Sensible bikers are boost to tourism

Over the years I have suffered varying degrees of discrimination, most of which I have shrugged off with the philosophy that if I have to explain myself, you wouldn't understand.

Then I read your article referring to the A65's speeding biker menace. With all due respect to Mr Fenten, his remarks were derogatory and ranting.

In response, my wife and I jumped on our own motorcycle (fitted with road legal exhausts) and went to see for ourselves.

We travelled through the Dales to Kirkby Lonsdale, taking in the A65 and other minor roads. What we witnessed bore no resemblance to Mr Fenten's description.

Yes we saw lots (hundreds) of motorcyclists. This is where the similarity ended. The bikers we met were sensible, well-equipped, riding well maintained motorcycles, riding around the Dales, visiting Dales businesses and spending money in them. In fact you could call them tourists.

As for the police presence; yes we saw some.

So, Mr Fenten, the Yorkshire Dales is a national park and should be open to everyone regardless of their mode of transport and regarding his comments on the 40mph speed limit to protect sheep (although they are an endangered species) personally I would have been more concerned about the death of the Dales visitor who subsequently crashed after hitting the sheep but maybe my priorities are a bit different.

Moral: Maybe we could learn to live with other people's differences.

GS Smith,

Ryelands Street, Cross Hills.

Virtues

SIR - As a cancer patient at Airedale Hospital for the past four years and three months, I feel it is high time I extolled the virtues of this marvellous establishment.

Obviously a hospital is only as good as its professional, caring and kindly staff and, from day one, I have received nothing but the most excellent treatment from surgeons, consultants, doctors, nurses and all other staff that have contributed to my wellbeing. That means everyone I have come into contact with, including voluntary workers.

I have had a very good quality of life and, although I am now receiving my third chemotherapy treatment, I have the wonderful assurance that I shall continue to receive this quality care.

I know there is controversy going on regarding funding and the possibility of coming under structural changes within the NHS, which is too complex a subject for me to enter into. There have been letters in your paper recently from Dr Michael Crawford, of Airedale, who does know the situation, and all I can do is beg the powers that be to "list and learn".

We need to keep our treatment at Airedale. Talking to other patients I know there are many who share my enthusiasm and gratitude to what I call "The Ministering Angels of Airedale". God bless you all.

Jean Heald,

Colne Road,

Sough, Earby.

Mystery

SIR - Since the footpaths were closed, all of my dog walks have involved walking along roads and returning via the same route.

Consequently, in common with many other dog walkers, if my dog poos outside my village where there are no bins available, I clear it up in one of Craven District Council's regulation green bags, tie the bag, and place it near a landmark such as a tree or telegraph pole. I then collect it on my return journey and place it in the nearest poo bin once I'm back in the village.

On at least four occasions now I have returned to collect the aforementioned poo only to find that it has been "stolen". Am I to believe that there is some newly discovered use for dog poo - as an energy source perhaps? Or is there an avid dog poo collector out there?

I have spoken to other dog walkers who have had the same experience, so the problem of poo theft in Craven must be enormous.

Only last week, my husband and I were out with our dog and upon returning to collect a bag of poo, it had once again vanished. Fortunately my husband glanced over the stone wall next to which it had been placed only to find that someone had thrown it over the wall into a field.

Luckily it was a low wall and he was able to lean over and retrieve it without damage to himself or the wall.

So if the phantom poo pincher is out there, please don't assume that the dog walkers have "dumped" the poo - if so, why would they bother to bag it - and please don't throw it into a farmers' field.

I've spoken to a farming friend, who says he regularly clears bags of dog poo from his field.

If you are reading this and you are a poo collector, I would be happy to oblige with as many bags as you want free. Or should I sell them?

Mrs Hiscox,

Garrs Lane,

Grassington.

Bus passes

SIR - Following the issue of the new-style concessionary bus passes issued by Craven District Council which are valid from October 1 2001, may I take this opportunity to clarify some of the items, which have arisen.

There have been items in the media concerning the equalisation of the ages for bus pass issue - in other words, men will be eligible for their passes at age 60.

This subject is before Parliament at present. However, due to pressures on the parliamentary timetable, and the need for the legislation to be enacted in time for the Greater London Authority (who are the largest body involved) to have their arrangements in place before April 2002, it is likely that this proposal will not be implemented until later in 2002 or early 2003.

There also seems to have been some confusion amongst a minority of passholders over what is meant by "half fare" on bus services operating within Craven.

The current situation is that where an operator has a peak time or an off peak or bargain fare structure a concessionary pass holder will be charged half the fare due at the time on which they board the bus.

For example if peak time fares cease at 9.30am and a pass holder boards a bus before that time they will be charged half the peak time fare (whether single or return) for their journey.

Will those people requiring new bus passes please note that bus passes will be available from Skipton Town Hall enquiry desk at the following times only: Monday 10am to noon; Tuesday 2pm to 4pm; and Wednesday 2pm to 4pm.

Duncan Hartley,

Head of Planning Services,

Craven District Council,

Granville Street, Skipton.

Solvent victim

SIR - With reference to an article entitled "Solvent abuse kills teenager" Craven Herald October 12) your readers may be interested to note that Re-Solv, the Society for the Prevention of Solvent and Volatile Substance Abuse (VSA) operates a freephone national helpline: 0808 800 2345. (Callers using a mobile phone may be charged for their call).

The line is available Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm, (excluding public holidays) and offers information and support regarding solvent and volatile substance abuse issues.

Readers may be aware that the majority of deaths from this dangerous activity are young people aged between 15 and 19.

