Letters - June 9, 2016

I can only imagine his surprise when he found out he could not copy, sorry, use the London Underground logo over his shop front.

After all, as an experienced businessman, Mr Footman must have contacted the Underground company for permission to use the iconic and familiar roundel before he went to great expense to install it.

Surely that is the first thing one would do…

Both he and the Gusto pizza place were full of astonishment to receive solicitor’s letters over their pretended ignorance, honestly you can’t make it up can you.

Mr Footman thought it was a prank, no, that is probably what the other firms thought.

How would these businesses like it if they found another firm had copied any original design they had – well this is the same thing?

One last thought, every time I walk down Bond Street in Blackpool, I think how out of place the design on the shopfront of The Tube Station is – try something better next time.

It’s your own fault, completely of your own making.

Alex

via email

SHOPPING

Councils should have a say on business

For any town or city, to lose another big retail store such as BHS is big blow, but in all honesty I cannot remember the last time I purchased anything from a BHS store anywhere in the UK.

Town centres set the first impressions of an area. These vacant department stores, temporary ‘pop up’ shops or increased numbers of charity shops have a deleterious impact on positive regeneration.

A lot of people are quick to wrongly assume it’s their local council who set the business rate valuations. The rateable valuations are in fact set by the Valuation Office Agency. Local councils are duty bound to simply collect the rates on behalf of central Government. Business rates are simply

too high and unrealistic in today’s high street trading conditions. Surely it’s a better solution for the Government to support retail chains, small and medium sized businesses with a further reduction in business rate liabilities?

Unemployment levels in seaside towns like Blackpool are made worse with the loss of a big stores like BHS and Woolworth’s. Supporting year-round employment opportunities in a seasonal town is crucial for Blackpool’s economic development.

It follows that local authorities should be granted greater power or discretion to adjust the business rates in their local areas to encourage private and corporate investment.

I support several Labour MPs in their attack on Sir Philip Green over the collapse of BHS, which has resulted in the loss of 11,000 jobs and a pension black hole of £571 million.

Did he and his boardroom show any respect or personal regard to the thousands of loyal employees who were about to lose their jobs and long-term pensions when he sold BHS for £1 last year?

Sir Philip Green thought nothing of jumping ship and ordering himself a brand new ostentatious £100 million yacht.

Putting it bluntly, this kind of capitalism is in my view wholly immoral.

Stephen Pierre

via email

SHOPPING

BHS shows the true nature of capitalism

Eleven thousand completely innocent workers losing their livelihood as retailer BHS goes under.

How did it happen? Even Tory MP Richard Fuller called the management conduct “the unacceptable face of capitalism”.

Bought by Philip Green in 2000 for some £200 million, the press called him a canny operator. After purchase the shareholders relieved BHS of some £586 million in dividends and rent paid to themselves.

The whole point is that no one has done anything illegal. The owners of companies can devour assets of firms to their hearts content at the expense of the staff and other individuals.

That is the nature of capitalism and that’s why we have to get rid of it.

Royston Jones

Beryl Avenue

Anchorsholme

EUROPE

EU is not necessary for our commerce

G W Collinge’s email (“History reveals the benefits of the EU”, Your Say, Gazette, June 7) describes the benefits of countries cooperating in commercial ventures – NOT the benefits of joining a political union.

It is worth noting the EU was created in 1992 and the examples mentioned (Tornado, Typhoon and the Airbus) predate its creation. The prototype Tornado first flew in 1974. Typhoon development began in the 80s with the first prototype flying in 1994. The joint partnership to develop the Airbus officially began in 1969 and the A300 Airbus entered commercial service in 1974. Arguably, the most famous European cooperative venture in aviation was Concorde, whose origins go back to the 50s.

The surrender of our sovereignty and political union are not prerequisites for commercial cooperation. I would argue our commercial ventures, if controlled by a single EU political entity, may result in LESS international cooperation, not more. There are many trade blocs around the globe and they do not require political union or uncontrolled borders.

Name and address supplied