Clear thinking needed by council

During this time the Spindle Shop Dam has been lost to housing and part of the Coach Street car park has been lost to the Fisher Medical Centre.

During working hours every yard of residential street frontage within a quarter of a mile of Caroline Square is parked up with cars nose to tail.

One has looked in vain every week in the Craven Herald for some sign that the district council was seized of the need for more parking provision.

In its newsletter pushed through residents' letterboxes in the past week, Craven District Council reveals plans which involve building on both the Coach Street and the High Street car parks, as well as mentioning that the district council's offices in Granville Street are now inadequate and new offices will have to be built elsewhere.

In my submission, this is where clear thinking needs to begin.

The area administered by the Craven District Council embraces Buckden in the north, Bolton Abbey in the east, Cross Hills in the south and Bentham in the west. There is no need for its offices to be in Skipton.

There are potential sites outside Skipton of which at least one would be very much better. This is the former goods yard on the south-west side of the railway beyond Hellifield station.

Here an abortive project was embarked on about 15 years ago. A road to Department of Transport Highway standards was put in from a new junction on the A65 between Hellifield and Long Preston.

I have been told that the cost of this, which must have been quite considerable, was met from Government funds. On the site itself the skeletal frame of an industrial building was erected, and that is as far as any work on the goods yard site has ever got.

The existing station building, which is listed, was restored at the same time together with its extensive glass roofs over the platforms.

Among the contributors to the cost of this work mentioned in a plaque on the station is the Craven District Council: in other words, the council tax payers of Craven.

At present all but one of the weekday trains both between Leeds and Carlisle and Leeds and Lancaster stop at Hellifield.

An office building on the goods yard site would therefore have very good access both by road and by rail, the journey between Skipton and Hellifield taking 14 minutes.

Within the station building itself, since its restoration most of the accommodation seems never to have been let, although there has at times been a cafe at platform level.

Both of these are aspects of a situation which might quickly change if an office building in which a couple of hundred people worked was built next door.

Sadly, one feels serious doubts about the likelihood of Craven District Council reaching the best or even any good decision in this matter, particularly if it involves adopting a suggestion put forward by an outsider.

Its thinking seems to be completely blinkered to sites within Skipton which it already owns, ie the car parks.

Gavin Martin,

Church Croft,

Gargrave.

SIR - Every Saturday, Skipton Building Society kindly lets the town use its car park (the town would struggle without it).

On the previous Saturday as ever, it was packed full of vehicles from all across the north. The car park itself houses between 350 to 400 cars when full, so, for argument's sake, let's say two tourists per car equating to 700 plus visitors from that car park alone.

These visitors undoubtedly bring with them the revenue our local economy so relies on.

So you could imagine my horror, to see the nearby dog bin (the first impression these people see) bulging to the extent that at least 30 bags were balancing on top, with the same again littered within close proximity (disgusting!).

A few yards further down on Rectory lane, I witnessed a similar sight, plastic containers, similar in style to the ones used by the new fish and chip shop in the town hall car park, strewn for almost the entire length of the lane.

Once I arrived in town I headed down Newmarket Street past the pub with the Victorian staircase and then rounded the corner past the site of the town's original charity shop, which has lain empty since it moved to a bigger site in a more prominent location!

And then, lo and behold, I discover Phones 4 U have arrived on the scene - "hurray for the jobs it creates" (did Greenwood's not employ people) or at least until half a dozen of its competitors close through saturated competition, along with the spectacles and other classy retail units.

The town's going down the Swanee but what the heck, I'm not worried, nor am I complaining, because I know renaissance is going to look after us - after all, this is, the biggest thing to happen to our town since the Flying Scotsman passed through in the mid '60s.

I vividly remember the "renaissance dilettantes" sales pitch: "This will open the door to several million pounds worth of grant funding".

One year later, hundreds of thousands of pounds of money spent, and all I see, is a desperate attempt to justify it, by selling the crown jewels to subsidise a project never mentioned in the renaissance early days.

I don't want to be the killjoy, but the grim reality surely is, correct me if I'm wrong, the multi-million pound grant money doesn't exist, it never did.

After all, a project that needs to sell land for housing and then incorporates houses into its plan, has to be a project without capital, I learnt that at rocket science class.

