Let's light up the castle for jubilee

It is a pity that there will not be anything in Skipton to mark this event. I don't think that it matters whether one is a royalist or republican on occasions such as these as, if nothing else, the Jubilee is a good excuse for Skipton to create an amenity of some sort which improves the town.

One thing that sprung to my mind was the possibility of approaching the owners of Skipton Castle with a view to floodlighting it at night.

When you look up the High Street in the daytime, you can make out the gatehouse and west wing of the castle behind the Church, and yet at night you can only see the church lit up. It seems a shame to waste one of Skipton's best assets by not taking advantage of modern floodlighting, which could at least highlight these two areas of the castle without causing a nuisance to the occupants of the private wing.

If the costs for this are too high to be installed on a permanent basis, then I'm sure we could at least light up these buildings for a few months over Summer.

Stuart R Procter,

Raikes Road, Grassington.

Exert authority

SIR - The arrogant disregard of normal planning procedure now being perpetrated in the village of Cowling must be brought to a stop now.

Some breathing space for planning officers must be sought, as they have so obviously been outwitted.

The speed and alacrity of modern building techniques must be matched by officialdom, whose job it is to oversee all building from drain to roof tile. To hear a planning officer say that there was nothing he could do beggars belief.

To shrug the shoulders is once again the acknowledgement that Cowling does not matter, a phenomenon of long standing in Skipton administration. The fact remains that planning officers must exert their authority to amend what is taking place, examples of builders being forced to comply are legion.

Having worked in and with the building trade for 40 years, having to compete with such practices makes me increasingly cynical about what is happening and what is allowed today. The first thing to do in any development was to "get planning on our side", to consult the planners prior to "cutting a sod" was not only discreet but obligatory.

David W Hoyle,

Skipton Road, Foulridge.

Late night display

SIR - Through your paper I would like to say thank-you to the kind (or should that be thoughtless) people who decided to treat the people of the surrounding area to a fireworks display at 10 minutes to midnight on Saturday April 13 at Kildwick or Farnhill.

Could there not have been a more suitable time to have held this display as the nights still get dark fairly early?

Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy a good fireworks display and, from the distance from which I was viewing, this one did seem very good. But I usually like to watch them when I am fully dressed not when I have been woken up and had to get out of bed to see what all the noise was about.

Janet Hampson,

Sandylands, Cross Hills.

Hebden photos

SIR - Hebden History Group is completing work on a history of the township, which is to be published this August. We are looking for old photographs, taken in and around Hebden, depicting the village, farm life, personalities, transport and similar related subjects.

We would be delighted to hear from Craven Herald readers who may have such photos and would be willing to loan them for publication. Great care will be taken of all material loaned and pictures will be promptly returned to their owners.

Can any readers able to help please contact me at the address below or telephone 01756 752369.

David Joy,

Hole Bottom,

Hebden, BD23 5DL

Flyovers next

SIR - Oh come on Mr Leakey - you're not using your imagination to rid Settle of its lorry problem (Craven Herald letters, April 12).

Let's go the whole hog and have a multi-lane flyover. Rather than, as you suggest, just digging a tunnel from Anley Hall (I'm sure the owners would be delighted about that) to Stainforth, with a mere two new bridges over the Ribble, let's have a flyover.

We could probably find room for four lanes of traffic in either direction, giving much-needed work to Mr Leakey's "steel industry desperate for customers".

I'm sure by finding someone with the imagination he points out that the people of Settle so desperately lack, we could get the entire project sponsored.

Disney perhaps, or Blackpool Pleasure beach. Or am I missing the point? Wouldn't it be more acceptable to find a way to actually stop the lorries thundering through this delightful rural town rather than building mass abominations to cope with them?

Do we have to wait for a serious accident before someone says "enough".

Martin Higham,

The Green, Upper Settle.

Contempt for town

SIR - Mr Leakey of Giggleswick (Craven Herald letters, April 12) suggests a tunnel under Settle to solve the problem of traffic through the town. An interesting solution, but unnecessary.

A more than adequate bypass already exists, which could carry heavy quarry traffic away from the town.Why is it not used? Because the truck drivers can save a few miles by driving through the centre of the town to reach their destinations.

Many HGV drivers continue to show their contempt for the town and people of Settle by totally ignoring mandatory instructions not to travel through the town during roadworks on Duke St. What hope could there posibly be for the success of a 'voluntary code of behaviour' as has been suggested by town councillors?

Andrew Fawcett,

Skipton Road, Settle.

Beer garden

SIR - With reference to your article regarding Glusburn Parish Council's objection to a beer garden at the rear of The Old White Bear public house in Cross Hills, I ask where is their community sprit?

The Old White Bear sponsors the local football club. This is the reason why on a Saturday afternoon there is few extra cars outside the pub, because after the match the team go back to the Old White Bear for their tea which is provided free by the landlord. As the football season is in winter, I cannot see what bearing this has to prevent the pub from having a beer garden.

The Old White Bear is a local's pub and the vast majority of people either walk or use a taxi when they visit the pub. So as a general rule the car park is relatively empty.

Why does a small minority have to spoil everything for everybody else? Why buy a house next a pub and then complain about it? It is like the person who bought a house overlooking the church and complained about the church bells ringing.

I am sure a compromise can be reached between the publican and the neighbour, because our petition of well over 200 signatures believe this is possible.

I hope Craven District Council sees sense and allows the Old White Bear to have a Beer garden.

John Boreham,

Rowan Garth, Sutton-in-Craven.

Cost of a ban

SIR - As secretary of Craven and District Motor Club, I have been circulated with details of a letter regarding experimental traffic restriction orders (TROs) on green lanes in the Yorkshire Dales.

