From a potential boycott to a bio-dome - your views

7:44am Thursday 3rd July 2008

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42 carat plonker at Lord Rodney

I visited the "new" Lord Rodney public house, Keighley as a paying customer today (Sunday the 22nd June).

I have eagerly awaited its re-opening for some time, on this experience I shouldn't have bothered! For the record, Sunday the 22nd June 2008 in Keighley was a grey, overcast day with occasional showers, hence the need to wear a waterproof "raincoat" jacket with a hood.

On arriving at the at the pub entrance, I was allowed in by the "bouncers" on the proviso that I removed my raincoat; being somewhat perturbed at this petty request, I went inside with coat unbuttoned to order a half of Taylors Best Bitter.

After a few minutes quietly minding my own business drinking my beer I was interrupted by one of the meatheads from the door who insisted that I remove my raincoat: "Excuse me but you were told to remove your coat." I replied, "OK is there anywhere I can hang my coat then?" Reply: "No, but no hoods allowed"!

So there you have it - don't go to the Lord Rodney on a rainy day wearing a raincoat because you will be stereotyped as a hoodie! And made to feel very uncomfortable indeed.

I regret to pass on this negative message but I have been a regular paying customer at countless pubs all over the country without incident. On this experience I have to quote the immortal Del Boy and say "What a 42 carat plonker you really are, Rodney".

Brett Midgley, Farra Street, Oxenhope

Charles Dent, from Timothy Taylor, said: "We deeply regret the over zealous approach of the security staff at the Lord Rodney. We are in the business of encouraging people to enjoy our pubs, not discourage them. I was already aware of the situation and steps have been taken to ensure it doesn't happen again. I know Brett is a loyal customer of a number of our Keighley pubs and I very much hope this isolated incident does not put him off enjoying a return visit in the near future. The refurbished Lord Rodney is a pub of which we are justifiably proud and one which will add a new and sophisticated leisure amenity in the centre of Keighley."

Debate flats above shops

I would like to thank Frank Brook of Kingfisher Developments for responding to my comments on town centre living. Statements on housing issues can be controversial and these were not directed towards the magnificent Royal Arcade but very much in support of it in a widened debate.

I don't think flats above shops are suitable accommodation for young families and I don't think single people with problems - who are there because there is nowhere else - are suitable tenants for this type of property.

We have a wider social responsibility to house people properly.

I was focusing more on past events regarding a minority of residents elsewhere. I recall a heavy item being dropped from a flat in Cavendish Street on to the ornate canopy and damaging it.

This type of activity deters businesses from taking shop units which is why I believe there are so many empty and run down shops on North Street in particular. One side has housing above it and the other does not; take a look at both and you will see my point.

These fine shopping parades are vital to the town's economy; simplistically leaving them to market forces has failed and we need to take a holistic approach to town centre management if Keighley is to thrive.

In 2007, Christmas decorations were placed in East Parade for the first time in years and Mr Brook has been invited many times to attend Keighley Town Council's Events (Advisory) Panel, which I chair.

It works very successfully in partnership to promote Keighley's services and would love to hear his ideas of how we can best help the East side of town.

Cllr Tony Wright, Events (Advisory) Panel

Potential for mass boycott

As the parent of a child with special needs who in theory will attend the proposed new "Beechcliffe" special school, I was interested to read in last week's Keighley News that work is soon to start on this project, even though the obviously troubled Greenhead Upper School "co-located" on the same site appears to be under threat of closure.

However, my interest was turned to dismay to read elsewhere in the paper about Greenhead's endemic social problems, with open gang warfare appearing to be the order of the day and the police patrolling the grounds to prevent trouble at break times.

I find it almost unbelievable that the powers that be would give the go ahead to this project, when clearly Greenhead has some serious problems that won't be addressed by simply providing a new building.

Unless I have also joined the muddled thinking brigade', wouldn't most reasonable people also find the idea of co-locating Keighley's most vulnerable children alongside a failing upper school with some serious gang culture issues absolutely scandalous?

Parents of mainstream school children are clearly refusing to send their kids anywhere near Greenhead and yet the authorities are expecting our special needs children to venture into the lion's den. I for one am asking, do I really want to send my child into this sort of environment and, indeed, is it morally right to put these two groups of children in such close proximity to each other?' Come on, Bradford Council, we really need some joined up thinking here.

Don't we owe it to our special needs children to give them the extra special attention that they so rightly deserve!

I suspect that like me, many parents will be watching developments closely and unless plans change then I can see a potential mass boycott of the new Beechcliffe school come its opening in 2010.

Paul McDermott Longacre Lane, Haworth

Fantastic gala collection

Through your letters page, I would personally like to thank the people of Keighley for their generous contributions made during the Gala Parade on Saturday -- a fantatstic £924 was raised.

Also thanks for the work put in on the day and weeks leading up to the event by the Committee and other volunteers. The procession was a glorious array of colour and entertainment. Once again we were proud to entertain our great veterans, but mainly I would like to thank the people of Keighley for their continued support.

Once again I thank you all.

Gerald Newton (Acting-Chairman, Keighley Charities Gala)

PS Please Note next year the parade will take a shorter and more direct route from Malsis Road to Victoria Park.

Bio-dome idea for car park

Regarding Damside car park I think everyone would like to see this white elephant eventually rise like a phoenix from the flames.

My radical idea for the site is to celebrate Keighley via Damside!

How? Create a bio-dome type/glasshouse area of architectural excellence where one enters at one end on a disabled-friendly path edged on both sides with eye-catching perennial and annual flowers and constantly attended to by professional/volunteer gardeners to create a "wow" factor.

Walk along the maze-like path, up and down, and in doing so step back in time. Instead of hedges seen in a traditional maze use display boards which depict life in Keighley and its surroundings as the time line/walk goes on.

Ask local schools / individuals to contribute works of art depicting different periods in the life of Keighley. These would have to be placed on the display boards under a protective covering to deter vandals, etc. Yes, you can go to the museum in Cliffe Castle to educate oneself about our town. But by having the KWVR and the Bronte experience nearby could this attraction be another first? Of course Bradford Council would have to fund this idea.

J F ACKROYD Worth Cottage, Haworth.

Students were outstanding

Recently, I was privileged to go on a pilgrimage to Lourdes, in France. Three coaches of students and staff of Holy Family School went for the pilgrimage for a week.

Last year, I flew so I was not sure what to expect on the coach journeys. I need not have worried!

I am pleased to report that there were not any problems on the journeys. The outward journey, a thousand miles, took 14 hours but there were no complaints from the young people in the coaches. When we arrived at the stopping places, there was no shouting or bad' behaviour.

The same can be said of all the week. The students were busy all the time, helping with meals (including breakfasts at 7am), pushing wheelchairs, and other essential tasks. Nothing was too much trouble for the students.

The week did pose its problems - caused by the heavy rain and bright sun. The students were wet through but they took it in their stride. The students all talked to all the disabled persons when they were pushing their wheelchairs and became friends. On hot days, the students brought cups of water when the disabled needed it and took the wheelchairs out of the sun. I did not see the students complain once.

The staff at Lourdes were very pleased by the way the students behaved and the way they helped the disabled. The students acted as if they were a part of a big family and the disabled people were very happy to be looked after by this group of teenagers. Nothing was too much for the students and it was a pleasure to be looked after by this group of Holy Family students. By looking at the faces of the students, I know that they got a lot form the week as well.You hear a lot of news of the bad behaviour of the young people. If this group is anything to go by, the Holy Family School is one of the best in the area. All the students and staff of Holy Family School, are outstanding.

Michael Shearing, High Spring Gardens Lane, Keighley