Outsider sees regeneration chance for city

As a confirmed Leeds Loiner by birth, I admit that the negativity surrounding the city of Bradford has tended to keep me away. A recent visit, however, opened my eyes to its regeneration possibilities, ably documented in Nick Ahad’s article (Yorkshire Post, April 8).

All is not lost. Eyesores can soon become jewels, with a little effort and wholehearted co-operation. Perhaps I wasn’t so worried by the lack of a huge shopping centre; what I could see was a city down on its luck. Sandblast a few buildings, transform Centenary Square into a green and pleasant central space, and improvements might start to kick off from small acorns.

The quality of the multi-cultural cafés was impressive. There are plenty of different shops. The cathedral has just installed a new bishop; its presence, overlooking the city centre, is as attractive as its interior beauty. Rebirth is just waiting to happen, and a few eye-catching improvements will soon spread the word.

There is one thorny issue, common to many “big” cities – the football club. It is crux time now. Bradford City FC is languishing perilously at the foot of Division Two, alongside fellow cathedral cities Lincoln and Hereford. The 1990s glory days seem a distant and unreachable past and future dream. The support base is very good indeed. Does the city want and/or need a highly successful football club, or is it happy to drift along in the soccer doldrums?

Exactly 100 years ago, in April 1911, Bradford City FC won the FA Cup, beating Newcastle United in an Old Trafford replay. Captain Jimmy Speirs lifted a new cup, appropriately made by Bradford jewellers Fattorini’s. So let the change begin in Centenary Square, in honour of the city’s FA Cup winners, and in perennial tribute to those who lost their lives in the tragic fire.

Football is a powerful modern indicator of a city’s prosperity. But multi-cultural Bradford has so much more to offer its visitors, and much more to celebrate, than just claret and amber colours. An outsider can sometimes see much more potential than downtrodden and fed up locals. The dream can become a colourful reality.

From: Bob Watson, Springfield Road, Baildon, Shipley.

IN a funny sort of way, it was a comfort to read the letter from Jack Brown (Yorkshire Post, April 11) who described phoney consultation meetings in Barnsley with Yorkshire Forward (YF) that included exotic plans by Will Alsop. The council leadership there, chasing YF funds, totally ignored the views of the ratepayers.

I had thought that it was only in Bradford that we had been steamrollered by YF. Here in Bradford, we are about to get a £24m city park that few seem to want, and face the possible loss of the Odeon Cinema building that most wish to see retained and refurbished.

As Mr Brown says, there should indeed be a public inquiry into these whole economic disasters. To many of us, the final closure of Yorkshire Forward cannot come soon enough.

Council must help hotels

From: Ms JA Dey, Bridle Stile, Shelf, Halifax.

WHEN reading your article about the Old Mill Inn, Langtoft (Yorkshire Post, April 13) and the removal of signs, I felt the need to write and say that in the present financial climate small businesses need all the help that they can have.

One cannot understand East Riding Council which wants to promote the East Coast and the Yorkshire Wolds to the public, and then forbids the owner of the above hotel using a sign to advertise what their facilities are.

I have on occasions dined at the Old Mill Inn. The hotel is down a small country lane and not visible when travelling on the B1253 which is signposted with brown signs as a scenic route when leaving Bridlington or Sledmere.

Also from the B1249, it is not easy to see and one is past the lane end which leads to the hotel before you realise that there is a hotel along that country lane.

It is time that the East Riding Council stops all this bureaucracy and helps these small hotel owners to stay in business and not give them such hassle.

Factors for heart decision

From: Jeremy Glyde, Safe and Sustainable Programme Director, National Specialised Commissioning Team.

IN response to your report on the Save our Surgery campaign by the Children’s Heart Surgery Fund (Yorkshire Post, April 15), there is no doubting that there is considerable local support for the unit at Leeds General Infirmary and people power is clearly strong, but I must stress that this is not a vote.

Decisions will be made based on thorough and robust analysis of the impact of each proposal on those currently using children’s congenital heart services or providing them and whether the proposals will result in better outcomes for all babies and children born with complex heart conditions – which has to be our main priority.

A significant part of what we will be looking at during this time includes what you tell us in response to the proposals currently being consulted on.

The public really do have an opportunity to directly influence the outcome of this review.

No decisions have yet been made and all responses will be considered.