10:20am Saturday 14th August 2010
Sir - The plans on display in the town hall on last Tuesday showed changes to 9 High Street that will leave most Skipton people feeling that the current building has much more character than its proposed replacement.
At least the old health office has some, albeit quirky, architectural features. The proposed retail units just consist of eight gaping orifices with no redeeming features, hardly an improvement to a beautiful and historical part of Skipton.
Surely the architects and planners can come up with something more appropriate for this sensitive part of town or should we have an open competition as the Victorians used to?
Ian Knowles, Park Wood Close, Skipton
Sir - I have viewed with some horror the plans for the building that has been proposed as a replacement for the present 9 High Street.
Does Craven District Council ever learn from the mistakes of the past?
If we are to pull down the existing architectural disaster, why replace it with a building that is just as inappropriate for Skipton High Street?
Surely this was, and is, not the place for a stridently-modern building.
I sincerely hope that the civic society will strongly oppose this potential architectural vandalism in Skipton.
Tom Gibson, High Barn, Stirton
Sir - A big thank you to some young professional people in North Craven.
One day last week I had four appointments to keep, two in Settle and two at home. Firstly, I visited a hairdresser who trimmed my hair. Later this young lady helped me on with my anorak with a smile and a few kind words.
Secondly, I visited my bank where a helpful lady arranged to transfer some money to a bank in Australia. This was a birthday present to my grandson and therefore very important!
On returning home a friendly physiotherapist lady came to give me some treatment for arthritic ankles.
Lastly, a cheerful craftsman came to complete some repairs to an old mahogany bureau.
There are many people like the above in this area and we are lucky to have them and to live in North Craven.
Maurice Bolton, Town Head Barn, Long Preston
Sir - I am writing to encourage your readers to be vigilant when making doorstep donations of secondhand goods to their chosen charity because they could be lining the pockets of third party organisations working for commercial gain, not the charity.
The British Heart Foundation (BHF) has seen a 25 per cent drop in household collections due to this commercial activity, which will cost us a staggering £3m in the next year – money that could be spent in the fight against heart disease.
I’d like to highlight to the people in the area 100 per cent of the profits made from donations to the BHF stay with the charity because we haven’t formed a partnership with these third party organisations.
These healthy profits help us to continue our lifesaving work, whereas as little as five per cent goes to charities who use a third party to collect on their behalf.
The BHF has launched a new nationwide campaign because we believe it’s only right householders are given clear information from collectors about where the proceeds of their goods are going so they can make an informed choice.
To find out more information or to locate your nearest BHF Shop, please call 0844 412 5000 or visit bhf.org.uk/rightbag.
Mike Lucas, retail director for British Heart Foundation, Greater London House, Hampstead Road, London
Good to read Norman Simpson’s comments about the proposals to end some concessionary travel schemes.
Hopefully any increased revenue will enable him to invest in some new buses.
Chris Lund Clover Court, Skipton
Sir - I read in your latest edition that plans for a puffin crossing in Cracoe have been shelved. The residents have therefore, at least temporarily been spared the noise and garish looks that would spoil their village.
What they may not know is that such a project would not help them cross the road any sooner; if anything they will have to wait longer.
Thornton-in-Craven has not been so lucky. Ours was installed earlier this year without any survey being made to assess either its necessity or effectiveness.
Unlike a pelican crossing, the lights will not change while there is visible traffic, which at busy times can be constant. A few seconds after the last vehicle has passed, they will change to red enabling someone to cross.
However, there is then a delay for the change back to green which invariably means that a subsequent passing vehicle has to stop even though the pedestrian has already crossed.
Additionally, the noise of wheels going over the studs was intolerable for nearby residents, and contractors had to then come and remove them.
A pelican crossing would have been highly dangerous, as the button being pushed when a loaded quarry wagon approaching at 50 plus miles an hour down a hill on a wet road could have disastrous consequences.
NYCC is only good at one thing and that is wasting money.
Robert Hall Rock House, Thornton-in-Craven
Sir - I was interested and encouraged to read the recent article highlighting the co-operation between the two parishes of Sutton and Glusburn and Cross Hills, who are quite rightly concerned about unwelcome and unnecessary development in their area.
The Craven Branch of the Campaign to Protect Rural England and NODISC (No Development in South Craven) are working hard, with others, to preserve our green fields and protect our rural countryside.
Since the new government came to power we are experiencing rapid changes in both planning and environmental law and we must be vigilant to ensure that any changes are for the better and do not give advantage to those who would spoil and exploit our beautiful landscape for profit.
