YP Letters: Bank closures impact most on the elderly

From: RJA Ayre, Elvington, York.
The diminution of bank services in rural areas is causing consternation.The diminution of bank services in rural areas is causing consternation.
The diminution of bank services in rural areas is causing consternation.

GREG Wright is correct in all he says about banks (The Yorkshire Post, September 2) and the disenfranchisement of sections of society.

During my career in the Forestry Commission, I and my wife lived in several remote places, with the nearest banks 16 or more miles away and no public transport. Sometimes the local pub would cash a cheque for folk they knew well. It was my choice of career. But we were young and fit then. Now, well into retirement, I can only drive in the relative proximity of Elvington to access services.

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So well done for highlighting what is an increasing problem for many people – of all ages and capabilities. Many older folk are not IT literate and are frightened of IT equipment, and may no longer have folk to help them.

Thus the continuing need for friendly, smiling, helpful, over-the-counter bank staff. Time the banks remembered they are service industry, i.e. a service to the customer first.

I believe Kirkbymoorside no longer has a bank. So people are told to go nine miles to Malton. But folk in places like Farndale will already have travelled 10 miles to get to Kirkby.

Unqualified disasters

From: Terry Maunder, Leeds.

JEREMY Hunt is not qualified to be a Health Minister. Philip Hammond is not an economist. Amber Rudd has no qualifications to do her job. Look what messes they’re all making of it.

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Now we watch as David Davis et al make a hash of Brexit. He has no qualifications, specifically in negotiating skills, and it shows. This whole thing is going to be a disaster. None of them are qualified to do anything in reality. We will pay the price.

From: Jean Lorriman, Waterloo, Huddersfield.

DESPITE a degree in geography, Theresa May is ignorant of serious loss of life that will occur if Huddersfield’s A&E and hospital are lost.

I suggest that the PM digs out her atlas and realises the stupidity, idiocy and, above all, danger of what is being inflicted on one of England’s largest towns.

Why not visit neighbour?

From: Terry Thomas, Grosvenor Park Gardens, Leeds.

YOUR columnist Jayne Dowle (‘Help our elderly people by looking closer to home’, The Yorkshire Post, September 4) suggests we all might help our elderly neighbours a bit more to take the burden off the formal care services.

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At the same time she tells us how: “Every morning I look out of the window and think about the lady down the road. I saw her in her garden last summer... I don’t see her now. Instead I see her carers arrive twice a day and ponder what her life must be like.”

I’m sure this lady would appreciate a visit from her neighbour, should Ms Dowle try knocking on the door.

Name worthy of great city

From: John Redfearn, Whitby Road, Pickering.

I HAVE been stirred into writing to you again following your article ‘City of Success ‘(The Yorkshire Post, August 30). My wife and I visited Hull earlier in the year and enjoyed the experience so much we are visiting again this month.

One of my grandsons is considering going to the university, but was told that Hull was known as ‘dull Hull’ and so is put off by this. If the city was called by its full name, that is, ‘Kingston upon Hull’, I feel that the image would be different.

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A visit would show him how friendly are the people and all the wonderful places to visit.

Pies and prejudice?

From: Charlie Garth, Bedford Street, Ampthill, Bedfordshire.

I AM told the Victorians rated Scarborough as an “upmarket holiday destination”. My, how things have changed.

When I visited the other week, the whole town reeked of fish and chips, while the promenade was full of badly-dressed, lardy, red-faced characters looking like they had eaten too many pies and drunk too much beer. The language they used – when I could understand their thick Yorkshire accents – was frequently foul-mouthed. And that was only the children. Give me Bognor any day.

Unforgivable rebel tour

From: Roger Ingham, Aldersley Avenue, Skipton.

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I AM still totally perplexed why anyone of reasonable moral values should even remotely consider a knighthood for Geoffrey Boycott.

The self-righteous Mr Boycott and his cohorts chose to prolong the obscenity of apartheid by partaking in a rebel tour to South Africa, at a time when virtually the entire international community was applying pressure upon that country’s oppressive regime based upon the colour of a person’s skin.

Unsuitable for a Royal role

From: Diana M Priestley, The Parkway, Darley Dale.

MY grateful thanks to Andrew Vine (The Yorkshire Post, August 29) for expressing an opinion on Diana, Princess of Wales, that I believed was mine alone.

From the start she was quite unsuitable for Prince Charles, too young, not clever enough, and too self-centred to be “back up troops”, a role that Prince Philip has filled with humour and dignity for 60 years.