The effectiveness of consultation with the affected motor organisations after the decision to apply TROs has been made, would seem derisory. Consultation in reverse!

To manage by exclusion is not in the format of the original concept of National Parks, which decreed an area of recreation for all. It is indicative of the narrow minded outlook of Yorkshire Dales National Parks Authority representatives, who want to exclude motorised vehicles from green lanes, at all costs.

I attended the meeting of the Ancient Road Preservation Society, at Grassington in February, where national park officer Jon Avison gave a talk. He suggested, after showing the slides of erosion, that the closures were not being sought from the erosion aspect, but that of noise.

I have been informed that to apply a TRO to a green lane costs in excess of £1,000. Add the cost of signs and barriers and the national park will be involved in a bill running up to £10,000. Has anybody told the vicar of Clapham and Austwick the real reason why his local Yorkshire Dales information centre is being closed? (Craven Herald Letters February 22).

It would be much cheaper to adopt the suggestion at the Grassington meeting that all green lanes used by motor vehicles have signs at access points, which warn ramblers etc not be surprised to meet a motorised vehicle.

As a motor-cycle club in the Yorkshire Centre affiliated to the ACU, we are a responsible group of motorcyclists, involved in organising competitive trials events. Trials do not involve any speed element and are judged on the balancing skill of the competitor on some form of natural hazard, away from any green lane which may be used to arrive at the observed obstacle.

Within the Yorkshire Centre ACU, we have several clubs running national events using sections of green lanes for their routes. This is very infrequent usage and only amounts to one or two days a year. These events attract support from all over the country not only from competitors, but also from supporters, bringing extra revenue to the Yorkshire Dales. In the aftermath of the foot and mouth epidemic, and in the light of money and effort being spent to rejuvenate Dales businesses, it would seem foolhardy to do anything to jeopardise these events!

The Yorkshire Centre has nurtured some very good trials riders over the years, both national and world champions. This is mainly due to the standard of the natural hazards found within the Yorkshire area. The notable person to mention here is Dougie Lampkin the reigning world indoor and outdoor trials champion for the last four years! To threaten these events would be to affect our national pride of producing world champions.

K Briggs,

Secretary, Craven & DMC,

Barden Road, Eastby.

Irony missed

SIR - What a load of drivel, trying to blame foxhunters for wanting a ban on 4x4s. Were you to go out amongst the hunters, I think you would find that the last thing on their minds would be to deprive anyone of their chosen sport.

If you were to read page three of your own paper that week,you would see who is trying to ban 4x4s. The editorial is the type of rubbish one expects from the likes of Tony Banks,or animal rights groups, not from the editor of a rural newspaper.

B Robinson,

Midland Terrace, Hellifield.

No distinction

SIR - In your editorial on April 19 you drew a distinction between the responsible and the irresponsible driving of recreational four wheel drive vehicles along the green lanes of the Dales National Park.

The distinction is mistaken. There is no way in which a four wheel drive recreational vehicle, or a motor-cycle, can be driven or ridden responsibly along these ancient tracks. Every time one of these vehicles passes along a track it makes a far greater impact than would have been made if the driver or rider had been walking, or riding a horse or push bike.

The tracks were never made to bear the weight of motorised vehicles. The damage that has been caused by recreational off-roaders is plain to see, and the racket that they make is plain to hear.

Responsible visitors to the national park leave their vehicles where the tarmac stops. Irresponsible visitors insist on driving and riding them into places never intended for them.

The national park should be a quiet, tranquil place, and its ancient green lanes should be cherished. The only vehicles that should be permitted to use them are those used by farmers trying to make a living, and those used by the emergency services.

Michael Bartholomew

Chairman, Yorkshire Dales Green Lanes Alliance.

Brevity please

SIR - May I put in a plea for shorter letters to the editor?

Not only do long missives leave less room on the page for others, but I personally find them less interesting than those which are phrased concisely.

Lady Horsfall,

Greenfield House, Embsay.

National problem

SIR - Not so long ago in the Craven Herald there was a report on how Coun Alex Bentley thought that all housing estates in Skipton were awash with drugs. I took offence to this and really should have written sooner.

Now I have learnt that he is standing for election for Craven District Council in my ward I have to ask why he would want to represent people living on a housing estate that he feels is awash with drugs. I live on one of the biggest housing estates in Skipton and am proud to do so.

Can I also point out that any drugs problems there may be in Skipton are not unique to Skipton. It is a nationwide problem. A problem that needs addressing I know but not in the detrimental manner as Coun Bentley was reported.

Diane Winterburn,

Cawder Road, Skipton.

Law breakers

SIR - I would like to say a few things in response to the article in the Craven Herald (April 12) 'Anger over "nuisance" tenants', complaining about a Bentham house owned by Training and Housing for Youth in North Craven.

As a tenant in the house in question at the time of the recent disturbances, I feel obliged to air my concern about the action, which may be taken against the project.

The problems at the house occurred as a result of a handful of Bentham youths taking the law into their own hands after hearing unpleasant rumours concerning two of the tenants. The aggravation is due to these people, therefore, it is only fair that action is taken against them, not the tenants or the project.

These people are responsible for the mindless violence, including uninvited entry, via a downstairs window, and damage to doors and windows. The damage has to be repaired, all of which is paid for by THYNC, taking money away from the brilliant work that the project carries out.

Not only do they provide young people with training and housing, they also give people hope and I am sure I am not alone in saying a big thank you to them. Without THYNC, many young people would have nowhere to turn when they are in need. As quoted in the article, "After all, everyone deserves a second chance."

Melanie Hodson,

Wesley Place, Bentham.