More importantly a town that can't get the basics right such as dog bins plastic cartons and empty shops, should perhaps spend less time on wild ideas and more time cleaning the place.

Under renaissance Skipton will never be twinned with Eldorado, and as things stand Simbach may even pull the plug. After all, when did you last see a German stay in a grotty Mediterranean hotel? - you don't! In fact you can usually gauge the quality of any foreign resort on how many Germans are there.

The final and most important part of this letter is an answer to the following question "when will the architects of renaissance apologise to the people of Skipton for misleading them?"

Chris Harbron,

Long Meadow,

Skipton.

SIR - Your article and letter entitled "Pollution Mystery" in last week's Craven Herald suggested that the authorities were baffled as to the cause of the pollution in the fields downstream of Carleton Stone Bridge.

I would suggest that they take a look at the relatively new storm water overflow that links the Skipton Sewage Treatment Works with the River Aire about half a mile downstream of the stone bridge on the Skipton side.

It is no coincidence that the field opposite (the former grass track field) has regularly been left polluted after floods with a sewage type effluent judging from the smell, since the storm water overflow was completed.

Last August it obviously extended its range further downstream into the Cononley Ings Flood Washland Area.

All the talk of e-coli present in the sediment on the bed of the River Aire is a smoke screen.

If the bed has been contaminated it has been deliberately put there from the Sewage Treatment Works via the said overflow or the normal discharge just below the Snaygill railway bridge.

John W Preston,

Carleton-in-Craven.

SIR - As the driver of the "large 4WD persistently driving dangerously despite repeated requests to stop" (Craven Herald Oct 22 - Lesson Not Learned), may I reply to these accusations in order to set the record straight.

I have lived around Skipton all my life and my daughter who recently celebrated her 30th birthday has ridden since she was five years old so I am well aware of the possibility of encountering something around the next corner.

The incident to which the letter refers took place along a farm track which I use daily while going about my duties as a gamekeeper.

I often encounter horses, pheasants, cows and indeed people. I slow down, give them a wide berth or let them pass if going in the opposite direction.

Generally horse riders acknowledge their appreciation by raising their hands and smiling although there are the exceptions.

As soon as I caught up with Ms Sutcliffe's party (who were two abreast and filled the track) a "gentleman" on one of the leading horses started shouting abuse and waving his arms in a very aggressive manner although I had slowed almost to a stop.

I followed the party for several hundred yards, about two/three car lengths behind the last horse. I made no attempt to overtake them.

The riders made no effort to increase their pace from a slow walk nor did they walk on the grass where most riders have in the past allowing me to pass.

The riders continued to turn round in their saddles to berate me as I followed at what I considered a reasonable distance. The pace was so slow I had to keep dipping my clutch so as to avoid stalling my engine. Eventually the riders reluctantly pulled over to allow me to pass shouting more abuse as I went.

I drove on to the farm where I dropped my passenger off and as I intended going back down the track waited for several minutes for the riders to come up.

I eventually decided they must have turned round so I drove back down the track where I came across them again.

I pulled in and flashed my lights to let them come by which they did very slowly only to glower at me and give me more abuse as they came alongside.

During this incident I didn't see one horse under duress and in any way perturbed by my following them at around 20 to 30 feet and I would suggest that three mph is not excessive speed or dangerous driving let alone the possibility of causing a fatality.

As for my enormous 4WD, it is a Peugeot Partner van!

Anthony Breckon,

Coniston Cold.

SIR - I feel obliged to reply to the Dining Out article of October 22.

Usually, opinions in this section are subjective and obviously depend on individuals' tastes, but there were two inferences to our serving "cheap" food which I found to be most offensive.

The writer's attempt at humour regarding her child's complaint of "soggy" scampi reveals her ignorance on the subject. The scampi served was wholetail scampi, which is large and succulent.

The comment, also from one of her children, that the sausages were not as nice as the cheap ones she offers them was a little worrying, as some cheap sausages are full of salt, fat and fillers, and I will not be accused of serving this grade to anyone.

All the meats we purchase are from a celebrated pork butcher in Skipton, whose produce is often praised in this publication.

