Pub arguments are just laughable

Having read the report in your paper, I find myself amazed at the decision taken by some of our 'cultured' councillors. Have any of the councillors or inspectors asked the clientele of the Devonshire Hotel what they might want, or more importantly have they sought the views of the townsfolk of Skipton? Indeed I fail to be able to recall ever seeing any one of the councillors patronising the hotel.

As for the grounds on which refusal was argued. I find the arguments almost laughable were they not so serious. To deprive the town of this wonderful irreplaceable architectural feature (I refer to the staircase) would indeed be a truly serious crime, were it to be an original Georgian return staircase in situ, alas it is not.

From my observations as a customer there is very little of the interior which shows its Georgian origins. I do believe that in this instance these councillors have rather overreached themselves as guardians of our cultural heritage. I certainly believe that our cultural heritage should be preserved for future generations but on this occasion they appear to be over-zealous.

Have our worthy Councillors considered:

a) the opportunity Wetherspoons brings to Skipton in terms of employment

b) the alterations to the internal fabric of the Devonshire over the last two hundred years, leaving little of the original interior

c) the hotel's evolution over 200 years to meet the needs of the town of Skipton has led to its survival when other hotels and pubs have disappeared.

As Coun English rightly pointed out if permission is not granted, what next? I am very much afraid that this would mean the Devonshire Hotel not transforming itself to meet the needs of the 21st century and becoming vibrant again, but slipping imperceptibly into decay and decline, unless of course it could become a tourist attraction for the wonderful staircase.

John T Humphreys,

Devonshire Street, Skipton.

Not helpful

SIR - So, at long last, the North Yorkshire Highways Committee has reached its conclusion regarding the problems created by heavy vehicles travelling through Settle.

What actions are proposed in order to address the situation?

a) Penny Bridge on Station Road is to be strengthened. This will provide another route for heavy trucks to take, routing them along Bond Lane and Craven Terrace, both totally unsuitable roads.

b) No implementation of any ban on HGV traffic through Settle. Heavy trucks will therefore continue to create noise and pollution, and to pose a serious danger to other road users and pedestrians in the town.

Have the councillors and planners not heard a word that has been said over the last year from the residents and tradespeople of Settle about the deterioration in quality of life in the town? Have any of them visited Settle, to actually experience the full effects of a continuous convoy of 600 lorries a day, thundering past, within inches of terrified pedestrians, and then queuing and causing congestion at the various narrow sections of road?

And how many have visited the town since the implementation of the 'traffic calming' measures, which have in fact greatly increased noise and traffic danger?

The by-pass/Buckhaw Brow alternative route was dismissed because traffic would pass through part of Giggleswick and past schools. In truth, the middle and high schools are set well back from the road, and are connected by a pedestrian subway. If you want to see a really dangerous situation involving local schoolchildren, visit Settle during the morning and evening periods when children walk home through the town, whilst trucks roar past the narrow pavements in a continuous procession.

It was stated that "six miles and 15 minutes would be added to trucks' journeys if the bypass was used". This is twisted logic. What is actually happening is that these distances and times are being reduced from journey times by drivers taking a route which, all common sense should tell us is totally unacceptable.

The fight to ensure that Settle can become a safe and pleasant place to live and work will continue, and we have no doubt that the town and the quarries can exist in harmony together. The recent actions by the Highways Authority have, however, not helped in making this objective achievable.

Andrew Fawcett

Skipton Road, Settle.

Saga rolls on

SIR - The reports and letters in the Craven Herald over the past few months concerning the wagon saga of Settle are worthy of a book by Tom Sharpe!

What has finally convinced me of this is reading your reports and planning applications as shown in the Craven Herald.

Penny Bridge is to be strengthened and despite the largest number of protests ever over the removal of this environmental weight restriction on Penny Bridge, it still goes ahead.

I was not surprised by this, after all, it had been reported in the Craven Herald that the planning application for the move of the civic amenity tip to Sowarth Field would not take place until the removal of the weight restriction, yet the planning application for the move of the tip appeared in the Craven Herald before the meeting to discuss the removal of the weight limit took place.

