Sir, - Your report "Coffee shop could be lost in hospital revamp" (D&S, Jan 2), in which you reported a comment from an "unnamed Friends volunteer" about the impending closure of the coffee shop facility at the Friarage Hospital in Northallerton, did not give the full story.

I can confirm that, in order for preparatory work to take place to provide heating and other essential services for the new £18m first phase development, the existing coffee shop will have to be closed and a new purpose-built shop provided by the hospital trust.

This shop will not, unfortunately, be able to provide a tea and coffee service. As reported this facility will in future be provided by trust staff and be available for longer hours.

The new shop will be in a much more central location, situated at the main entrance, which is to be completely refurbished. The shop will carry a wide range of stock, including newspapers, which the Friends have only recently started selling, a service which is much appreciated by patients and staff as well as by visitors to the hospital.

The trust really does value the support given by the Friends of the Friarage over almost 50 years. Your readers will no doubt be aware that the Friends are contributing £700,000 towards the children's ward in the new development.

It would have been easy for the trust to put the provision of the shop out to tender, where it would have been taken over by a private firm, with little or no benefit to the hospital.

The committee of the Friends of the Friarage (who were not consulted by your reporter) welcome the trust's faith in them to provide this facility at a hospital for the twenty-first century, of which this town should be proud.

BRIAN THOMPSON

Chairman, Friends of the

Friarage

East Cowton,

Northallerton.

ID cards

Sir, - Soon we will hear officers of our public services trying to convince us of their justification for increasing the police and fire service contents of our council tax by fifteen times the rate of inflation.

They obviously have no experience of managerial accountability in the commercial or industrial world where such increases on goods and services would quickly render the company bankrupt. Local government has always regarded the council tax payer as an open cheque book.

There is, however, a method of saving costs on our public services nationally and reducing council taxes by issuing identity cards to all legal residents of the country.

Civil libertarians arguments against ID cards are now purely emotional. I have personal experience of working and living in countries where carrying ID cards was mandatory. My civil liberties were not impaired in the slightest, in fact my civil liberties were being protected.

Data protection is only a myth as can be seen from the amount of daily junk mail we all receive. Our personal details are held by banks, credit companies, insurance companies, schools, hospitals etc. Technology and commerce have blown a hole in data protection, so an ID card will not possess any personal information already known by others.

There are hundreds of thousands of people residing in our country illegally which are causing a massive drain on our public services.

ID cards are the solution. Civil libertarians would say this is "big brother" watching which of course is nonsense.

ID cards would be necessary to demonstrate entitlement to social services, benefits, schools, and medical treatment. The commercial world would also ultimately insist on ID cards to prevent fraud.

Living in this country would be extremely difficult without access to a public, social or financial service which would be a powerful deterrent to illegal occupation.

The cost of ID cards would be paid for by the massive cost savings made in the health service and social services and these savings made by central government can be passed to local government i.e. savings in our council tax.

ID cards will not threaten civil liberties, they will differentiate between those who are entitled to public services from those who are not.

The only people who fear ID cards are those with something to hide and those who wish to protect such people.

TREVOR NICHOLSON

Mill Lane,

Leeming.

A big year

Sir, - 2004 will be a very important year for the North-East, and for County Durham in particular.

In the autumn, we will have the opportunity to take part in the Great North Vote. Everyone in the North-East will be able to vote on whether some of the decisions affecting our lives currently taken in London should be devolved to a new, directly-elected regional assembly.

In County Durham, voters will also have the opportunity to decide on a new structure for local councils.

An organisation, based in Durham, has been set up to campaign for a Yes vote on regional government.

A group affiliated to the campaign has been set up to improve people's understanding of what regional government will mean and why it is important.

The Durham Group is keen to welcome anyone interested in becoming involved in this historic campaign. No knowledge of the workings of government is necessary as training will be given. All you need is a belief that the region is being short-changed by the present system and that more decisions should be taken closer to the people affected by them.

We are also able to provide speakers to groups and organisations wishing to know more about the Great North Vote.

For more information log on to www.yes4thenortheast.com.

RICHARD SIMPSON

c/o Yes4thenortheast

PO Box 409,

Durham.

Lights thanks

Sir, - The Saltburn 500 Club would like to thank everyone who contributed in any way towards the Christmas Lights Appeal, everyone who helped prepare and store away the lights, and all who helped with the fund-raising.

On behalf of Saltburn - thank you - without all this help we would not have Christmas lights in Saltburn.

JACKIE TAYLOR

Saltburn 500 Club.