Letters - January 18, 2017

There are many good books on old Blackpool, and some people still have their memories of the good old days. Blackpool and other places like it will have to think of it as the Frontier and fight harder to do things for the futuren.

Blackpool has lost something and it has to get it back. The town has the sea, vast beaches, invigorating fresh air, world class promenade and great views.

However, I am not keen on the artist impression of the new five-star hotel to be built on promenade, it looks like an office block. We all look at the world differently. Maybe there could be extra funding to help some of the boarding houses, hotels, side shows with repairs and some paint techniques in pastel shades (if they want help) on the promenade.

Then, with all the fun of the seaside and twinkling lights of the Illuminations, Blackpool would look great again.

P O’Connor

Portland Road

Blackpool

ANIMALS

Keep the dogs under control in cemetery

I am a regular visitor to Carleton Cemetery, as sadly my mum passed away last year.

Recently, on several visits to the family grave, both my father and I have discovered dog mess left by owners near the grave side, which I have had to move.

This is not only disgusting but totally disrespectful. To allow your dog off the lead to do its business near somebody’s grave is not only thoughtless, but then to not even have the decency to pick it up is beyond ignorant.

I was under the impression that Carleton Crematorium was a cemetery and not a piece of waste ground for dogs to use as a toilet.

I have no problem with owners keeping their dogs on the lead on the designated pathways, but have some respect. Would these dog owners allow their dogs to defecate in the children or babies area of the cemetery?

I am a dog owner and if I can pick my dog’s mess up and put it in a bin, then so can everybody else!

Barry Jones

via email

PARKING

Mobile home owners must pay a bit more

I don’t know if anybody has noticed the amount of motorhomes and caravans parked on driveways these days – I have and it is a bit like walking around Cala Gran. Some of these are huge in size and are parked on residents’ driveways and sometimes the road for most of the year, a blot on the landscape, to put it mildly.

In some parts of the county, a small van would not be allowed to park on a private driveway because some of the older properties have covenants placed on them to prevent the parking of caravans, and possibly a lot more undesirable vehicles.

Imagine living next to somebody who owns one of these eyesores – apart from blocking any views they previously had, they would considerably devalue their home especially when or if selling their property. More bad news is the owners of these monstrosities apparently don’t need planning permission to park on their driveways because they are regarded as temporary. However, the good news is they do need planning permission if someone was to live in them.

I am surprised the council have not looked at this problem as being an extra revenue booster. I don’t want to put ideas into their heads, but perhaps the owners of these second home mobile living accommodations could be given a choice of either paying to store their assets or paying a little more via their council tax for the near home parking privilege. I am sure people affected by these mobile view busters would opt for the first option.

Remember the bedroom tax.

Barry Carr

Rossall Gate

Fleetwood

APPEAL

You can nominate your heart hero

The British Heart Foundation (BHF) is asking Gazette readers to nominate their Heart Hero for our Heart Hero Awards 2017.

The four categories this year are:

* Inspiration award

* Fighting spirit award

* Young hero award

* Heart health professional award

These awards recognise and celebrate the exceptional contribution of our supporters, fundraisers, volunteers and partners who have made an exceptional contribution to our fight for every heartbeat.

Last year’s winners included four-year old Ellie Payne, who raised more than £24,000 for the BHF, and then there was Jenny Kumar, who joined friends to organise a photography exhibition in which heart patients proudly show their scars.

Since the BHF was established, the annual number of deaths from heart and circulatory disease in the UK has fallen by half.

In the 1960s more than 7 out of 10 heart attacks in the UK were fatal. Today at least seven out of 10 people survive – and as a result of the improvements, today and every day 200 more people will survive a heart attack in the UK alone.

We are asking readers to nominate their Heart Hero, so that we can celebrate their achievements in helping us to eradicate this devastating disease.

To find out more about the BHF, and to sign up, go to our website www.bhf.org.uk/heartheroes

Simon Gillespie

Chief Executive

British Heart Foundation