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Letters - July 27
As someone who, in a previous career as a zoo scientist, has "cut-up" an elephant, a giraffe, and other large zoo animals I can assure you, contrary to claims by the presenter of Channel 4's Inside Nature's Giants that "whenever a zoo animal dies a post mortem is carried out as a matter of course", that they are not.
Some of the animals I was involved with – the elephant in particular – were "cut-up" to make them easier to handle and transport for disposal.
It is a very disturbing development that we turn the dissection of a majestic animal into voyeuristic entertainment. There is no need whatsoever for most people to see such a dissection, and it is most certainly not educational.
The televising of such unnecessary inquisitiveness will only lead to the denigration of the little respect that our species still has for animals.
Crumple, the Blackpool Zoo elephant who was the subject of the first programme, had her freedom was taken from her when she was made into a tourist attraction, and she was denied her dignity. In death she was again denied her freedom and her dignity – as have all the other animals in the series.The Royal Veterinary College should hang its head in shame for its part in the making of this television series.
Just because we can doesn't mean that we should.
David Spratt
Scientific Consultant
The Captive Animals' Protection Society, Manchester
Find fitting name for resort's great spectacle
After seeing the dramatic pictures in The Gazette of Brilliance, surely it's time now for the sceptics and doom-mongers to finally accept defeat and embrace the fact that the new lighting scheme down Birley Street is going to be a fantastic attraction, not only for tourists but for locals as well.
My only criticism is that the backdrop of shop fronts does nothing to enhance the spectacle and I hope that even in these times of a certain amount of retail hardship that the owners of certain properties realise that they could be sitting on a possible goldmine in the terms of increased footfall and decide to spend money on either sprucing up or
completely revamping their premises.
While on this subject I would like to suggest a name change to Birley Street itself, to reflect the this innovative scheme.
Possible names could include Brilliance Street, Brilliance Boulevard or The Six Arches.
Maybe the council could hold a renaming competition... come on everyone let's get behind this new and very exciting addition to Blackpool's fantasticrejuvenation.
name and address supplied
It's not surprising that shop owners in Blackpool are having a hard time with parking charges putting off motorists and
shoppers from using the town.
These latest increases however won't affect me as I have been shopping and spending my money in Preston for the past four years.
Blackpool is cutting its own throat and the stupid council don't even realise what they are doing driving shoppers out the town centre.
Tone from Thornton
Thornton
We gave up shopping in
Blackpool a long time ago after an altercation with one of the traffic wardens, we now use Preston.
These parking charges will only send more shoppers heading in that direction.
The council seem oblivious to the parking needs of local shoppers and the traders that they support. The only thing consistently coming out this council is the ultimate end to Blackpool as a shopping
destination.
mjh@geccy
Wyre
Coun Callow says "We don't want Preston stealing our
shoppers".
Preston doesn't need to steal the shoppers, Blackpool gift wraps them and puts a nice
ribbon round them. No wonder the trains and roads are busy with people going to Preston.
People are not going to stop using their cars to go by bus. Why keep paying more to park in Blackpool when its working out cheaper to drive to Preston and enjoy a better shopping
environment.
Surely the way forward is to drop the car parking charges and get more people coming here thereby raising more money.
Less equals more.
Blackpool is struggling and yet more short sighted money
raising schemes will do nothing to arrest the decline. On the dingy days in January and
February parking in Blackpool should be free all day.
Sheepdog
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Weather for Blackpool
Wednesday 30 May 2012
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