I even asked the County Solicitor's Office to advise me when and where the meeting would take place so that I could attend and witness proceedings, yet they failed to keep their promise and tell me.

As a rate payer of North Yorkshire, I wonder if they actually listen to local people.

As I write this letter, from my window, I see road closed signs and Penny Bridge is closed to traffic, work has not yet started, but then no-one has yet spoken to me, the joint owner of the boundary wall that they need to demolish to put in the planned footbridge! I fully expect North Yorkshire County Council to ignore me in this respect too!

Andy Watson

Sandholme Drive, Giggleswick

Clipboard count

SIR - Simon Parrock's tale about these unfortunate Bradley loos is, I am sure, correct except that I have never seen anyone with a clipboard counting people spending a penny at the place. This in the height of the cricket season - and they don't vandalise.

However, I accept that there have been problems with yobbos setting fire to toilet paper and blocking locks. I lock the toilets each night to keep vandals out and they know I do.

I have no knowledge of doors being ripped off. It is of paramount importance to keep these toilets because football and cricket are played every season. Equally, the new playground is well advanced and that will attract parents and children who may need toilet facilities. Please do not take our toilets away - every effort is being made to obviate vandalism.

Edward Germaine,

Victoria Terrace, Bradley.

Narrow pavement

SIR - On Friday, March 9 I was in High Street, waiting to cross Newmarket Street. As I stepped forward on the wet and uneven cobbles I slipped and fell full length, injuring my leg.

My body landed on the roadway and if any vehicle had been coming from the High Street I would have been run over. A car coming from Keighley Road stopped on the roadway and the driver started to come to my help.

A new kerb has been put in on this corner and it would increase pedestrian safety if the cobbles behind this were replaced by slabs for about six feet.

A sad point about this incident is the fact that this was Friday morning - the pavement was full of shoppers - but not one offered to come to my help. I am over 75 and as far as Skipton shoppers are concerned, I could just lay there.

This was not so when I came to live here 12 years ago.

Mr R A Carter,

Moor Crescent, Skipton

Revised figure

SIR - Many thanks for the review of my reprint of The Story of Ribblehead Viaduct (Craven Herald, March 9) and for reproducing Simon Pawson's splendid colour picture of the viaduct from the air.

As you stated, 10 years have elapsed since the book was first published, since when I have conducted further research on the famous Settle-Carlisle Railway, which indicates that the figure of 2,000 as the temporary population of Ribblehead at the time of construction, though often quoted, is not correct.

Anticipating that someone will query it, I would like to add that it relates to the area in 'railway time' but takes in all the folk living between Horton-in-Ribblesdale and Dent Head. If there is another re-print, the correction will be made.

WR Mitchell,

Yealand Avenue, Giggleswick.

Pay more, get less

SIR - Having closely followed our local councils and the national government setting out their spending plans of our money for the coming year, what does come across very clearly is that particularly at local level we will be forced to pay a council tax increase of nearly three times inflation to receive even less and less local services.

Yet, lo and behold, dropped into every household this week is yet another publication, paid for by ourselves out of our taxes, telling us just why we should be grateful for this 'pay more and get less' philosophy.

Now I do realise that it is argued that it is the government who say it should be done like this but council tax bills will be dropping onto our mats very soon, some would say with undue haste, containing even more political propaganda. Surely with even a modicum of co-operation one envelope could have contained the job lot.

But as with all good comedians in this latest communiqu on the back page is the 'Tell us what you think' section; they save the best laugh till last.

Very correctly the fire and police authorities, impartially and politely seek our views on what service priorities we as residents of North Yorkshire feel to be important. None of this polite approach from the county council - not even a please - not even a mention of services, just a concentration on 'whipping' - no not the walnut nor the cream variety - rather the out of touch ramblings on whether we think our democratically elected councillors should continue to be told how and when to vote by their political groups at the county council.

