Letters to the Editor - 06th May 2008

May 6 2008 Liverpool Daily Post

Arena is long overdue

I HAVE followed with interest recent letters about the new Arena.

I know that a number of readers have complained about the parking facilities and the staffing there, and I have to say I was a little concerned having read their letters.

However, on Saturday afternoon, I took my wife and children to watch the Dancing on Ice tour at the Arena and we had a fantastic time.

It was our first visit to the Arena, and, given the concerns about parking, etc, we left home with plenty of time before the show and were at the Arena a good hour and a half before curtain up (so to speak).

Yes, there was some traffic on The Strand, but that is to be expected, it was a Saturday afternoon and we are still in the middle of some major roadworks (which will be to everyone’s benefit when they are complete).

However, when we got to the actual Arena, it was a breeze to get in and all of the staff there could not have been more helpful to us.

Because we got there early, we had the opportunity to have a little walk around the site and to take in the river views and I was totally blown away by it all.

It is so great to finally have, here in Liverpool, a stunning venue like this – and one which is long overdue.

Oh, and the show was brilliant, too!

F Moore, Allerton

Absolute treat

I HAVE to say I am in complete agreement with your reviewer Emma Johnson (Daily Post, May 5) when it comes to the Dancing on Ice tour.

I went with my grandchildren on Sunday afternoon and it was an absolute treat.

We really got our money’s worth – this show has it all, great fun and great talent.

And for someone who was moved to tears by their performance in Sarajevo all those years ago, it is lovely to see Torvill and Dean back on the ice again.

Elsa Swift, Mossley Hill

Forget past loyalties

AT THE age of 71, I – like my parents and grandparents before me – have always supported the Labour Party, and worked very hard for them when required, and even through the bad times my belief in the Labour Party coming good could not be shifted.

However, since 1997 my disappointment has grown more and more with every year.

It all started off with their first pension award of 75p.

They have done nothing about employers taking pension contribution holidays, and still haven't. They have made it even worse by over taxing pension funds, funds that we as working people fought hard to improve and maintain during our working lives.

And still elderly people have to sell off their homes to get proper care in the evening of their years.

We now have a Parliamentary Labour Party made up with its largest number of female MPs none of which measure up to Bessie Braddock, Barbara Castle, or even the late lamented Gwyneth Dunwoody – these were giants among their gender.

In every vote taken, they all want to take the party line, right or wrong, and keep their noses clean with the party hierarchy.

We need to forget past loyalties to the Labour Party, and start thinking about what we want for ourselves, our children, and grandchildren, and also have more belief in our English heritage and where we want this to go in future.

Bill Lowe, via email

Time to listen

AS A result of Labour's very poor showing in the recent polls, Gordon Brown has said he is prepared to listen and learn/lead.

Only recently, he would not listen or take notice of a very respected Labour MP, the late Gwyneth Dunwoody, who spoke out against Hazel Blears’s decision to divide Cheshire.

Cheshire residents do not want to lose their county's identity, let alone be part of either the Liverpool or Manchester City Regions.

If Gordon Brown wishes to be believed, he must immediately reverse the formation of the two unitary authorities in Cheshire.

Peter Moore Dutton, Tushingham Hall

Wake-up call

SO GORDON BROWN got a good old kicking in the local elections – but will it be the wake-up call that the Labour Party needs to get this country straight again? He is now talking about listening to the people of Britain but I expect that is really all it is . . . talk.

People in this country have had it with being taxed left, right and centre – at the pumps, in our pockets and at the supermarket till.

It does not help the economy in the long run. Put more money back in people’s pockets and they will go out and spend and soon the economy won’t need “help”, it will help itself.

J Samson, Southport

Fine performance

I AM writing to say how much I enjoyed the Shakespeare Celebration performances at the Liverpool Playhouse Theatre (April 23).

I love theatre but not since my own school days have I been interested in Shakespeare. The performance by the fine young people from Archbishop Beck RC High School was a delight and I felt very proud to see these local youngsters give a very fine performance, an example to all of real culture for our city.

The acting was quality and the accents used were very good; such hard work must have been put into their abridged version of Macbeth and I would like to say well done and thank you for a very special evening.

The young people in the audience also deserve a mention, their behaviour was impeccable, we could hear a pin drop!

Let’s hope that yob culture gets less publicity and perhaps the decent young people of our city are put in the spotlight more often.

To tread the boards with the National Youth Theatre on such a famous stage as the Playhouse must mean a lot to these fine young people whose families must be so proud of them.

Mrs B Davies, Liverpool

No support

RE: APRIL 23, St George’s Day, what hypocrites the English are.

The English moan about other nationalities settling in England but on St George’s Day, locally and in the city centre, there was 0.1% of support for St George.

How can people fly a flag for football and not on our day? I saw a car, one taxi, one pub (well done, Mount Vernon, on your painted window) and two public buildings with flags.

It is such an easy logo to portray. Yes, St George’s Hall flew its flag, but as the main hall was being dressed for an evening private function, nothing was happening there. I felt out of place in my all red and white outfit.

Except for selling roses, The Friends of St George’s Hall (I am one) were low key and low coloured. I did not see a rose nor reference on television except for Made in England (BBC).

England O, others – much.

Name supplied, Childwall

Serious illness

POST-NATAL depression is a very serious illness, yet mothers suffering from it seem to come right down at the bottom of the heap when it comes to getting the treatment they need.

Now we learn that Liverpool mothers could find themselves having to travel all the way to Manchester for the medical care they should be able to get right here on their doorsteps (Daily Post, May 5).

This is appalling and could, I imagine, damage these women’s chances of getting well.

Women suffering from post-natal depression are often at their lowest and the idea of them ending up separated from their babies at this terrible time is just abhorrent. Liverpool needs more facilities for treating vulnerable new mums, not less.

K Mather, West Derby

Appalling treatment

I THINK it is appalling that new mothers with severe post-natal depression have to travel to Manchester for treatment (Daily Post, May 5).

The birth of a baby should be the most wonderful time for women but, unfortunately for some, the experience of being a new mum is couple with severe depression.

I fully agree with Mrs Hanzak, who is campaigning for more facilities.

She is right when she says mothers should not be separated from their babies and will need the help and support of their families to help them.

We need a co-ordinated service that works with GPs and PCTs and which can assign specialist beds to new mums.

Mrs C Jones, Crosby

Violent games

GOOD luck to parents trying to keep Grand Theft Auto out of their children’s hands.

Grand Theft Auto IV got unlimited publicity on the television and in the newspapers when it went on sale recently, despite the fact that it is violent, profane, glamorises stealing and objectifies women.

All publicity is good publicity, as its makers know, and as well as the unnecessary hoop-la around it going on sale, it has been publicly praised by experts for the interactive experience as a near perfect game.

At the end of the day it is a game, and games are most popular among children and teenagers.

What a shame such expertise couldn’t have been lavished on a challenge with a more positive message.

F Pearson, Heswall

Cleaning up

WELL done to Hollyoaks for cleaning up at the soap awards over the weekend.

For too long, the soap has been seen as the poor relation to shows like EastEnders, Coronation Street and Emmerdale.

This show is much more than just some pretty faces acting out fluffy storylines.

It tackles some very hard-hitting issues and it is good to see it finally getting the recognition it deserves.

M Bennett, Mossley Hill