Tired of the Christmas onslaught

LET’S face it, it is the woman of the household who sorts Christmas out, and I really must put pen to paper regarding the way the retailers start bombarding us with all the goods in the stores starting so early. Supermarkets partly clear shelves of “normal” goods to cram them with Christmas fare, but we still have to cook ordinary meals and there are only so many tins of biscuits and chocolates you can eat, or can afford.

The TV is full of adverts until we are sick to death of them and long for it all to be over. I am sorry for the people with small children who want everything they see. Luckily mine are now adults. You go round the shops, the sales are on now, because everyone is fed up of paying high prices and let’s face it, much of it is useless stuff.

If the retailers got together and decided not to start putting anything out to do with Christmas until at least halfway into October, we might feel a bit more like Christmas.

After all, we women are the ones who have to budget and cope with it all, so think very hard before another year.

From: Barrie Warner, Kirkhamgate, Wakefield.

YOUR short article (The Yorkshire Post, November 18) says that the Royal Mail is ahead of its target for the delivery of first class items.

I would like to point out that where I live our delivery is never before noon and often as late as 4pm. It is a waste of money for anyone to send me a first class item expecting it to be with me before I depart for work.

The target is, however, being met in that it will be with me the following day, but at a time when it is unlikely to be of use to me.

From: Dennis Whitaker, Baildon, Shipley.

JUST a quick question to the bankers amongst your readers. Last year I used my M&S MasterCard for car hire and other out-of-pocket expenses in Cyprus. In October 2014, I did the same. However this year my card carries a “Non Sterling Transaction Fee”, in the case of car hire, amounting to £8.52. In the absence of information to the contrary, is this another example of bankers’ greed?

No excuses on Pacer trains

From: Bob Watson, Baildon.

YOUR Editorial (The Yorkshire Post, November 18) rightly welcomes the Transport Secretary’s stated wish that our antiquated Pacer services be replaced as soon as possible by more modern rolling stock.

However, a word of caution is needed here when one reads in the same paper that the Minister said that he was “working to remove them from major routes”, there being “a case on the more longer distances”.

This seems to give him far too much wriggle room to not replace the entire fleet, which, let’s face it, is not fit for purpose in the 21st century, and would certainly not be tolerated in the south east. Pressure must be continued to get rid of every single Pacer – there is no excuse for the retention of any units, whether refurbished or not.

Wartime nightmares

From: RI Lambert, Ilkley.

I WAS interested to read Alwyn Turner’s article on “The Last Post” (The Yorkshire Post, November 10).

My father was in the 1914-18 War and wounded twice. He was in the Horse Artillery with mules dragging the huge gun carriages – usually through deep mud.

He was still suffering nightmares and frightening his children in the night five or six years later.

The only thing I remember him speaking of was (to the tune of Reveille) “Oh come to the stable, all you who are able, and water your horses and give them some corn”. Does anyone else remember this?

Evans claims his innocence

From: Chris Brook, Rotherham.

GRANT Woodward’s column “Evans case is a symptom of football’s moral decline” (The Yorkshire Post, November 18) has prompted my correspondence.

I think his views regarding the Ched Evans saga are in line with public sentiment. Nevertheless, it is important to point out that the reason Mr Evans “still refuses to acknowledge his crime” is because he still maintains his innocence. He has acknowledged the destructive nature of his acts which led to the conviction, but any further contrition would obviously undermine his appeal.

Where do you draw the line with such cases? Presumably, Mr Woodward is equally appalled by Marlon King (convicted of sexual assault), who has represented Hull City, Leeds United and Sheffield United.

What about Luke McCormick, the current captain of Plymouth Argyle, who was sentenced to seven years and four months in jail for causing death by dangerous driving when over the alcohol limit for driving?

Is it the type of crime that is of most importance, rather than the severity of the sentence?

From: Colette Conlin, Kilham

As a regular reader, I felt urged to write and congratulate you on the excellent article by Grant Woodward on the Ched Evans case.

It was the best report I have read on the matter. Well done.