This single minded political mentality of a Dalek-like driven dogma is a sad reflection of what the foundations of democracy should stand for. North Yorkshire deserves better open government and less of the political whipping behind closed doors.

Robert Heseltine,

Newmarket Street, Skipton.

Rail turmoil

SIR - When I was a small boy in the Wirral our local railway got some new trains. They were designed and built by the LMS.

They were first used for training, they had to be since the old ones were steam. These trains were state of the art with sliding doors. Both the Wirral and Southport lines were re-equipped in a short time with little fuss.

We now move on through 60 years of technology.The Midland lines out of Leeds have had new trains for a year. The old stuff is barely fit for a third world slum, but it has to be used because of problems with the new trains. It seems that the doors fail to close properly, and staff need more training.

There could be another reason why we do not get our new trains. It is because Northern Sprit cannot meet the charges. Meanwhile the service to Leeds staggers from chaotic to abysmal. The only thing that happens regularly are the cancellations. In case you have forgotten we are referring to a commuter route into one of our major cities.

Moving north matters are little better. On the Carlisle line there is supposed to be a two hourly service using Class 156 DMUs. A cancelled service here means a two hour wait assuming the next train is on time, which it rarely is. British Rail tried to close the line by stealth. It seems that Northern Spirit is doing so through sheer brute incompetence.

Northern Spirit are in business to provide a train service. They are just not doing so. Trains run, but any effort to provide a service to the public is utterly missing.

Admittedly they know some economics. They have heard about monopoly. In this case when the demand goes up you restrict supply in order to reduce demand to the level that you are willing to supply. They tell us that they have not the extra trains available to meet increased demand. Their solution is to put up fares, allow overcrowding and hope the passengers get the message and stop coming.

Both north and south of Skipton the railway situation beggars description. Had we not seen it and endured it we would not believe it is possible. No longer are we willing to accept excuses or blame. We need and demand service from Northern Spirit.

Rev Donald Bird,

Park Place, Hellifield.

Dog problem

SIR - With the foot and mouth situation worsening the difficulty of exercising dogs has arisen.

I am the owner of two dogs living at the foot of Moor Lane in Grassington, I have a clear view of the road from my kitchen window.

Prior to the foot and mouth outbreak my daily walks take me up Moor Lane along with about six regular local walkers with dogs, with no real problem. With the ban on footpaths, of which there are an abundance around Grassington, we have a continuous stream of people with dogs. Hence the grass verges have become a dog toilet.

Where are all the responsible dog owners?

I have not seen anyone with a "doggie bag". I have taken it upon myself to go out with a carrier bag, not only to collect my own dog's dirt but also to try and reduce the "dog pollution" of grass verges. Unfortunately my efforts are to no avail as it gets worse every day.

All the dogs I see are lovely and well cared for, it's not the dog's fault, it's the owners. Come on do your bit, get your doggie bag out and make Moor Lane a pleasure to walk up and down again.

Mrs Angela Crampton,

Moor Lane, Grassington.

A stronger breed

SIR - I was interested to read the letter about schools closing or children not going because of a fall of snow (Craven Herald Letters, March 9).

I remember some 70 years ago when we used to have real winters and snow falls which would come well over our knees but we were never allowed to miss school. The school never closed even though the only heat was some pipes which did not give off much.

On odd occasions a coal fire was lit in each classroom by the caretaker at St Stephen's (I think it was Mr Tosney). We all survived!

At playtime we could not get out quick enough to slide and snowball.

We had to walk home at dinner time, then back again for afternoon lessons - school dinners were not heard of. I just wonder if we were a stronger breed than this generation.

I must congratulate the Herald on its picture of the castle. It reminded me of some 70 years ago when we were taken by Mr Gough the headmaster for a tour of the castle including a trip down the dungeon. The light was put off and we all screamed.

It was a half day educational lesson and a great adventure for us children. How different it is today when schools go to Switzerland and far away places in the name of education.

Mrs A Robinson,

Hartington Road, Rotherham.