Letters - July 15, 2016

Should the council invest £4.5m to support the construction of a new Hilton Hotel? I support corporate investment ideas for Blackpool that will improve the town. However is South Promenade the best location for this new Hilton Hotel? Probably not.

In any event the demolition of the derelict hotels should go ahead and perhaps a green space created to improve the area.

If the council has aims and aspirations to build modern purpose built hotels for corporate and conference use they need to be within easy reach of The Winter Gardens, Bickerstaff headquarters and the mainline North railway station. It’s a case of the council having to prioritise their financial resources. Blackpool is not a cash rich council and to loan £4.5m at an interest rate of 8.5 per cent is a risky ploy as South Promenade already has a sufficient number of hotels. In fact oversupply in the area initially contributed to the closure of these once prosperous hotels subsequently creating the derelict eyesores. It’s only right that the hoteliers within the vicinity are supported by the demolition clearance of the derelict buildings.

Stephen Pierre

Via email

POLITICS

Victory in the end for the ‘Black Knight’

And so we had the final David Cameron vs Jeremy Corbyn parliamentary question time on Wednesday.

Cameron stooped to yet another cheap, public-school-boy jibe at the opposition leader by saying Corbyn reminded him of the Black Knight in Monty Python’s Quest for the Holy Grail.

This was after Corbyn had praised Cameron for his six years of dedicated service as Prime Minister.

Corbyn’s response was to go on and praise the PM’s family, and indeed the families of all the MPs of the House, who had to make sacrifices so the elected members could serve the country to the best of their abilities.

So the final battle ended Cameron 0 Corbyn 1 in my humble opinion.

Julie Jeffries

Blackpool

APPEAL

Tell us how diabetes impacts on your life

At Diabetes UK we know that access to care for people with diabetes is very variable across the country - and that rising numbers of people in Blackpool are being diagnosed with diabetes each month.

The most recent figures show that there are 10,477 people living with diabetes in Blackpool.

The All Party Parliamentary Group for Diabetes has launched an investigation into poor diabetes care to help ensure all people with diabetes get the care and support they need to manage their condition well, no matter where they live.

To support the investigation we want to hear from people living with diabetes about how diabetes impacts on their life day-to-day, their experiences of care, and what good care means to them.

If you would like to participate in the investigation please email your response to [email protected] with the subject “APPG Written Evidence Submission – YOUR NAME”.

Stephen Ryan

Head of the North at Diabetes UK

RECYCLING

We need to use street bins better

I’m afraid this letter is going to be a little bit like complaining of a pimple on one’s forehead while one is suffering from a potentially deadly disease.

But I need to get this off my chest, nevertheless.

While out shopping today, I noticed that an on-street recycling bin was more-or-less empty.

Right next to it was the non-recycling bin that was more-or-less full. And what was it full of? Recyclable items like cans and bottles!

If we don’t start doing things to help the environment at this level, what hope have we got for the planet that continues to see exponential population growth?

Please do your bit for recycling if you can, even if it is only a little.

Harry Francis

Address supplied

EUROS

A lack of 
sportsmanship

While admiring the amazing skill of so many of the finest footballers in Europe, I am left with the disturbing realisation that too many showed complete lack of honesty and sportsmanship.

Hardly a game was played without at least a yellow card being given to one or more for serious infringements of the rules.

These are supposed to be role models for our young people, their praises sung by parents and other adults! I lost count of openly pushing opponents and pulling their shirts and even holding onto them with both hands, especially in goal-mouth situations. When reprimanded by the referee, offenders complained, holding arms out in disbelief that their behaviour could in any way be seen as unacceptable.

Even the commentators occasionally remarked how someone made a cynical tackle. ‘Cynical!’ As often as not the player tackled could have been so badly injured as to put his career at risk if not ended. Then there are those who deliberately fling themselves down looking for a penalty! Is there anything more despicable?

Anthony Craven

Via email