Sir, - I suspect that if the controversial sculptures proposed for Saltburn were the logos of fast food corporations or petrol companies, they wouldn't excite anything like the same impassioned comment we have seen on this page in recent weeks.

How is it that any original and unique work of "public art" is regarded as fair game for criticism, while we ignore the continuing uglification of our towns and major highways with a clutter of corporate symbols competing for the eye with the sole aim of diverting drivers toward them?

Saltburn is, mercifully, free of these signs apart from an Esso sign at its western end ("come and help us change the climate, folks!"). Most larger towns are in danger of losing their distinctiveness as a few universal logos dominate every high street and every urban approach.

However, they have no pretensions to be "art", they represent the supremacy of the market and the global corporation, and it seems nothing must stand in their way.

Planners and elected politicians seem unable or unwilling to resist. Is it because our ruling parties, their policies, even their annual conferences, rely more and more on funding by the self-same corporations?

PETER GOODWIN

Church Howle Crescent,

Marske-by-Sea.

Wrong place

Sir,- I refer to the recent report concerning the building of a skateboarding park, due to be located at Bedale high school.

While I do not object to the provision of a skateboarding park in principle, I do find the proposed location to be objectionable, principally because of the nuisance and noise that is bound to be generated by the users, to the detriment of the residents in Benkhill Drive and the surrounding area.

As I understand it, the original choice of site for the facility was Bedale park, however the location was moved due to objections from the golf club as it would be only 20 yards from the first tee and the noise level would be a distraction to the players.

I would venture to suggest that the high school site would actually place the facility at less than 20 yards distant from the houses and unlike the golfers who can escape from any noise after their first shot, the residents would have to live with the disruption on a permanent basis.

In my view, the planners should reconsider the location of the skateboarding park and once again consider Bedale park - the preferred option of most people.

W MITCHELL

Benkhill Drive,

Bedale.

Wild claim

Sir, - Olly Andrla calls for objective information on the euro debate (D&S letters, Aug 31) but then goes on to make the wild claim that "adopting the euro would result in substantially lower interest rates".

The fact is that interest rates in Britain have fallen faster than in the Eurozone in the last six months because the Bank of England has been able to react more quickly to changes in the world economy and the difference in short term interest rates has narrowed from 3pc a couple of years ago to just 0.75pc now.

The most important thing is that we have the right interest rate for our economy. If all Olly Andrla's Labour government wants is lower interest rates then they could cut them by changing the inflation target they have given the Bank of England. We do not need to join the euro to have lower interest rates. The key point is that while we keep control of our economy, the government can set whatever policy it judges to be right but if we replace the pound, then those policy options would close.

As for the comments of Bill Morehead, the "tests" which he refers to are not, in fact, the Chancellor's "five economic tests" but the "Maastricht criteria" set by the EU ten years ago. The government created five new tests because they recognised that those criteria were not sufficient and on any objective analysis, the Chancellor's tests have not been satisfied.

JOHN ELLIOTT

Chairman

Business for Sterling North-East.

Garden plan

Sir, - Further to the report regarding the re- routing of the footpath next to Pear Tree Cottage, Hutton Rudby (D&S, Aug 31), I would like to clarify the position which has unnecessarily led to misunderstanding and controversy.

As applicant to the diversion, it is our intention to provide a secure and private garden. It is not our aspiration to build a separate dwelling on the plot of land, which for the avoidance of doubt is not a paddock.

I am aware that a petition has been circulated within the village objecting to this diversion. The petition is misleading as it implies that the footpath will be re-routed across the Honeyman family's field. Users of the footpath will know that the path already crosses this field and will not take an alternative route. A slight alteration to the footpath would be within Pear Tree Cottage's garden curtilage.

Both my husband and I feel aggrieved that such objections will prohibit us from creating a safe environment for our family and stymie the creation of an attractive cottage garden. Finally, my thanks are conveyed to Rudby Parish Council for supporting the application.

(Mrs) EMMA FODEN (nee Speight)

Busby,

Stokesley