Letters to the Editor - 15th February 2008

Feb 15 2008 Liverpool Daily Post

Must treasure our buildings

ACROSS the country, local authorities treasure their distinctive historic buildings yet, in the Capital of Culture, our council seems intent on allowing them to be destroyed.

I refer, of course, to the Gregson Memorial Institute, on Garmoyle Road, which is under threat of demolition, in an area that has little to no community facilities at all.

It seems to me that the city’s councillors would sell the town hall from under them for a fiver, given the chance to turn it into student housing.

Chris Grayling MP spoke well when he asked why housing of the type that is considered perfectly adequate in other towns and cities all over country, is being destroyed in Liverpool.

Perhaps if this were to end, then attractive Victorian buildings like the Gregson Memorial could have a useful role in our communities.

Neil Wilson, City of Liverpool Conservatives

Sentimental view

WITH regard to Mr Korsham’s cloyingly sentimental view of the Liverpool skyline and its heritage in general (Letters, February 8).

Could he please explain when it was that someone declared: “That’s it – job done.”?

Some dates and names would help.

The truth is no-one ever intended the skyline to stay the same, not even his beloved Victorians and Edwardians.

It is just a rose-tinted figment of his imagination.

When they built the Liver Building, the skyline changed forever, but no doubt some Edwardian version of Mr Korsham would have been ranting on about the mistakes of the past and how it spoiled the view of the Tower Building or destroyed the historic George’s Dock.

It just shows there really is nothing new under the sun.

S Power, Liverpool 17

Building with merit

IT SEEMS to me that Y1 Developers, the investors of the new King Edward Tower, are being given a “hard time” by Liverpool. Should we not be welcoming new investment that Y1 provides. Weasel remarks by Jim Gill (Liverpool Vision) are ill advised.

It begs two questions – when did he become an economist? And when did he become a judge of whether tall buildings are now obsolete?

In my view, when the King Edward Tower is constructed (please God), it will be a welcome part of the regeneration of that particular area of the waterfront. It remains for me a modern fully-funded building of considerable architectural merit and more than worthy of its stature.

Mr and Mrs Gribbin, Heswall

Need an open mind

IN RESPONSE to B Davies’s comment regarding the proposed Mersey Observatory building, I think he will find that any “fiasco” involving new buildings/modern architecture in Liverpool is caused by people who are unwilling to look beyond or consider anything that doesn’t have a thatched roof or Roman pillars.

For goodness’ sake, stop referencing the “Graces” as a benchmark for everything else – they are of their time (and are quite spectacular) but it’s time to let this city grow towards the future and evolve in other ways.

Change shouldn’t be a challenge or unpleasant – it just requires an open mind.

Steve Earle, Liverpool

Not worth fighting

RECENTLY, I spoke to a young soldier and I asked him why he wanted to go to Iraq. He was no more than 17 years old and incredibly naive.

The young man was completely unaware that Sir Richard Dannatt, head of the British Army, had said that, “the British presence in Iraq is part of the problem and not the solution and that we should get out.”

It amazes me that parents are still allowing their children to go and fight Bush’s dirty little oil wars, the most unpopular wars ever fought.

Don’t they know that more than 10% of returning servicemen are suffering post-traumatic stress disorder and are turning to drugs and alcohol?

Are they unaware that hundreds have returned blinded and limbless?

Why should our young men and women die obscene deaths for wars that are simply not worth fighting?

Mark Holt, chair, Merseyside Stop the War Coalition

School memories

THROUGH your columns, I would like to appeal to former pupils of Christleton High School, in Chester, now living in this area for memories and memorabilia to help celebrate the school’s 50th anniversary later this year.

Memories of favourite teachers, memorable comments from school reports, recollections of school friends and photographs – all contributions would be very welcome and may be featured in an anniversary book currently being prepared.

This is an opportunity to celebrate achievements, renew acquaintances and perhaps revisit old haunts.

Details of our plans, and information on how to contribute and participate, may be found at www.christletonhigh.co.uk or contact the school at 01244 335843, email anniversary@christletonhigh.co.uk

Tony Lamberton, headteacher, Christleton High School,Chester

Writing off debt

IF EVIDENCE were needed that council rules apply only when they feel like it, then we had that evidence last week, (Daily Post, February 12).

Wirral Council expects to write off £2m in unpaid social services debt which is owed to the authority by primary care trusts outside the authority.

Why? If Wirral Borough Council issued me with a parking ticket, I would have 30 days to pay, not three years, and if I refused to pay they would prosecute me or pass the debt to the bailiffs.

Many small businesses go bust because their bills aren't paid on time, but it seems if a public body owes money to another public body that debt will eventually be written off.

You begin to wonder what the primary care trusts are doing when, through their direct actions, they deprive social services of much-needed cash or even, as we saw at VCH, close wards that care for the elderly. Perhaps old people aren't “trendy” for these Government quangos?

It stinks.

Cllr Leah Fraser, prospective Conservative MP for Wallasey

Home investment

I AM utterly amazed that developers have managed to realise some £6m for the penthouses at the Unity building.

I do not doubt that the apartments in question are dazzling, and they are absolutely going to have some of the best views in the region, but I am just stunned that, with the property market the way it is, there are people willing to invest this sort of money in homes.

Most of my friends, who would generally consider ourselves to be middle class, are very concerned about the future and what is going to happen to the economy, our livelihoods and our homes, yet at the other end of the scale we have people spending this sort of money.

Makes you consider the recent claims in the press that the rich in Britain are getting richer while the rest of us are being squeezed more and more.

G Willis, Allerton

The new breed

AFTER seeing Willy Russell’s play Stags and Hens “the remix,” I came to the conclusion that remix meant he’d put the F-word in 25 times since the original.

Though the young actors were excellent, I thought the overall play was a let-down and the comedy was dated.

You could see the gags coming a mile off. In all, it left me thinking: ”Where are all our young writers?”

With Ringo’s new song and Russell’s new remix, surely, being Culture year, it’s time to start digging the new breed.

D Valentine, Liverpool 4

Culture closures

I OVERHEARD a woman saying she was really surprised to see Vivienne Westwood in Liverpool and that it has probably only opened for the Capital of Culture Year and will close shortly afterwards.

Poor love. She probably thinks that in 2009 the Liver Birds will fly, the cathedrals, galleries, museums and theatres will close their doors and the Mersey will dry up taking the oldest ferry service in the world with it, while the world’s heaviest bell rings of portending doom!

Lorraine Hunter, Ellesmere Port

Traffic reports

I LISTENED to Vincent Burke last Wednesday with his unique style of discussing murders past. He was interrupted mid-sentence for another inane traffic report, that in my opinion are 98% useless.

Surely it is not beyond the Radio Merseyside’s management to delete some of these traffic reports during the day?

Mr Sankey, L21

Symbol of faith

PRESSURE group Dark Skies’ branding Right Reverend James Jones hypocritical for lighting up the Anglican cathedral during Lent is cheap opportunism, and I was disappointed to see that the Daily Post fell for it.

Rt Rev Jones has called for each household to take out a lightbulb to save energy over Lent.

Dark Skies says he is guilty of hypocrisy for meanwhile floodlighting the cathedral.

Firstly, the cathedral is doing its bit by switching the lights off at 10.45pm.

Therefore, for most of the night, as is usual when they usually go off at midnight, the area is in darkness.

Secondly, it’s a millennia-old symbol of faith, light in darkness, and represents the religious focal point for the city.

If saving the environment is in the hands of Christians, do they really begrudge us a few volts every night to energise our faith?

Susan Fielding, via email