Letters - May 2, 2018

Finally, the council seems to have recognised the horrendous traffic chaos in and around Blackpool.

It is blindingly obvious to everyone apart from the council that this is going to escalate totally out of control when planned projects in and around the resort are actually started – mainly new Wilko/Imax, the new Premier Inn, the tramway extension, several more hotels, a museum, a conference centre – all of which are due in the none to distant future

We must, of course, also consider the utilities and their always ongoing work.

This madness cannot be allowed to continue. It is now time for the council to admit their “pie in the sky” plans are in tatters, or we are all going to experience the demise of Blackpool as Britain’s premier seaside resort.

This council seems determined to wreck this through their bloodymindedness and sheer inadequacies.

I’ve also asked the council how far behind schedule is the building of the new Wilkinsons/Imax complex, which in turn means that the demolition of the present Wilko and the new tram terminus are also behind schedule, as the new Wilko must be ready to move into before the demolition of the present store under the council’s own legislation.

Scrap all these projects now! Not one of them are actually essential. A new bus station and public toilets are.

An email from Wilko states we do not have any dates for start or finish yet. Emails to Blackpool Council result in deafening silence.

Jack Gledhill

Gainsborough Road
Blackpool

COLUMNIST

Is Canavan letter a ruse to boost sale?

Was the letter (suspiciously ‘name and address supplied’) featured on the letters page last Friday actually written by Steve Canavan himself to stimulate circulation?

I struggle to believe a sincere author could actually read, let alone – with such evident paucity of education – afford the 17/- to purchase your organ.

Nick Hesketh

North Clifton Street
Lytham
(Ed - absolutely not, Steve struggles to hit a deadline for his own column, let alone find time to write phantom letters!)

OPINION

Steve deserves a pay rise for column

“Take my wife! Please,” is what many a comedian used in their material and I’m certain that Steve Canavan loves his wife and daughter very much (‘Column lowers the tone’, Your Say, Gazette April 27) despite ‘Name and Address Supplied’ thinking otherwise.

Not only does the reader insult Steve and his column, readers in general are insulted too when it seems we’re incapable of judging character. Steve brings humour to his every day life, accurate observations and yes, some may be exaggerated a little, but they’re basically authentic and we can relate to most of it in one way or another, making Steve an asset to Thursday editions. Whoever commissioned him for the column deserves a pat on the back.

Seeing that the person complaining doesn’t like the column then the simple answer is, don’t read it!

Clifford Chambers

Ashton Road
Blackpool

POLITICS

It’s clear who Putin wants to win in UK

Revelations the Russians were responsible for a deluge of negative propaganda against the Conservatives during the run-up to the last General Election explains why Labour support rose from 25 per cent to 40 per cent.

We now know there was an orchestrated campaign by the Russians to propel Corbyn into No.10. That campaign used vile accusations, smears and lies.

An army of Russian bot accounts was created with the deliberate intention of influencing a democratic election. Increasingly, a cult of personality was developed around Corbyn.

It is pretty obvious who Moscow wants to see in No.10. No wonder Corbyn has refused to criticise Putin over the Salisbury nerve agent issue.

Dr Barry Clayton

Thornton Cleveleys

CENSORSHIP

Ban Shaun for 
his shear cheek

It appears China has banned ‘Peppa Pig’. Although I am not a watcher of this show I doubt that it is too subversive for the under-sixes.

Now if they want to ban British shows for anti-authoritarian behaviour there is no better candidate than ‘Shaun the Sheep’ who ‘mucks about with those who cannot bleat’ and seems to always cause trouble on the farm – or ‘rural collective’.

Dennis Fitzgerald

via email