Letters - March 28, 2018

I liked the photo of seagulls in Stanley Park lake sent in by Rachel Muller in The Gazette. Seagulls must have heard about bird food being sold in the park – 50p for a small bag to feed ducks and birds in lake.

Why can’t officials sell bird food on the promenade, so people can feed seagulls instead of fining them £100 for throwing a chip?

Gulls are subject to large amounts of unjustified abuse and bad press. Seagulls are not fully to blame for unsociable behaviour, dive-bombing on people to get at food. They are struggling to survive. How would humans feel being turfed out of their homes and left to starve?

We should not be demonising these birds. Gulls moving inland is not their choice. They have been forced to make it due to constant attacks on their habitats by our species. We should be more hospitable to these birds.

We are told these majestic birds are forced to scavenge off land-filled sites – maybe we should call them sanitary engineers, and it is beyond belief. We are the main driving force for their decline. There is a lack of food available at sea. Meanwhile, herring gulls, like all seabirds, are threatened by toxic chemicals.

Humans should be held accountable, for it is us that have selfishly trawled, decimated and poisoned the oceans. Gulls are icons of the British seaside, and provide the soundtrack of the seaside we have known and loved for years.

We should find a way to live with gulls, and even enjoy them like we do with other wildlife that makes their homes in our towns and cities.

Pat O’Connor

Portland Road
Blackpool

FACELIFT

Joined-up thinking will improve town

I read with interest the article about the £1m allocated for shopfronts on Talbot Road, Deansgate and Topping Street (Gazette, March 24).

It’s no secret that Talbot Road has become a shabby embarrassment to the town. The gradual decline started when Talbot Road Bus Station closed 15 years ago, so I welcome this much-needed facelift investment to Talbot Road from The Lancashire Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and Blackpool Council .

Unfortunately, there is clearly not enough money available in the pot to facelift all the surrounding streets. However, it is still a win-win situation for all businesses in the area. Improving the image of Talbot Road is vital to the current and future aspirations of Blackpool. First impressions count and speak volumes when visitors step off the train at Blackpool North. The new Sainsbury’s and council building is a vast improvement on how the area looked, say five years ago.

Town centre regeneration is a two-way partnership, businesses should be expected and encouraged to keep the front of their properties presentable. This is a joint initiative to raise standards. Equally, local authorities have a duty of care to apportion and prioritise their limited spending wisely. It would seem Blackpool Council, like several local authorities, are facing major challenges with huge austerity budget cuts. Is it wise for the council to inherit a shortfall in the region of £7m in relation to the Talbot Road tramway extension. Plus underwrite any potential over spend liability?

Blackpool Council has not been rich for several decades. Joined up co-operative thinking from small businesses and corporate partnerships is undoubtedly the way forward to make the town look better. This will improve its appeal and much needed year economy.

Stephen Pierre

Creative Director 
Blackpool Music Gala 2018

HISTORY

Can you help find veterans’ photos?

I am acting on behalf of the authorities at the United Nations Memorial Cemetery Busan South Korea, where more than 800 British servicemen are buried.

The authorities there wish to obtain photographs of those servicemen interred there, and, also of those who died but have no known grave (over 200). Copies of the photographs will be placed in the records, and will also be displayed on the walls of the Cemetery Hall of Remembrance for all time. The following names are just some of the young men from the North West who gave their lives in Korea: L/Cpl Dennis Metcalfe; Gnr Gordon Yates; Kgn John E Nuttall; Rfn Brian A Mulligan; Pte John J Cragg; L/S Denis Raine (RN); Pte John Gawith; Pte Duncan Little; Pte John T Brown; Spr James M Beck; Rfn Harold Howarth; Sgt Eric Pigg; Pte Leslie Russell.

Any family, or friends, who lost a loved one in the Korean War 1950-53, and wish to take part can send the photograph to me – Brian Hough, 116 Fields Farm Rd. Hyde, SK143NP, Cheshire. If more details are required you can contact me on 0161 368 5622, or 07467 037742, or you can email [email protected]

Thank you for your help on this matter.

Brian Hough

United Nations Memorial Cemetery Busan