24/09/05

I was disappointed to open the paper (Echo, Sept 19) to see a photograph of the victorious team with several empty bottles of alcohol prominent in the picture.

I wonder where on earth we are going these days with regard to sportsmen and the consumption of booze.

The example set by the England cricket team, when we witnessed on television one or two of them worse for wear, is now the in-thing and had to be copied by the Durham team.

I am in no way opposed to anyone celebrating any form of success whatever that might be, but that well-known saying "there's a time and place for everything" springs readily to mind.

The place on this occasion was not while being photographed by a well-known newspaper such as The Northern Echo. - Terry Farley, Newton Aycliffe.

CHARLTONS' CHIN-UP

MY BROTHER Bobby and I have been patrons of the Chin-Up charity for 11 years.

Chin-Up is run by volunteers who campaign for an independent (not linked to hospitals or adults hospices) children's hospice and independent hospice service.

Thanks to the generosity of thousands of community fundraisers throughout the region, our charity will be opening a holiday house at Seahouses so that families with a terminally-ill child can enjoy a holiday together.

This beautiful place will be called Jonathan's Half-Way House in memory of the young Byker lad, Jonathan Gittus, who was one of Chin-Up's inspirations.

This letter is to thank all those who support Chin-Up and to tell readers that a special celebratory beach race has been organised between Seahouses and Bamburgh on Sunday, October 23, details of which, including an entry form, can be found on the charity's website www.chin-up-charity.org.uk.

Families with a terminally-ill child who would like to holiday there should write to Mrs Maureen Hardcastle, 18 Pennine Road, Halton le Gate, Brampton, Cumbria CA8 7LB. - Jack Charlton, Patron.

THE QUAKERS

IF THE Quakers do not get promotion this season with so many poor teams in the league, you will see a decline in support next season with a good stadium going to waste. - N Tate, Darlington.

WHITE TAXIS

DURHAM City Council has spent £20,000 appealing against a ruling that not all taxis need be white (Echo, Sept 1).

Any solicitor will advise you that you can only appeal with any chance of success if there is new evidence that could have not been known at the time of the original case, or that the court erred in law.

It seems in this case there was neither, so on what grounds could the council win the appeal? The person responsible for this decision should be dismissed from his job.

Why could the council not have phased out the colour of the taxis over three to five years so as not to cause hardship to the people who own them? - Peter Jefferies, Durham City.

CLEARING THE FOREST

I AM looking for a copy of the book Weardale, Clearing the Forest, by Peter Bowes. I wonder if any of your readers have a copy they would sell me. I am a North-Easterner now living in Devon and I have visited Weardale for the past 50 years and I have an enduring interest in it. - Maureen Wright, Thornlea, Town Lane, Woodbury EX5 1NB. Tel (01395) 232001.

OIL PRICES

IT is inevitable that the price of oil will keep on rising as world supplies of it dwindle.

As with anything that becomes scarce, it becomes more expensive to buy. That is the system of business ethic in which we live.

I have never during the steady climb of the oil price thought it sensible government policy to pass on these price rises to the haulage industry and some years ago forwarded a letter to the Transport Minister to this effect with no reply.

Naturally, the outcome of this policy is that businesses and consumers are forced to pay more through the cost of haulage.

The answer is that much more rapid progress should be made to use an alternative to oil to power all modes of transport. There is no question that this will have to be done eventually.

Britain could be in on the ground floor of such technology. Tinkering with the idea is to let other nations steal a march on us, so let us get on with it. - GH Grieveson, Richmond.

METRIC BABIES

PETER Troy (HAS, Sept 9) regarding metric measures, reminds one of the banana seller who was taken to court and punished for selling fruit only in pounds and not metric as well.

At the same time - and ever since - all babies born in this country are weighed in pounds and ounces, so who should be prosecuted for producing them? Should it be the health service, the mothers or the babies?

At a guess, will the pounds and ounces babies still be born whatever the Europeans demand? - E Reynolds, Wheatley Hill.

REGENERATION

IN promoting Wear Valley District Council's Wellness on Wheels project, concerns were raised that Wear Valley is near the bottom of the healthy eating league (Echo, Sept 16).

A few days earlier, the front page carried an article saying that the Government's campaign to promote healthy eating was floundering.

The same Government and same local authority are doing nothing while Howden gardeners are being evicted from their allotments which have been in use over 60 years.

It would appear that the council is prepared to grant planning permission in order to help regenerate Wear Valley. In the past four years, 70 or 80 houses have been built in Howden. During that time two of the five pubs have closed, the fish shop has closed, the service garage has closed, the dress shop has closed. Existing businesses have seen no upturn in trade. School numbers are at an all-time low and the church will surely close very soon.

Is this regeneration? - Dave Quinn, ex-councillor, Howden-le-Wear, Crook.

LICENSING

I MUST support the views expressed by M Crawley (HAS, Sept 2) on the Licensing Act.

Alcoholism has become the greatest social evil in this country, responsible for not only the wrecking of drinkers' health and characters, but also of the lives of many thousands of victims of alcohol-related road accidents, violent crimes, arson, child abuse and vandalism.

The cost to industry, the NHS, hospitals, prisons and police departments must be crippling.

As alcoholism is now such a scourge in today's society, is it not navety and irresponsibility to invite applications from licensees for extended opening hours?

If granted, these could only mean a further increase in consumption of intoxicants, causing yet more crime as well as serious disturbance in the early hours for residents near pubs and clubs.

If the Government wants to cut violent crime, drink-drive accidents and the huge expense caused to Government departments, it needs to take some strong measures to cut alcohol consumption - not to increase it. - FG Bishop, Darlington.