SIR - Bradford's bid for the title of Capital of Culture is beyond belief. In your paper last week it was announced that Provincial House is to be demolished on September 1. This is a substantial and, to my mind, handsome building of good quality stone. Yet, the Council allowed the erection of the monstrously ugly Leisure Centre. It has the appearance and charm of a temporary hoarding concealing a building site. The best part of the site is the car park!

Equally ugly are the latest schools in Thackley and Frizinghall. They do nothing to inspire the pupils with pride or an interested in architecture, modern or otherwise. The extension to Salt Grammar School shows what can be achieved in modern terms.

We used to have a handsome city centre, built with confidence and vision. There is now an atmosphere of uncertainty and snatching at fleeting trends.

If 50 years time, who will look back with pleasure at the Leisure Centre as many of us are able to recall the Swan Arcade or the condemned New Victoria? Not many I think.

Mrs M Blakeborough, Springfield Road, Baildon.

SIR - I noticed in the improvements for next year that Manchester Road is to revert to traffic lights again. Are we to believe these improvements spring from the minds of budding Einsteins determined to make a name for themselves?

We all know they have already been and gone, so why again? I think it will dawn on those responsible that no matter how many highways and byways they try to do the impossible with, traffic will not be beaten, and indeed will steadily worsen over the years to come.

I, for one, require proof an end is in sight to solving the unsolvable.

Kenneth Higgins, Bempton Court, Great Horton.

SIR - I wish to congratulate your journalist on the recent article about the future of Jubilee Gardens in Bingley. It was a well-balanced, unbiased article, alerting readers to the possibility of changes to this lovely, landscaped area.

It should, therefore, be of great public concern that, during the recent Bingley Forum meeting, the Neighbourhood Forum Co-ordinator chose to openly criticise the appearance of the article and its contents, and a local councillor has also stated it to be misleading. One has to question why they are so perturbed?

Public concern has forced the issue into the open, whereas it would appear that the Council wanted the wider public to have no knowledge of the many aspects to be considered, before its one-day exhibition/consultation exercise in October, which would inevitably have attracted a much smaller audience than that which now has some awareness of what is involved.

Little wonder that residents are in a cynical mood regarding true democracy in Bingley.

J Luckett, Villa Road, Bingley.

Sir - How many of the convicted rioters admitted that they rioted because of social deprivation, unemployment, overcrowded housing, sub-standard schooling or institutionalised racism? The answer is none.

They rioted because either they saw other people doing it or because they thought they could get away with it. Even though this is very obvious to most Bradfordians why have we still got people like Mohammed Amran attempting to make a career out of complicating matters?

I Khan, Leylands Lane, Heaton.

SIR - So Mohammed Ali has decided that Bradfordians can be British, British Pakistani, Scottish British, Irish British, British Sikh, British Hindu, and British Muslim. This leaves me out then; I'm English you see. Come to think of it, a lot of Bradfordians are. Don't we count?

A lot of English people are becoming angry at the jibes, sneers and insults being hurled at them from the four corners of their islands. At being called racists, fascist, etc.

It's like the so-called Bradford flag. A patchwork of flags from many countries, not a single one of them the English flag.

Eric Firth, Wellington Street, Wilsden.

SIR - Like many times before, this country once again is in grave danger. A disease is spreading throughout our civilised society, contaminating the very fabric that holds it together and makes this country what it is.

The enemy within are the drug dealers, drug addicts and the criminals who wreak havoc on society without any guilt or remorse for their actions or consequences.

They are aided and abetted by the very people who are democratically elected by the people of this country, the very people the public put their trust in to safeguard our freedom and maintain a civilised society.

A government which implements ill-thought-out policy cannot deliver a successful war on crime. The 57 crime initiatives in as many months convey that the government have no workable ideas or policy to reduce crime and as a consequence we are all seeing the results.

It will be a long war but one we must win. There is no point in fighting for a free, civilised world abroad if we sacrifice those very values at home.

Councillor Andrew Smith (Con, Queensbury), Chapel Street, Queensbury.

SIR - There is to be a reunion luncheon of present and former Yorkshire bank staff in the new restaurant Brass, which is in the former Yorkshire Bank branch at North Parade.

Former staff, who between them have worked at all the Bradford branches and many other branches of the bank, have already booked their places for the event.

However, there is room for more people to attend. The lunch is at noon on Wednesday, August 14 and anyone wishing to attend should ring me on 01274 511136 to reserve a place.

Why not bring your wife/husband, partner, lover or a friend?

John W Mitchell, Pendle Road, Gilstead, Bingley.

SIR - The problem of litter could be drastically reduced if every householder and business owner cleared the frontage of their properties daily.

The time and effort to achieve the clearance is minimal and the result would be dramatically noticeable.

Visitors entering our fine city would have a favourable impression when the cleanliness was obvious.

Richard Wixey has improved the road-cleaning programme and co-operation would be encouraging.

Dennis Rhodes, Allerton Road, Bradford.

SIR - Re the debate in the T&A about the spelling of Chellow Dean/Dene.

I was born at The Lodge, Chellow Dean, in August 1925, and the spelling on my birth certificate is "Dean".

My father, Austin George Lockyer, was the Water Bailiff there from 1927 until 1935.

Mrs Muriel Lee, Birkdale Close, Cullingworth.

SIR - Before deciding whether or not Bradford should have lap-dancers, said Councillor Martin Smith (T&A, July 12) "we... want to do some research".

One can but stand in awe of such selfless devotion to duty.

Peter Wilson, Thornhill Grove, Calverley.