The overall number of VSA deaths in the last 12 months was 73, which means that solvent abuse is responsible for approximately eight times more deaths than the illegal drug Ecstasy (according to figures provided by DrugScope, which informally tracks ecstasy deaths in the absence of Home Office data). This highlights the importance of the line.

Due to our experience in this field we receive a lot of referrals from other organisations including the National Drugs Helpline.

Re-Solv also has a website offering information about VSA issues. Check it out at www.re-solv.org

Re-solv,

30A High Street,

Stone, Staffordshire,

ST15 8AW.

Virus to blame

SIR - I write with reference to an article published in the Craven Herald on October 19.

Myself and my wife ran the Bridge Inn in Ingleton for six-and-a-half years - the Bridge was financially viable up to the onset of the foot and mouth epidemic, with more advance bookings than ever.

I would like to point out that we were not tenants but leaseholders, six-and-a-half years into a 25-year lease. The business was on the market, but at no time during our lease, was the building for sale.

The business had had several prospective purchasers interested this year, but not surprisingly, they were deterred by the foot and mouth crisis.

Therefore, once foot and mouth is completely over, there is no reason why a purchaser could not make it a viable business again as our business failed due to foot and mouth.

Ian Merrick,

Hole House Cottage, Dent.

Virus to blame

SIR - Once again the generosity of Skipton residents is reflected in the result of two collection days held recently at Tesco St ores which raised the sum of £1,144.

Through the Craven Herald we would like to thank Skipton Rotary Club and volunteer collectors for their help.

Ann Barker,

Chairman,

Skipton and district committee,

Macmillan Cancer Relief.

Not true

SIR - With reference to your correspondent's report on Settle Amateur Operatic Society's production of Oklahoma.

The report is not a true depiction of the hard work, commitment and talent that there is on that stage.

I was under the impression that a report was to encourage talent and to gain attendances, not to pick out individuals and publicly slate them.

I would like to see the author of the report get up on stage and perform six nights a week, attend rehearsals three times a week for six months just for the love of what they are achieving. The fact that 99 per cent of the tickets were sold and the feedback I have had from the public's appraisals is compliments enough.

I would personally like to say how proud I am of my husband Steven Lawson ("Curly") and to ignore the criticisms of one individual and to carry on the doing the brilliant performances he does.

Lucy Lawson,

Main Street,

Long Preston.

Degrading

SIR - In reply to Gill O'Donnell's article (Craven Herald October 26 2001), I must protest strongly about the degrading article she penned about Settle Amateur Operatic's version of "Oklahoma".

The whole show was excellent, from start to finish. Why she can criticise one or two people in the cast is beyond belief.

Does she not realise that these people are after all, amateurs in the truest sense of the word and are collectively giving up many hundreds of hours of their own time, to make sure that we the public get an entertaining show?

Does she also realise that by criticising certain members of the cast, she undermines every actor and behind stage support, who put in many hours of hard work in order to get the play onto the stage in the first place?

Her remarks are horribly unfair on everyone connected with the society. There was enough excellent serious acting and humour to suit everyone.

Everyone is entitled to an opinion or to criticise but her criticisms were not even constructive and deserve to been blown on the fourwinds all the way to Oklahoma!

CR Allen

Main Street, Long Preston.

Virus to blame

SIR - Settle Amateur Operatic Society's first show in the newly refurbished Victoria Hall deserved a more encouraging report than the write up by the Herald's Gill O'Donnell. Comments on Curly's performance were particularly unfair.

A representative from the National Operatic and Dramatic Society was at the same performance as Gill O'Donnell. He went backstage afterwards, praising the production cast, and the Orchestra.

He said that he had heard every word, clearly, from his seat in the balcony, and that it was "one of the best Oklahomas he had seen in a number of years"'.

Professional theatre critics often give poor reports, and box offices prove otherwise. The "proof of the pudding" from Settle's 'Oklahoma show, was that there were only four unsold seats in the seven shows over the week. No other organisation, in living memory, has achieved this level of success at Victoria Hall.

Imelda Barker,

Langdale Avenue,

Settle.

Somewhere else

SIR - May I through your letters column ask if your correspondent was at the Settle Amateur production of "Oklahoma" and not some other production in another town.

Surely amateur groups need encouragement, not to have bricks thrown at them. After all they are amateurs, as their name implies not professionals.

These people, young and old give up their time to put on a show. While not all the characters can be named surely those who took main roles deserve a mention.

Everyone I have spoken to who saw the show said how good it was. The performances speak for themselves when the hall has been full every night and people have been turned away at the door.

Carry on Settle Amateurs!

Judith Mason,

Penrnar Court, Settle.

Editor's note: The point of a review is to give the reviewer's honest opinion. There seems little point in publishing reviews which simply state everything was wonderful. Those are not reviews; in fact they are dishonest.

But, for the record, the sole comments which did not carry fulsome praise and adjectives such as "outstanding", "excellent", "exuberant" and "wonderful" was the comment that one character "did not quite have the lightness of touch to carry off his character but must be complimented..." and that "there were instances when the orchestra drowned out the singing, especially in the solos".

Real heroes

SIR - K Clegg's letter needs correcting.

The real heroes of the Afghan war are the soldiers and personnel who are committed to eradicating murdering terrorists; the victims are the 6,000 people who died in terrorist attacks; the terrorists are the people who organised such attacks and are committed to killing innocent people.

There is no suspicion that Afghanistan is harbouring a criminal. It is.

S Dobson,

Keighley Road, Skipton.