SIR - Almost 50 years ago the Value Added Tax was introduced with Customs and Excise to manage it. Before then our work had little changed since Robbie Burns’ day and the officers still saw it as an exclusive gentlemen’s club not a government department. Women were not allowed and the members enjoyed a full social life.

Come VAT the service was greatly expanded to cope with an increase in workload but the survivors from the old days tried to carry on as before. Thus a full programme of out of office events was organised including a new one whereby each VAT office put up a quiz team. Bradford’s called itself the Cloggies and besides the civil service tournament joined the newly formed Airedale Quiz League. This was organised by Jack Simpson then landlord of the Ferrands Arms in Bingley

The Cloggies competed for many years and were greatly saddened when it was announced that the Ferrands was to close. Imagine our joy to read in the T&A on April 30 that it has now re-opened albeit under a new name, bringing back memories like the Cloggies winning the Airedale Knockout cup and receiving it from the then editor of the Telegraph and Argus - Arnold Hadwin.

Brian Holmans, Langley Road, Bingley