I am very disappointed that the Craven Herald prints comments in the Dining Out section from very young children and people who apparently do not know the difference between good quality food and cheap substitutes.

Janet Ridd,

Licensee,

The Elm Tree Inn,

Embsay.

SIR - I feel that the "Dining Out" feature in the October 22 edition of your newspaper is somewhat unfair and that it portrays a very misleading impression.

People come regularly from miles around to eat at the Elm Tree on a regular basis. The food is obviously the attraction.

To judge a pub on a Sunday evening's fare is a bit unfair, especially as they serve great numbers of Sunday lunches during the day.

I can personally vouch for both the scampi and the sausages, which are locally supplied and excellent.

I am the first to criticise, but I think the article on this occasion leaves a sarcastic taste (forgive the pun).

I hope that they will not suffer as a result - they do an excellent job.

TP Wall,

The Heugh,

Eastby.

SIR - As a regular customer of the Elm Tree public house in Embsay for the past 10 years, I found your reviewer's article untrue, unfair and biased.

It is strange that the regular customers each week come as far afield as Wetherby, Leeds, Rothwell, Ilkley and Todmorden beside the locals and a great number of staff from the HQ of Skipton Building Society.

Would these people come to a village pub off a main thoroughfare if the food was as bad as your reviewer makes out?

I was disgusted with the report and feel that an apology should be made to the landlady and her staff, and also to the regular customers.

G Hodges,

Victoria Avenue,

Ilkley.

o Editor's note: our Dining Out review is based on a single visit. It is a subjective view, with the reviewer expressing his, or her, honestly-held opinion.

SIR - As you reported in a recent issue, the Upper Wharfedale Art and Crafts Exhibition has held its final show, but readers may be interested to know that some members of the committee hope to organise a similar exhibition in the future.

It is likely to be open for a shorter period and at a different time of year from the former one.

It would certainly be held at a different venue, for the cost of hiring Grassington Town Hall was a major factor in our demise.

Raymond Payne,

Marton Close,

Gargrave.

SIR - On land adjoining pubs and other organisations piles of wood and other timber including tree prunings has been piling up ready for the great burn up.

Properly organised and controlled Guy Fawkes night is good fun, but may I make a plea for some who do not find it fun at all.

I think especially of nervous dogs and other sensitive pets. Please make sure that they are protected as far as possible.

Could I also ask organisers to carefully check the site of the bonfire for hedgehogs?

Timber and the like has been stock piled for some time and some creatures, particularly hedgehogs, have set up what they mistakenly think is a safe winter haven - till the rude, noisy and very hot awakening!

So please, make sure any natural visitors are protected and gently moved on.

John Fidler,

Skipton Road,

Embsay.

SIR - My aunt and I have just returned from a few days visiting family in Skipton.

We had a wonderful time and enjoyed our stay immensely. But on Wednesday October 20 (a dreadfully wet day) I lost my purse.

My cousin reported the loss to the police on Wednesday evening, although not holding out much hope.

Imagine my surprise when I received a telephone call on Thursday morning, an hour before catching the train home, to say that someone had found the purse.

I am writing this letter as a thank you to the young man who found it and who made the effort to come to my hotel before I left for home to return the purse together with its contents.

Please accept my grateful thanks. You have restored my faith in human nature and it proves that not all young people are yobs or thugs.

Georgina Bartlett and Beryl

Finn,

Deal,

Kent.

SIR - I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to the young couple who came to my aid on Friday evening when I was stranded in my car in a flood near Carleton.

They waited with me for half an hour until my husband arrived with a rope, towed the car out with their Land Rover and helped us to push the car to a secure spot off the road.

In a world obsessed with fear and hatred, it's good to know you can still come across a good Samaritan when you need one. Thank you.

Kate Chilton

Marl Hill Farm,

Lothersdale.

SIR - Through your columns we would like to thank everyone who contributed, Skipton Rotary Club and volunteer collectors for helping us to raise £1165.07 on two collections days recently held at Tesco Supermarket.

This amount will go to the Yorkshire Dales Macmillan Appeal at Airedale General Hospital.

Ann Barker,

Chairman, Skipton and District

Committee,

Macmillan Cancer Relief.