Letters - August 19, 2016

Also Yeadon Way, which is the main route into Blackpool, is full of weeds and brambles and it doesn’t look good to visitors coming into the resort.

Come on Blackpool council let’s have a clear up.

Jay

St Annes

SEASIDERS

Obscene chanting just hurts fan base

I sympathise with your correspondent of August 15 regarding the behaviour of so-called Blackpool FC supporters towards other fans of the club.

As a spectator at the recent fixture at Morecambe, I was appalled by the attitude of a number of people on the terrace towards those who had opted to watch the match from the seating area.

It is incredible to think that anyone would take to labelling people ‘scabs’ and ‘mushrooms’ because they were not participating in obscene chanting aimed at the club’s owners based around numerous themes that have no place at a game of football. Additionally one song aimed at those in the seats suggested that those supporters were ‘the reason we’re here’, implying that they are the cause for our recent decline. Given that some of their targets are likely participating in the boycotting of Bloomfield Road and watching away games only, not to mention that dozens of those seated were children, the implication should be treated with the contempt it deserves.

Who do these people think benefits from this? It isn’t the club itself, nor its players and management, nor the supporters who go to encourage the team. I would contend that such actions do nothing more than fracture the support base. Given that those who attend games surely do so in the hope of a positive performance and result, I find their basis for such vitriol towards Blackpool fans eludes me, particularly given that the club’s rapid descent has affected us all.

Perhaps instead of using part of their newspaper column as a weekly request for new members, the Blackpool Supporters Trust might like to take the initiative and issue a firm statement denouncing such attitudes. If their intention is to represent all those of a tangerine persuasion, it is an opportune moment to remind people that every supporter of the club must be respected.

R Turner

Blackpool

FRACKING

Claims in column were ‘mistaken’

Roger Lloyd is entirely wrong in his claim that no in depth studies have been done into migratory birds related to our shale gas exploration proposals in Fylde. In work undertaken independently by ARUP, potential ecological impacts were carefully considered, including those related to Lancashire’s migratory birds.

Natural England and the County’s ecology service each reviewed ARUP’s work in detail. In light of their advice, the County Council’s reports to the development control committee confirmed that there would be no unacceptable impact upon biodiversity.

Mr Lloyd is also mistaken in asserting that we would use toxic chemicals for hydraulic fracturing. Regulated by the Environment Agency, Cuadrilla is only permitted to use non-hazardous chemicals and we’ve proposed the use of a single chemical - polyacrylamide - which is widely used in water treatment processes and agriculture.

Empty threats of “thousands of job losses” in tourism are also without foundation. The Dorset coast, home to Wytch Farm, the production site for Europe’s largest oilfield, has a vibrant visitor economy and house prices which compete favourably with the more sought after areas of London. Aberdeen, the hub of the North sea oil and gas industry has seen some of the highest hotel room rates outside the capital, because of the value created within the local economy from our industry. StayBlackpool recognise this and that’s why they support Cuadrilla’s efforts to unlock Lancashire’s shale gas opportunity.

On future tax revenues, as a British business headquartered in Bamber Bridge, we pay our taxes in this country. Corporation tax would be levied on future profits from natural gas production from Lancashire’s shale, 10 per cent of which would be ring-fenced for Lancastrians living near to potential future production sites. We urge local people to respond to the Government’s consultation at so you can have your say at https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/D5ZQQKB on how Lancashire’s natural gas dividend should be spent.

Nick Mace

Planning, Permitting and Environmental Manager, Cuadrilla Resources

EDUCATION

Let’s fix primary schools first

Rather than a divisive return of grammar schools, how does Theresa May intend to raise standards in primary schools?

The sooner children learn the basics, the greater the likelihood that they will prosper at secondary level. This is far more urgent than the return of grammar schools in some parts of the country or the tinkering with the GCSE syllabus in order to justify the existence of ministers.

David Doyle

Via email