Great band, pity about the logo...

SIR - Recently, along with around 3,000 others, I had the pleasure of listening to the Black Dyke Band in the magnificent setting of Birmingham's Symphony Hall.

As one would expect from band of such repute the performance was outstanding - but what was somewhat of a shock was to see the logo of Leeds Metropolitan University alongside that of Black Dyke as the associate (which I assume is a euphemism for sponsor).

The Black Dyke (Mills) Band was, arguably, Bradford's greatest export, although I accept those in Queensbury may feel Bradford hijacked it from Halifax anyway.

It seems as though, once again, Leeds has put one over on its neighbour by having its name associated with such excellence. Was there no organisation in Bradford that would have wished to be Black Dyke's associate? What about Bradford Council?

Still, I hear there is a move afoot to build a lake in the area near the City Hall so perhaps the Council is hoping to spend money on outdoing Southampton and bidding for the Boat Show instead!

B Goldthorpe, Barford Road, Banbury.

Ban this show

SIR - As a committed Christian I am saddened to see the Alhambra is proposing to show Jerry Springer - The Opera.

Freedom of speech is constantly quoted as an excuse for allowing things of this nature to be seen. But there is a great deal of difference between freedom of speech and the degrading of a person's faith.

I can only hope and pray that people of all faiths will prevent this blasphemy being shown. If Adam Renton, the Council's manager of theatres, believes it is right to allow freedom of choice for people to see something that might appeal to them, then what will be next?

Stewart Knowles, Wrose Road, Bradford.

Joy of the Dales

SIR - May I thank Geoff Tasker (T&A, February 10) for the compliment he gave me on the letters I send to the letters page. Free speech is such a wonderful thing.

I do love coming "home" and I do miss so many things like pork pies, fish and chips, mince pies and Christmas cake - the little things in life we so enjoy.

When I do come to visit, I love the open air of the countryside up in the Dales, and seeing the old places where I lived and played as a youngster.

At the end of the day, I can sit down with a nice cup of tea, and a piece of treacle tart. That's what I call being from Yorkshire, and no-one can take that away, no matter where in the world you live.

Diane Duguid, E.4th St, Deer Park, New York.

This Odeon farce

SIR - Why do the Odeon developers need more time? One of them even wants to use both towers, which were given a life span of only 30 years by the Arup Report.

Or is it that BCR need more time to dream up another reason to justify demolition? We are told it is dangerous inside (so what's been done to it since Yorkshire Forward bought it?).

Now the outside is "crumbling" (excellent photo, T&A, February 11). What next? And who says, anyway, since no proper, comprehensive surveys have ever been done?

We have only BCR's word for it, and we know what that's like: 689 voters against 6,000 petitioners!

It is high time BCR were brought to heel and held to account. They should start by explaining why no attempt has ever been made to find a developer who would save the Odeon.

Hiding behind the Alsop Masterplan won't do; it's only "a vision, a concept - not set in stone". A farce, more like! Save the Odeon.

Kenneth A Webster, Abb Scott Lane, Bradford.

Poor driving

SIR - I am not surprised road crash deaths are on the increase (T&A, February 7) when you look at the poor standard of people's driving in the city.

No doubt the release of these statistics will be followed by calls for more cameras and traffic-calming measures.

This option is not the way forward. Look at the circumstances and the type of road where the accidents occurred and I would suspect that, in most cases, traffic-calming or cameras would not have prevented them happening.

Philip Gwynne and Mandy Roberts are too eager to blame drink-driving as the major cause. I suspect criminal activity and drugs lie behind the causes of the majority of deaths.

What is required is a concerted and visible effort by the police to enforce highway law even-handedly instead of opting for the easy targets of speeding and parking enforcement.

Kevin Rushworth, Laithe Grove, Wibsey.