Scandalous Yorkshire Bank name change is a snub to loyal customers – Yorkshire Post letters

FORMER Leeds West MP Michael Meadowcroft is right when he says (The Yorkshire Post, June 27) Yorkshire Bank will damage its image by dropping its name following Clydesdale and Yorkshire Bank Group’s takeover of Virgin Money.

The true value of Yorkshire Bank brand – Yorkshire Post letters

Yorkshire Bank is wrong when it says the name change to Virgin Money is not a significant issue with customers.

Mark Casci: What the axing of the Yorkshire Bank brand means for the future of banking

As a Yorkshireman, I have been with the Yorkshire Bank for almost 55 years and, like Mr Meadowcroft, will consider banking elsewhere.

Yorkshire Bank will close these six branches including in Leeds

The merger of the 175-year-old Yorkshire Bank is obviously not about customers, promoting the Yorkshire image, or having any loyalty to the people of God’s Own County, but down to the bean counters who see it as a quick way of increasing profits and which will doubtless involve huge payouts to the fat cats.

It is a pity CYBG did not instead consider ways of strengthening and enlarging Yorkshire Bank.

Its new name is verging on the ridiculous.

Students face farcical system

From: Matthew Smith, Sheffield.

ONE look at the social media accounts for Student Finance England reveals that there appears to be issues with valid identity evidence being rejected.

Students without a valid passport have to fill in an applicant’s declaration of identity form which applicants must get signed by a “person of good standing in the community”.

Last year I had to abandon plans for university due to Student Finance England rejecting a form confirming my identity which had been countersigned by a Methodist minister. The minister was rejected as he did not have a work landline phone number.

I sent in a replacement form signed by a lady who is the manager of a VAT-registered charity (an acceptable occupation according to the Student Finance England website).

This form too was rejected due to the occupation being unacceptable according to whoever assessed the form, meaning I had to abandon plans for university this year. The Student Finance England social media channels and posts on The Student Room website from disgruntled students show I am far from an isolated case.

This is wrong, as is the fact that students are forced to wait weeks for evidence to be processed. Students should be able to submit their evidence and have documents checked at their university without having to deal with this farce of a system.

Prescott no statesman

From: Elizabeth Simpson, Searby, Lincolnshire.

TOM Richmond considers John Prescott a statesman (The Yorkshire Post, June 29). What planet has Mr Richmond been living on? This is the same man who punched a protestor in Wales. Very statesmanlike to brawl in public!

Oh and let’s not forget the two-year extra-marital affair with an employee which ‘devastated’ his wife. The words I would use to describe Lord Prescott are ‘deceitful’ and ‘sleazy’.

Brief history of education

From: Sheila Seymour, Church Fenton, Tadcaster.

IN the autumn term of 1967, as a brand new teacher in a York Secondary Modern school, I was asked by the headmaster to start a CSE course in history. I took advice about the options.

I chose “Britain since 1700” and even now often refer to the helpful Longmans textbook we used. Like Jayne Dowle (The Yorkshire Post, June 27), I felt that my 15-year-old pupils should have a basic knowledge of the last few centuries.

When we started the course, the following September, even then Jayne, those pupils had to choose between geography and history.

Focus on the local issues

From: Judy Goodwin, Altofts.

I DO wish councillors would stick to what taxpayers want from them – bins emptied, roads swept – rather than fancying themselves as political big-hitters.

I would take Wakefield Council leader Peter Box more seriously regarding the enviroment if he was to say all councillors must go about their business on push- bikes. Of course the mayor and mayoress would be given a tandem for their civic duties.

How does he equate the council allowing the building of thousands of houses on green fields near Pinderfields, or trying to ruin the village of Altofts by turning it into a mini-town, with putting yourself on an environmental pedestal?

Thanks to NHS staff

From: Linda Twohig, Heckmondwike.

I WOULD like, through The Yorkshire Post, to thank both Huddersfield and Calderdale hospitals for the wonderful treatment given to me. I was admitted last Thursday for an operation after I was contacted by the hospital to see if I would like to take a cancelled appointment.

I was admitted with a welcome smile and made to feel very relaxed. So thank you to staff at both hospitals, angels all.

Poachers under fire

From: Arthur Quarmby, Mill Moor Road, Meltham.

EVERY year, more rhinos and African elephants are being killed by poachers than are being born. I think it very reasonable that poachers be shot, to prevent extinction.