Letters to the Editor

SIR - It is with great sadness that in the near future Thornton residents will witness the demolition of one of its finest historical houses.

Woodlands, on West Lane, formerly the house of Thornton Mill's owners and managers, is to be pulled down to make way for 13 houses despite a petition sent to Bradford Council's planning department which clearly demonstrated the strength of feeling in favour of saving the building.

Permission has also been granted to demolish parts of the adjoining Thornton Mills to build a housing estate.

Despite the fact this house and the mills are particularly significant in the history of Thornton, they were never listed nor included in the conservation area.

Although the oldest part of the mills is going to be preserved, the same considerations were not applied for the house which will soon no longer be part of Thornton's landscape.

The house is a key part of Thornton's cultural heritage and represents one the most important village landmarks.

Although it may be too late to save Woodlands, I believe the Council should review its policies on conservation areas and adjust their boundaries in Thornton and Bradford so they include buildings of local historical importance.

Yannick Minvielle-Debat, Wicken Lane, Thornton.

Why no comment?

SIR - Your report of plans to build apartments at Beehive Mills, in Thornton Road (T&A, May 9) ends with the statement that: "no-one from Bradford Centre Regeneration was available to comment."

This must surely be a first!

Is it too much to hope that a certain chief executive officer might finally have abandoned our fair city to wreak her havoc elsewhere?

In which case, Gordon Dean (T&A, May 9) might yet get his wish to see the Odeon building saved; that is the whole building, not just "the towers".

Kenneth A Webster, Abb Scott Lane, Bradford.

Act of vandalism

SIR - John Roberts's welcome article (T&A, May 5) on the vexed question of the future of the old Odeon cinema brings to mind a memorable concert back in 1954 when it was called the Gaumont. A packed audience listened to the great Italian tenor Beniamino Gigli on his farewell tour.

There was a big stage which could be viewed from any of the 3,000 seats.

Bradford Council planners have a dreadful history of vandalism spanning 50 years and it will be yet another one if they sanction the destruction of this notable building.

The basic structure is there for conversion into a fine concert hall with modern facilities and very good adjacent parking. Bradford could become a centre for the performing arts drawing audiences from considerable distances.

Come on, let's see some imagination!

J Hansen, Manor House Road, Wilsden.

Daylight robbery

SIR - I would like to thank the kind and considerate people who decided that a good way of obtaining goods would be to wait until we went out to work and break in.

It was nice to discover the broken window and smashed door, the glass everywhere was a sheer pleasure. If they hadn't known we were due to sort out the drawers I'm sure they wouldn't have emptied them all.

I hope they enjoy the cash, the jewellery, CDs, DVDs, cameras and clothes they stole.

Most of all I would like to thank them for taking my camcorder. Inside the case were all the tapes collected over the years that featured my three children growing up.

My one wish is that they get what they deserve because they certainly deserve what I wish for them.

Anyone offered a Canon E30 with tapes please consider handing the tapes in.

Martin Pearson, Lee Lane, Bradford.

Good luck, Chris

SIR - Thursday, May 5, was a sad night for the people in the Shipley constituency. We lost the best MP of a generation.

In his eight years as our MP Chris Leslie has helped to improve the lives of many people as well as encouraging some startling changes to our environment.

I am sure many will miss his loyal friendship, tireless industry and agreeable manner towards all he met.

I wish him and his new wife, Nichola, all the very best for the future and hope he can soon find a new fulfilling career.

As far as our new MP Mr Davies is concerned, I wish him well, bearing in mind the mountain he has to climb, starting at the foot of a relief road round Shipley.

J Stephenson, Ashfield Crescent, Bingley.

Not so gloomy

SIR - M Long is wrong to suppose that the 60,000 reduction in crime figures is down to fewer reported incidents (T&A, May 6).

Ask any chief constable and he will find that exactly the opposite applies. Many more people are coming forward with information at great risk to their personal safety.

He should also note that whereas once, three people involved in the same crime were counted as one in the statistics, now that is shown as three, hence one reason for the increase in serious crime figures.

As for including traffic offences in his "relatively minor crime" list, surely he excludes drink-driving, driving under the influence of drugs, going through a red light, talking on a mobile phone while driving, etc, etc, or does he?

M Long asks us "to check any edition of the T&A to confirm that detection and prosecution levels remain worryingly low". So he chooses to believe some sections of the newspaper but not others.

You can't have it both ways. The T&A, like any other newspaper, can only print, in good faith, figures issues by any authority.

That's why I wrote another "feel good" letter to the editor on reading the police claim of 60,000 fewer crimes in the area.

David Rhodes, Croscombe Walk, Bradford.

Cross-rail is vital

SIR - So there are no secrets and no hidden agenda. Strange how the possible enforcement of PPG13 for the protection of the potential rail corridor seems to have eluded Coun King's reply to my letter (T&A, May 4).

Cross-city rail link will only generate "sufficient additional passengers" if Metro were to provide the services to support it in order to attract motorists away from their cars and on to public transport amid the increase in congestion on the road.

It is a great shame that allegedly "the people of Bradford" do not want to see what could be an elegantly-constructed viaduct which would skirt round the edge of the city and gracefully descend into the heart of it.

Revitalising Bradford with new shopping centres and city centre parks could only have a positive impact if the transport infrastructure is there to support it and attract people into the city centre with ease.

Dhermesh Kalyan, Naseby Rise, Queensbury.

Calling veterans

SIR - The British Korean Veterans' Association is trying to contact former members of HM Armed Forces who served in Korea/Japan from 1950-1953 and also those servicemen and women who served in these two places at a later date with the Peace Keeping Force (1953-1957).

This appeal includes former members of the Merchant Navy, NAAFI, Red Cross and WRVS.

Any interested veteran should contact me at the address shown. A stamped addressed envelope would be much appreciated for return correspondence.

Brian Hough, 11 Wardle Brook Walk, Hattersley, Cheshire SK14 3JG.

Cheerful staff

SIR - After spending a relatively short period in Ward F5 at St Luke's Hospital in Bradford, I can only give the highest praise to all the staff, nurses and auxiliaries, for the care and attention given to all the patients in this ward.

The day staff were caring, helpful and cheerful. Some of their duties are not always pleasant, but there were never any complaints.

The night staff were amazing. You did not notice them but everything was done when you awoke.

If it takes overspend to give patients what they need, so be it. Come on Mr Blair, give hospitals the money they need. That is your job.

W E Oates, Station Road, Queensbury.