SIR - The people, firms, businesses and shops who are leaving town are doing so partly because of asylum seekers. Most of the people coming in find more hostility here than they left behind.

The reason for this could be that piling groups of people with different cultural, religious or racial identity on top of each other evokes confrontation. Living in a natural side-by-side situation offers the desired constructive co-existence which is diminishing with every new arrival of uninvited guests.

This island is losing its unique tradition to offer sanctuary to oppressed fugitives because of those who are abusing the system in ever-increasing numbers.

One of my dearest memories is the heartfelt welcome of ordinary Yorkshire people when I arrived as a refugee after the fall of the Hungarian Uprising in 1956.

My saddest memory is of those of my compatriots who couldn't or wouldn't take refuge in the West. Hundreds were executed, thousands imprisoned.

The real losers of the present situation are the genuine asylum seekers and the British people!

K Novak, Kingsley Avenue, Bradford 2.

SIR - To improve Bradford's image, instead of always going down the multi-cultural route why not promote good old traditional Yorkshire culture ie good beer, good food, great pubs and (it goes without saying) the finest countryside to be found anywhere? This is obviously in stark contrast to the failed Capital of Culture bid.

Hopefully a lesson has been learned after Bradford's failure to become the Capital of Culture and maybe a different approach would have more success and indeed save the Bradford council taxpayers a considerable amount of money.

Dene Bentley, Broad Ings Way, Shelf.

SIR - Is it not time Bradford Council stopped creating directorships at exorbitant salaries?

Is it not time they stopped looking outward with an open purse and started looking inward with an open mind?

Why search far afield for one with a magic wand when the answer is here within?

If we are to pull Bradford out of the mire and back on to the map, those we vote into office must work as a team for the benefit of all.

We must learn by past mistakes and make sure those in breach in any way are brought to book, reprimanded or replaced.

S Walsh, Church Street, Bingley.

SIR - May I endorse the comments of Mr Turner (Letters, February 4) regarding the proposed closing of Netherlands Avenue.

This is not a "rat run" as described by some. It is and always has been a through road to Wibsey, Horton Bank Top and Queensbury and used by local residents as such.

It was once the continuation of Cleckheaton Road, is equally as wide as Cleckheaton Road and in no way adds to the congestion of Manchester Road, Great Horton Road or Little Horton Lane. Quite the contrary infact.

It has been suggested that traffic in Netherlands Avenue has increased by 41 per cent. Where do these figures come from?

After this statement I spent nearly two hours in Netherlands Avenue monitoring traffic flow and during that time 19 vehicles entered Netherlands from Huddersfield Road.

I can only surmise that the person doing the initial count included school traffic from Netherlands School, which is always heavy.

D Higson, Cleckheaton Road, Low Moor.

SIR - In reply to the letter from E Cliffe (February 6) regarding the correspondence of myself and Mr Smith on Thornbury Roundabout.

Since Daleside Grove is in LS28, Mr Cliffe is not from Thornbury. I reiterate, the land belongs to all citizens of Bradford, not just people of Thornbury.

Nobody is talking about erecting buildings anymore, so what is the objection in saying to the world at large "This is Bradford". It is our city and we are proud of it.

The people who fought for this area to be retained were in some respects justified but now is the time for everyone to pull together, agree to a form of monument and get on with the job of making Bradford a great city once again.

A Everson, Elsworth Avenue, Bradford Moor.

SIR - M Zafar's letter on February 6 recognising the need for law and order, the need of penalties for contravention and the dire need for parents to be responsible was most commendable and courageous. Would that this were the view of 100 per cent of humanity so that the penalties were not necessary.

I propose that Mr Zafar should be given an award for "Letter of the Year."

J S Pullin, Huntsmans Close, Bingley.