SIR - I was very disappointed while visiting Hollywood Bowl to learn that under-18s are not allowed in after 6pm unless they have an adult with them.

I feel this is an inappropriate time as there are many teenagers aged 15-18 who want to go out on an evening. They are not able to go out to pubs and clubs, so bowling and the cinema are two of the few options left.

People complain about teenagers hanging around on street corners, but if they are putting age restrictions on places, then what else are they supposed to do?

Some teenagers want to gain independence and do not want to be accompanied by an adult everywhere they go. Some of these youngsters may be leaving school and going out into the big wide world! What are they supposed to do for entertainment?

Surely bowling is more of an attraction to this age group than any other!

Katie Weston (aged 16), Plumpton Avenue, Wrose.

SIR - I wholeheartedly agree with Mr Caisley's views that "the days of stadia being used for just one sport were fading" (T&A, January 2).

Although he indicates his interest in bringing Rugby Union to compliment Rugby League at Odsal to utilise the stadium more, there is no mention of any other sport, such as speedway, in the forthcoming plans.

I have watched speedway at Odsal since the National League days of 1946, through various stages to the mid '90s, when it ceased operating at Odsal.

Mr Harry Hornby, chairman of Bradford Northern, RLFC in the 1940s, welcomed speedway to the stadium, and both ventures operated successfully.

Surely, now is the time to include speedway in the plans, together with other forms of "circuit" sport such as stock car racing, athletics, greyhound racing, etc.

A plan such as this would go a long way towards utilising the stadium to the fullest extent. So, come along, Mr Caisley, broaden your horizons in a true effort to achieve your stated goal.

Let us use Odsal stadium as a sports stadium, not a rugby stadium, thus satisfying the needs of people with varying sporting interests.

Keith Parkinson, Foxhill Drive, Queensbury.

SIR - Last May a civic reception was held in City Hall to celebrate Bradford (Park Avenue) Football Club's success during the season which had just ended.

Club chairman Frank Thornton explained to those present, which included the Lord Mayor and Council's Chief Executive, that the reformed club had now reached the highest level of regional football possible and for them to make the next step up to the Nationwide Leagues they would need to find an alternative stadium within the city which would meet the criteria of those leagues.

Mr Thornton expressed the hope that if and when Odsal Stadium was re-developed, the club might be invited to become a second user there along with Bradford Bulls. It concerns me therefore that there is now talk of a club from outside the city boundaries taking up occupation of the stadium.

Surely as a Council-owned asset, maintained for many years by the ratepayers of Bradford, the stadium should, assuming it receives planning approval, be available primarily for Bradford organisations.

I have no objection to Wakefield RUFC playing their matches there but not if it would mean that the opportunity for Bradford's second major football club to progress higher was scuppered.

Kevin Haley, co-editor, Wings of a Sparrow (fanzine of Bradford Park Avenue AFC), Ferrands Park Way, Harden.

SIR - On December 20 we at Oasis Day Centre had a visit from the choir of Bradford Cathedral Community College. All our members would like to say a big thank you to the choir, and the staff who participated in the carol singing.

We feel that this event began to bring more of the true meaning of Christmas in to our lives, which is the birth of Jesus and the gathering of all ages to celebrate this most momentous of occasions.

One elderly gentleman exclaimed: "A school is not a school unless it has a choir!", and another, "It was good to see the young people enjoying themselves, they all sang so beautifully."

Many other Oasis members stated how much they had enjoyed the carols. The visit was a true blessing at such a special time of year.

Thank you again to all the children and staff who took part. Please come back and see us again soon. God bless.

From all at Oasis Day Centre, c/o Bowling Hall Road, Bradford 4.

SIR - How typical that Juliette Kinsey, the new Tory councillor for Bingley Rural, should refer to our so-called "democracy" as "wonderful" (T&A, Boxing Day).

It's true that she attracted about 65 per cent of the vote, but the present system of politics discourages people from voting and is frequently seen as a two-horse race or a walkover.

There are many reasons why voters will not turn out: the weather; dislike of politicians and politics (not surprising if they are seen as only representing the ten per cent of people who voted for them!); and more serious reasons such as illness or accidents.

Ms Kinsey might think it "wonderful" that of the 15 people in a hundred that bothered to vote, nine voted for her, but this is hardly a ringing endorsement of her or her politics!

I'm concerned that one reason for this apathy is the widely-held belief that "my vote doesn't count".

All votes should and could count under a proper system of proportional representation such as the "single transferable vote" where (if nothing else) one's second or third choice may succeed.

Given a genuine opportunity to influence the outcome, many more people may actually read the candidates' literature and evaluate their politics and philosophies.

John Hall, Pennithorne Avenue, Baildon.

SIR - Re "Parents should test for heroin" (T&A, January 1). I was disappointed but not surprised by the reaction of some "drug experts" in Bradford to the proposal to empower parents, carers, schools and communities to tackle drug misuse by drug testing.

Bradford has one of the highest number of young people on drugs, some of the highest numbers of teenage pregnancies and sexually-transmitted diseases in Europe. So much for current educational policies.

The Government is introducing drug-testing legislation in a wide range of situations, including at the point of arrest, testing for drug-driving and treatment orders and work-place testing. It does so to gather data and information in order to enable authorities to make "informed decisions".

The Government's own advisory service, the Advisory Council on Drug Misuse, states "high levels of parental monitoring could discourage both boys and girls from beginning to use drugs, help reduce levels of consumption among heavy-using boys, and encourage girl experimenters to quit" Yet local experts deny parents the data to fulfil their responsibilities.

Bradford can now tackle this problem with advanced technology in partnership with local agencies, but will this be another missed opportunity?

Les Vasey, director, Modern Health Systems Ltd., Westgate, Baildon.