Letters to the Editor - 05th February 2008

Feb 5 2008 Liverpool Daily Post

Shocked by racist fans

I COULD not believe my eyes when I saw the behaviour of so-called Formula One fans at Barcelona’s Montmelo circuit at the weekend.

Blacked-up faces, racist slogans, I could not believe that anyone would behave in such a way in the 21st century. Where the people doing this completely out of their minds?

And what about the other fans in the stands? How did they let them get away with such atrocious behaviour? Football fans get a bad press, but this sort of thing would never happen at a football ground, and if anyone dared to do anything like it they would find themselves very quickly unwelcome.

I have never thought of Spain nor Formula One as the sort of places where anyone would encounter racism, and I only hope that action is taken swiftly to stamp it out before it starts. The only way to make sure the Spanish officials in motor racing do something about this is to hit them in their pockets and pull the Grand Prix races if they don’t stamp it out.

As for Lewis Hamilton, he is on course for becoming one of the finest sportsmen this country has ever seen, and I am sure he would not let mindless idiots like this ever affect his performance or his charming personality.

T Williams, Southport

More than a game

READING about the magnificent, new Liverpool football stadium set me thinking about the first time I went to Anfield.

I first stood on the Kop at Anfield, in 1946, with my brother Bob, who had been demobbed from the Army after serving in North Africa and Italy. I was on leave from the Seaforth Highlanders stationed in Germany.

The thunderous roar of the crowd echoed through the cavernous steel framework. Liverpool were playing Arsenal. Jack Balmer had scored two hat-tricks in previous games and was looking to score another. A young Billy Liddell was playing on the left wing, on the right wing was the South African Nieuwenuys (Nivvy). The captain of the team was Matt Busby.

You could feel the force and the power, the air seemed to crackle with cosmic energy as thousands of Kopites urged the team to attack. The crowd surged and lunged and swayed as Liddell centred the ball into the Kop goalmouth. All the old players were home from the war, Bobby Paisley, Willie Fagan, Eddie Spicer, Phil Taylor, Jim Harley, Rob Jones.

For some strange reason, I cannot remember the result of the game, it all happened such a long time ago. I have no idea if Jack Balmer scored a third hat-trick but somehow I think he did.

A Capleton, Heswall

Laughable stats

I JUST had to laugh (without much humour) at the article in Friday’s Post, “Merseyrail judged top operator”, which I was reading on the (Merseyrail) train on my way to work in Chester.

The statistics sounded very impressive – as stats can be made to sound – but I would be much more impressed by Merseyrail if they published the stats on peak time journeys, particularly on the Liverpool-Chester run, which is frequently affected by late running and cancelled trains.

It is to their shame that operating procedures are carried out such as cancelling late running trains, or turning trains round – and ejecting passengers – short of their terminus simply for Merseyrail to avoid paying fines.

If Merseyrail really are the joint best in the country, then I feel truly sorry for passengers elsewhere.

The most important stat that should count is the customer rating – a stat that Merseyrail seem careful not to collect.

It is long overdue that Merseyrail trains started being reliable, especially during peak times – innumerable local businesses must be affected by their employees arriving at work late due to Merseyrail’s performance.

Until they become reliable, their unofficial customer rating will not rise above “rubbish”. I challenge Bart Schmeink to use Merseyrail at peak time to get to his workplace so that he can judge for himself.

T Sutton, via email

Don’t pack it in

THE Government’s plans to give immigrants so-called “behaviour packs” should be applauded in my book.

I have no problems with immigration, I personally think if the people of Britain cannot be bothered to take up the jobs on offer (and they are there for the taking) then foreigners are welcome to them.

However, the problems arise when immigrants do not conform to the laws of our society. These packs will help to lessen the chances of such problems.

There has already been some scorn of these packs, but it is not like Hazel Blears is trying to encourage immigrants to abandon their own values, simply to understand that there are things we will not tolerate like spitting in the street, barging to the front of queues and, of course, respect for the law.

Surely these packs can only be a good thing for everyone.

H Johnson, Wavertree

Good work, chaps

WE HAVE just completed an inspection of various council estates in the Norris Green, Clubmoor and Walton Areas.

We are delighted vast numbers of previously long-term vacant houses, in particular in the Florence Melly Estate, are actively being renovated or have had renovations completed.

It was only early last year we had submitted lists of over 30 vacants that needed attention by Housing Neighbourhood Services.

It concerned us that the presence of so many vacants had a depressing effect on the estates, deterred new families moving into the areas and made adjoining homes vulnerable to arson and break-ins.

This was even more alarming in light of the extensive and rising housing waiting lists, now at 18,500 across the city.

Having seen so much progress, can we thank housing staff accordingly.

Cllr Steve Radford and Dennis Gaskell, Tuebrook and Clubmoor Liberal Party

Off the record

I THINK it’s very sad that Quirks in Ormskirk has shut down. I used to shop in the branch in Formby Village as a teenager, and bought many of my first albums there. I particularly remember the “surp- rise” packages of vinyl singles that you used to get for a pound and were wrapped in brown paper.

It was funny seeing what you’d end up with, and provided some light amusement when there was nothing for us to do growing up in Formby.

It’s a shame that the shops have now gone but it’s understandable. Video never killed the radio star but digital downloading has certainly killed the record shop.

S Harvey, Wavertree

It’s just a bit of skin

THE recent fuss over the plunging neckline of Dancing on Ice presenter Holly Willoughby is utterly ridiculous. If it is true that so many people jammed the phonelines to complain that this young lady had showed, in their opinion, a little too much flesh, then what sort of world are we living in?

Personally, I like to think that this may have been a bit of PR spin from the producers, because I would like to think that as a people we have evolved sufficiently not to be outraged at the sight of a little skin.

P Thomas, Aintree

Forgotten heroes

IT’S about time someone recognised the work of our trades unionists (“City honour for author of trades unionists’ ‘bible’”, Daily Post, February 4).

Thatcher tried, and mainly suc- ceeded in killing the unions, but they are still very strong in some walks of life and there are plenty of dedicated people still involved in them today. The plaque to Robert P Noonan’s memory is an important one in the history of our fine, and often battling, city.

Mr Vines, via email

Goodbye to easy life

I AM glad that the Government is taking a hard line on GPs and making them open for more hours each week.

We now live in a 24-hour seven-day-a-week society, and yet medical services are the one area where this does not apply.

The rest of us work around the clock and few people these days have the pleasure of working nine to five, yet GPs still persist with working hours that do not fit in with modern living.

This way, maybe more people will seek and receive medical treatment earlier rather than later, and it will save the NHS money in the long term.

J Walters, Tuebrook

Death of an era

I WAS sad to see the last branch of Quirk’s close down after so many years. I have happy memories of browsing through the records when it was open in Formby and Southport.

Chatting with a store manager about music was an essential part of the experience and hanging round record stores seemed like an essential part of being a teenager.

Large stores like HMV just aren’t the same and while downloading is quick I feel sorry that music lovers of the future won’t have what I did.

Thank you to the Quirk brothers, and I hope their online business continues to do well.

Ed Harris, Formby

Sisterly love

RE: THREE Sisters on Hope Street. As much Woody Allen as Chekhov, I loved every minute of Three Sisters on Hope Street. It made me laugh and made me cry – just like life – and taught me something about a moment in time.

I would encourage everyone to go to the Everyman before the play goes off to London. Get off your “tuchas”, as a character in the play might say. What a great start to Capital of Culture January has been.

Martin King, via email