Letters - August 31, 2016

Tourism

They need to support our hotel heritage

A few weeks ago, we had the extremely positive news of the proposal to offer real conference facilities at the Winter Gardens, and I wrote praising this move but warning of the need to ensure the council supported the accommodation sector, in particular the nearby offering, making sure it was up to the standards required to cope with the envisaged clientele.

Yet, this week, we have had the stories of benefit cheats offering their accommodation as bed and breakfasts, plus the need for the council to raid a number of B&Bs possibly trading beyond the law.

On top of this, the planning department has approved the proposal to turn part of a triple-fronted hotel on Albert Road into permanent accommodation, a move seen as a green light for similar properties to follow suit.

The members of the Central Blackpool Business Forum are desperately trying to get the council to work with us to revitalise the Central Holiday Area, yet our elected officials are extremely rarely seen at our meetings.

We have been told the council needs to manage the decline in staying visitors, a point which we fully support. The fact is their policy of managed decline is, in fact, enhanced decline as they fail to support those independent hoteliers putting in the extra effort, on top of which the online travel agents provide an endless stream of customers for the accommodation, which cut corners and trade on the edge of the law. This cuts the trade for the legal accommodation, depriving it of the cash to further invest ready for future projects.

The town is desperate for a “licence to trade” so those who stay can be confident they are staying in accommodation which is legally fit for purpose, and the people running the businesses are likewise fit for work with the public.

Blackpool Council desperately needs to get behind the holiday areas, so the town can continue its great heritage as Britain’s favourite seaside resort for the masses.

Butlin’s and Pontin’s accepted the need to change the way they operated, as the needs of the public changed. They, however, were not so short-sighted to offer accommodation for ex-offenders, move unemployed into the parks in vast numbers to fill the apartments, allow the probation service to open an office within its walls.

If Blackpool Council continues in its policy of enhanced decline the heavy equipment soon to appear at the end of the M55 will not be there to build the Garden Village on Wyndyke Farm, but will be ready to flatten the Central Holiday Area to provide a car park for the eventual development on the current Central car park.

Ian White

The Chorlton

Blackpool

Europe

Young ones need to look beyond holidays

All this talk about the oldies voting out of the EU, gets my goat. If we were remaining in the EU I do not think we would have all these people complaining, it is only because we are leaving the EU.

I am sure that we oldies would not be complaining, it was a democratic vote and should be accepted with good grace.

We were a great country before we went into the EU, and we will be again in time, but the young ones do not have the patience or the foresight to see this, all they see is their holidays costing more and getting abroad.

There is more to life than holidays, we need our independence back and our laws governed by us not the EU. As for these racist people now shouting insults at the immigrants already in this country, some over many years, should be left in peace, they have earned the right to be here.

It is the ones now trying to get here we have to control.

Name and address supplied

Politics

It’s time to give them their P45s

The would-be Labour leader Owen Smith has said he will try to stop Theresa May triggering official EU exit talks unless she offers a referendum on the final Brexit deal or agrees to call a general election to approve it.

The Labour leadership challenger said if he is elected, the party will oppose triggering Article 50 until the government commits to a second vote, really! There you have it!

Forget the overwhelming majority will of the people who the ‘snakes’ couldn’t care less about, especially when they see their cosy little set up being endangered.

It’s about time that these non-representatives were given their P45 notices and let’s vote in people, of all political persuasions, that are prepared to represent us – fully.

Terry Palmer

via email

Politics

Corbyn was right to sit on the train floor

There has been much controversy about Jeremy Corbyn passing empty seats on his recent rail journey when he had to sit on the floor.

Those who have criticised need to be a little more observant.

Most,if not all, the vacant seats have reserved tickets on them, for which the passenger has to pay a premium, so Jeremy was just following the rules not to occupy reserved seats.

Fred Hodson

via email

Burkini

Why I’ll expose my wobbly bits and all...

Wear a burkini or burka if that’s what you want to do, I have no objection, we have no right to tell anyone what to wear.

But I will wear what I want to wear. If a Muslim woman is covering up, go for it, but I will expose my flesh, including all my wobbly bits, as that’s my right.

Just like it’s your choice to.

Jayne Grayson

via email