Let us co-operate as much as possible.
Jean Phillip, secretary, Craven Branch of CPRE, Duckett Street, Skipton
Sir - I note your comments in your leader on Thursday about keeping Skipton alive and the article about a new gas main installation in Otley Street.
The first and only communication about the roadworks for those in Otley Street has come from the gas utilities company, which maintains its wish is to keep the disruption caused to the least possible.
For the rest of Skipton who will be affected by the six-week closure, starting on Monday September 13, your newspaper has been the first communication.
Usually North Yorkshire Highways write to the chamber of trade, Skipton Town Council, Craven District Council and others over something as important as this to allow consultation, and I understand that this has not happened. There is usually six weeks from a public notice in the Herald and notices on lampposts in the area and we are now inside the six weeks.
This lack of communication has produced a conflict of dates between Skipton’s Flock to Skipton promotion, through town council officers in association with Skipton Chamber of Trade, Skipton Bid and other sponsors, and the closure of Otley Street.
Every Business rate payer in Skipton has been levied to establish a fund for promoting Skipton which has resulted in Skipton Bid, which is supporting – with other sponsors – the Flock to Skipton promotion running from August 24 to November 14. The closure of Otley Street for six of the eight weeks of the promotion seriously undermines the money spent and work done to promote Skipton.
The fund, which is a major contributor, is a result of a vote carried by a majority of business rate payers. As a result of the road closure, the scheme will be less effective and the chance of Skipton succeeding with a vote for another levy will be reduced. The doubters will have their day. This will not be helpful to keeping Skipton alive.
The damage to the viability of our businesses on Otley Street itself will be long and hard felt. It would be good for residents and local business to have an opportunity to review and suggest improvements in consultation over the specifics of the scheme using experience from previous road closures. For example, I have never seen a diversion down Rope Walk before. This has been denied by lack of communication.
I hope Skipton and your readers support our appeal to the gas company to delay from September 13 and give us our usual democratic right to consultation over roadworks as large as these.
Rufus Drake, Ellesmere Press Ltd, The British School, Otley Street, Skipton
Sir - I hope Craven Herald & Pioneer readers enjoyed the feature (July 29) on the life and death of Pte Alvin Smith of Lothersdale, who was killed on the Somme.
Central to the success of the attack by the 1st/7th Battalion the Duke of Wellington’s Regiment (West Riding) at Thiepval on September 17, 1916, was the action of one Capt Lupton.
As I described in my chapter, the attack began with a “friendly fire” incident as the British Stokes mortars fell short, detonating the battalion’s grenade store. Capt Lupton calmly stood on the trench parapet and rallied the men. This was an act of great bravery and some months later he was awarded the Military Cross.
But who was Capt Lupton and what became of him? I would be grateful for any information. My book which describes the action, For A Shilling A Day, is now available at Amazon.co.uk.
Peter Rhodes, West Mere, Grounds Farm, Kenilworth, CV8 1PP
Sir - Householders across Skipton are producing thousands of tonnes of rubbish each year, with much of it ending up in landfill.
But continuing to send rubbish to landfill is not environmentally acceptable and is also costly – local councils are facing tough landfill reduction targets, fines and increases in landfill tax.
Allerton Waste Recovery Park is proposing a new way of dealing with local rubbish – creating an environmentally friendly solution that will cut landfill, save local taxpayers money and help increase recycling across North Yorkshire. The facility will treat household rubbish from across North Yorkshire, including Skipton.
Kerbside recycling will continue as usual but, after general waste has been collected from local doorsteps, it will come to Allerton Waste Recovery Park instead of being buried in landfill. The new facility will be able to pull out any recyclable materials, such as plastic and metals, which have accidentally been put in general waste bins.
Food waste will also be used to generate renewable energy and, finally, any rubbish that cannot be recycled will be used to fuel a power station. This will create enough electricity to power 40,000 homes. It also means at least 90 per cent of North Yorkshire’s household rubbish can be diverted away from landfill – a solution that will save North Yorkshire County Council and City of York Council £320m over the next 25 years.
We have set up a dedicated website so local people can find out more about the plans – allerton-waste-recovery-park.co.uk. If any of your readers have questions about what will happen to their waste they can also contact us via enquiries@allerton-waste-recovery-park.co.uk
Bill Jarvis, project director, Allerton Waste Recovery Park, County Business Park, Darlington Road, Northallerton
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