Letters to the Editor

Recently the T&A has reported on a number of issues that would "help" the city - but where is the co-ordination and overall vision?

City of Culture: Great idea, but does the recent incidence of racial disturbance, drug-related shootings and murders help?

Peace Centre and hotel: Why is a Peace Centre going to do any better than the ill-fated Life Force?

New hotel and bars on Odeon site: Bradford's current hotel occupancy is around 65 per cent, a couple of existing properties are for sale - why do we need more hotels?

Now you report that another set of consultants is to be appointed to study co-ordinating development in the city.

Why were they not appointed before all these other ideas were set in motion? Where is co-ordination? Where is planned forward thinking?

Please, Bradford Council, pull this all together before more millions of pounds are spent on gravy trains that are going to end up nowhere.

William Oxley, Five Rise Locks Hotel, Beck Lane, Bingley.

SIR - A judge ruled that Pakistani asylum seekers should be given indefinite stay in this country, on the grounds that Pakistan is unsafe, and oppressive towards women and religious minorities.

My father, being deeply patriotic, wanted me to go to Downing Street and express my disgust that his beloved "land of the pure" was being described in this disgraceful manner.

I informed him that the Commission for Racial Equality were willing to look at the racial angle on any subject, and would be better equipped to deal with such matters of global importance.

The CRE should make every judge sign an agreement not to blacken the name of any country. All judges should also agree to treat all asylum cases as "genuine".

Any judge who fails to comply, should be declared "a racist and bigot", and humiliated into signing.

A Hussain, Abingdon Street, Manningham.

SIR - Shopping in Bradford today, I called at Marks & Spencer where I had placed an order.

I approached the counter and was spotted by an assistant who didn't usually work in that section but didn't want me to be kept waiting.

Her service to me was outstanding. It took time because what I received wasn't what I wanted. Nothing was any trouble to her and when she couldn't finalise my order, she found a lady who could.

Being a trader in the city for a number of years (not now), I mourn my old Bradford with its quality stores and beautiful buildings now mostly gone. But I still shop there - if I can find what I want.

The service I had in Marks & Spencer made me want to say, these ladies are an asset to our city.

M&S are struggling at the moment, but let's not lose one of our good stores, please, because without public support for the businesses remaining in our city, Bradford could lose even more.

Rawson Market was a fiasco. I knew many traders who lost their living through its move to Symes Street.

My point was and is to say, thank you, Iris and Christine for being gems in Bradford's sometimes tarnished crown.

Mrs J Scothern, Denbrook Walk, Tong.

SIR - I should like, if I may, to correct an inaccuracy in the T&A of May 22, in which it was reported that Katrina Pickard won a keyboard in the Airedale and Wharfedale Music Festival.

True, she did win the keyboard, thanks to the generous sponsorship of Hamiltons Music, Leeds, and, in the same class, also the Hamiltons Music Trophy. However, Katrina appeared in the Wharfedale Music Festival.

In our long and glorious history (95 years without a break, even for two World Wars and a General Strike), never have we been affiliated to Airedale, which, to the best of my belief, has never boasted a competitive music festival of that name, although music festivals are held in Skipton and Bingley, both of which are, of course, in Airedale.

May I take this opportunity to thank Colin Nicholson, and all other teachers, parents and performers, for their continued and unfailing support, and also to the stars of tomorrow who so delighted our audiences and adjudicators, as well as Hamiltons Music for their amazingly generous support.

If anyone out there would like more information about the WMF, or even care to get involved, please call me at any time (01943 872067), as plans are already underway for next year's event, same time, same place, May 11-18, 2002. We do need your help in so very many ways.

Elizabeth M Holbrook, Festival Secretary, Bradford Road, Menston.

SIR - I asked a few weeks ago in a letter if there was anyone who could help Thornton. At Thornton Neighbourhood Forum, on May 23, the few people who turned out for the meeting got the answer.

The three councillors there more or less said they had tried but were banging their heads on a blank wall. So what chance now of having swimming for the children of Thornton? The village is doomed.

European funding goes to disadvantage areas, but we in Thornton are the people have lost so much: the Market Street School, the swimming baths, the 503 Calderdale bus and the councillors don't think we are disadvantaged. Thornton people must stand together and shout loudly "We need our swimming baths for the village children".

Again I ask: "Can anyone help?"

Veronica Farnell, Market Street, Thornton.

SIR - A stealth tax lurks around the corner with the Bingley "Relief" Road going ahead!

Once this road has been built the existing A650 will be detrunked and so fall to Bradford to maintain. Road capacity will need increasing and new traffic management measures will need installing throughout north-west Bradford.

Councillors are already worried about Fox Corner, Shipley: additional and redistributed traffic will only worsen that problem!

The knock-on costs of the Bingley "Relief" Road will fall on Bradford Council who, in turn, will call on council tax payers throughout Bradford to pay up!

Every year we can expect the extra burden of at least £10 of council tax to finance the folly of building the road that shunts unhealthy traffic snarl-ups downstream throughout the Shipley constituency.

And strange how that tax will hit hardest the poorest, and fall on the 30 per cent who have no cars!

A J Plumbe, Oakwood Drive, Bingley.

SIR - Just a word or two that may help dear Sid Brown (May 24) re contacting a candidate. Get his home address and ring him at 3 am. I bet you he listens then! If not, repeat the procedure for one or two nights!

By the way, Sid, you are lucky really in KNOWING that there is an election in your area. In Wyke (well at our house at any rate!) we have received no bumf whatsoever to do with the election, and we have not even been informed where we may vote now the school has been closed down.

Phil Boase, Elizabeth Street, Wyke.