Yorkshire hospitality – good and bad

THE British round of the World Rally Championship used to include a large proportion of special stages in Yorkshire (Tom Richmond, The Yorkshire Post, July 12).

Now it is entirely held in Wales, due to funding I believe from the Welsh Parliament, and is now a non-event as far as the British public is concerned.

Yorkshire is so well placed to host the whole rally, with its range of forest and stately home stages, plus Croft and Oliver’s Mount.

A GP at Croft? I once designed a Grand Prix circuit for Croft Autodrome, with a multiple circuit layout, pits complex, motor museum, hotel etc, for my final thesis project at Leeds School of Architecture back in the 1960s. My drawings are still available in the attic!

From: CR Atkinson, Far Banks, Honley, Holmfirth.

IN April, I booked two double rooms for single occupancy in one of Harrogate’s largest hotels for two nights of the Great Yorkshire Show. On viewing the rooms, one was a single (usual shoebox) and one was a twin. The receptionist was adamant that she didn’t know the rooms were not doubles (as per the printout we had) and could not change them until the following day. After a price adjustment, but excluding any recompense for the whole affair, we agreed to move the following day. We had to pack again – the hotel would not move our luggage.

After a day at the show, we returned to the double rooms. Unfortunately, the garret – it was on the top floor, overlooked a building site where work started at 7am, and as there was no air conditioning, it was necessary to have all the windows open, so a lie-in was not possible – and had a step up into the room and a step down into the bathroom.

Last year, precisely the same awful situation – non-fulfilment of a confirmed booking – occurred in a boutique hotel in Harrogate. Hence our trial of a large, impersonal establishment.

But, of course, how foolish of me, overseas visitors do not return; they have other places to visit.

From: Coun Stewart Golton, Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group, Leeds City Council.

THE last few days have seen some great news for Yorkshire. After the brilliant staging of the Tour de France Grand Départ last weekend we finally got the go-ahead for the West Yorkshire Transport Fund from the Government. Originally negotiated by the Leeds City Region with Nick Clegg two years ago this has been held up by Whitehall infighting.

The Government has now agreed to provide a total of £420m, which along with local contributions, will create a transport fund of up to a billion pounds. Most importantly though is not the actual money, welcome though it is, it’s the fact that local people in the Leeds City Region will be able to decide how it should be spent.

That is the real plus for this agreement, and we should really thank Nick Clegg for pushing this deal through against a great deal of reluctance by central government to transfer any decision making out of Whitehall.

A lack of decency

From: Mrs S Galloway, Stirrup Close, York.

AS though the relatives of those who were on the Malaysian jet are not suffering enough, we now have the disgusting news that a Sky News reporter has been rifling through the personal belonging of those who were on board. For what purpose? Hoping to find a sensational story with which to burnish his credentials?

It was bad enough seeing the photo in this week’s Sunday Times of a rebel holding up a child’s toy monkey as though it was some kind of trophy. Clearly no thought is given to the fact that this may have been a gift from a now grieving relative and no acknowledgement of their suffering. Clearly the time has come for the silent majority who value decency and human life to make their views roundly and loudly heard.

Blue badge exploited

From: Michael J Robinson, Berry Brow, Huddersfield.

Is it possible to work out how to legislate to forbid cars from being parked on double yellow lines by able-bodied drivers having a disabled holder of a blue badge as a passenger, when it is not for the benefit of the disadvantaged badge holder?

Cars displaying a blue badge would park on double yellow lines opposite a fish and chip shop while the driver ran across the road leaving the disabled passenger to point to the blue badge in the windscreen from their seat in the conveniently parked car. Conveniently for the brazen driver, of course, and not for the particular benefit of the person to whom the blue badge was awarded.

Harsh style still in fashion

From: Max Nottingham, St Faith’s Street, Lincoln.

ESTHER McVey won the fashion photo call following the reshuffle. But Michael Gove’s replacement Nicky Morgan will be closely watched by the teachers.

Ms McVey is said to have supported all Iain Duncan Smith’s harsh welfare reforms.

Not very feminine, is it?