section 1 of the Protection of Animals Act 1911 it is an offence to cause any unnecessary suffering to any domestic or captive animals. The penalty on conviction is a fine of up to £5,000 or up to six months imprisonment, or both. As the responsibility for enforcement of this act rests with trading standards, the police or the RSPCA. I hope that they will seriously consider taking action. The police well know what sort of a noise there will be as I complained to them, when in all his wisdom, Mr Spence decided to have a firework display starting at one minute past midnight last year.

The noise from fireworks could be deemed a statutory nuisance under the Environmental Protection Act which provides local authorities with powers to prevent or abate noise nuisance from premises and land. It is for local authority environmental health officers to judge whether a problem complained about may be considered a "statutory nuisance". Unfortunately when I complained to Skipton's environmental health officer last year, he told me that he thought the people who were complaining about the Spence firework displays were only doing so because they were jealous and he was going to do nothing,

I should like to see him attend all three nights, but not as a guest, so that he then knows exactly what the problem is, and the real reason that we are complaining about these firework displays.

Leslie H. Howard,

Coppy Road, Steeton.

Editor's note: After last year's complaints the family have brought their display forward to 9pm and reduced the length from 15 to five minutes.

SIR - I welcome the proposal to consider the use of the central car park sites as potential housing sites.

The most obvious being behind the Town Hall, with its dangerous and difficult access, and the Coach Street car park.

Park and ride is one solution. There are several out of centre areas that might be considered for this. As one will observe, seeing the quiet side streets at the weekend, much of the parking is all day commuter parking. Vehicles being dumped early morning outside residents' homes to be reclaimed at teatime.

I sympathise with these commuters but feel we must provide for them by secure out-of-centre parking. Skipton needs to move forward. It is a place with great potential for residents, visitors and commuters alike.

Vision is an often over-used word but we must look forward to a clean, bright, friendly town for all. We must also take the necessary steps to liberate more cash from central government. The money is there but how and where is it spent?

Brian Ormondroyd,

Brindley Court, Skipton.