Letters: Time to move on

Tanya, a local young lady who has won a national competition, should be rightly proud of her achievement and so should the people of Richmond.

When I heard of the pub's change of name I thought, at last Richmond is moving into the 21st century. Alas it didn't take long for me to be proved wrong.

Frankly what the people who protested found wrong with the change of name or the new sign is totally beyond me.

This is another example of the fuddie duddie brigade keeping the town in the dark ages. Is it any wonder the youngsters get fed up with the place.

Tanya has done more to put Richmond on the map nationally than anyone else in years.

As for your comment that another heritage battle has been won, I feel it is yet another nail in the coffin. It is time people stopped trying to live in the past and openly embraced the future.

It may surprise some people in Richmond but the world isn't flat and you don't fall off if you keep moving forward.

Although being 42 I don't consider myself to be old and I enjoy reading FHM magazine along with my son and I say good luck to you Tanya and most if not all of the younger local people are behind you 100pc.

So come on people of Richmondshire, let's have a cheer for Tanya.

MARK RASBEARY

Richmond Road,

Catterick Garrison.

Welcome relief

Sir, - The Levenside Residents of Great Ayton who wrote last week (D&S letters, Feb 7) are quite right: the reduction of heavy lorry traffic due to the road closure at Pinchinthorpe is most noticeable and appreciated too.

This closure obliges lorries to use the Nunthorpe bypass, which is really the official route for them. Unfortunately at the three traffic roundabouts at Strikes, Poole and Swan's Corner all traffic must give way and negotiate the islands and that is difficult for heavy lorries, especially for those going North-East.

By choosing the route through Great Ayton, the only place where drivers must give way is at the new mini roundabout at Hookstone Corner. This is not such a great obstacle to them, particularly for those going North-East. Added to that this route is shorter.

In spite of their ugly appearance, the road calming measures have been effective but we still have articulated lorries and tankers of five or six axles using our village roads. They have no reason to do so.

These roads are unsuitable for juggernauts because they are narrow in places and built-up for more than a mile. The dangers to all pedestrians and other road users are unnecessary and the nuisance to householders can be avoided.

Public opinion on speeding, pollution and noise has hardened in recent years. Now that the lorry companies have moved out of the village and weight restrictions have been made on nearby roads it is time lorries were banned here too.

Great Ayton Parish Council is the body that could most effectively ask North Yorkshire County Council highways department to impose a weight restriction. I shall ask them to do that. The request will carry more weight if other villagers write similar letters to the council.

JANET SWABEY

Skottowe Drive,

Great Ayton.

Political reality

Sir, - Coun David Walsh claims (D&S, Feb 7) that his move to Eston has nothing to do with the fact that he knows that he would lose if he fought Loftus.

If he has served the people of Loftus well he would have no fear of standing on his record. He knows that having let them down they would boot him out.

Recalling that he has over the years stood in three or four places, he forgets to mention that the reason for his doing so was whenever he was in danger of losing his council seat.

He calls himself a foot soldier, well now he is hotfooting it to Eston. Believing it to be safe Labour seat he insults the people there by expecting them to vote him in.

VERA MOODY

Conservative group leader,

Redcar & Cleveland Council.

Due praise

Sir, - It is very easy to simply condemn those who break the law, and it is obviously right that they should be apprehended, appropriately punished and where possible encouraged, and if necessary compelled, to make amends for their crime.

However, when they do something constructive it is surely right that that should also be acknowledged.

The churchyard of St Mary's Masham is very large and contains a great number of gravestones - many of considerable age. The church has limited financial means and the care of the churchyard fails on the shoulders of a few willing volunteers.

However, for some time now we have had groups of young men serving community service orders working very hard to straighten dangerously leaning gravestones and to tidy the churchyard.

It would be difficult for the Church with its limited resources to carry out all this work and I think it right that the hard work of these men should be acknowledged. We are grateful to them for the work they carry out to help keep the churchyard looking attractive, both for those who have family or friends buried there and to visitors.

Rev DAVID CLEEVES

The Vicarage,

Rodney Terrace,

Masham.

RSC rudeness

Sir, - I would like to say thank you to Hambleton District Council for the commitment it has shown in encouraging the visit by the prestigious Royal Shakespeare Company to the Hambleton Leisure Centre in Northallerton. The outstanding performances are, as always, an absolute perfection of their art.

However, after experiencing three hours of superb acting in Coriolanus on Tuesday, February 4, I would like to say how disgusted my husband and I were at the rudeness shown by the people who left before the first applause had started.

I feel outrage that this lack of manners should be seen by the actors themselves. And, believe me, sitting on the front row we saw only too well how they noticed them. To have waited for a few moments to express their appreciation was the least they should have done.

Despite this we hope that the RSC will return in the future for theatregoers in the Hambleton area to witness the high standards displayed by this world class company.

MICHELE I'ANSON

Fairfield,

Thirsk