YEP Letters: July 5

Are beer prices unfair? Not half!

John Appleyard, Liversedge

I’ve just been reading a report from the ‘Campaign for real ale’ (CAMRA) which is urging licensees to charge fairly for a half pint of beer after a survey discovered almost 50 per cent of licensees who overcharge are adding between six and twenty pence to the cost of a half.

CAMRA is urging customers to report pubs in their area which charge more for a half pint than half the proportional cost of a pint.

Some pubs are charging £2 for a half when the cost of a pint is £3. This is not right and surely can’t be legal?

CAMRA also reported in its survey that 60 per cent of pubs do not display a price list.

Let’s get our Gill masterpiece back on display

Roger Bates, Shadwell

Encouraged by recent YEP reports on the high level of art appreciation amongst the general population of Leeds, isn’t it abouttime our world-renowned unviersity brought its magnificent 1923 war memorial by Eric Gill out of wholly undeserved ‘quarantine’.

Granted, with many hundreds of Leeds men and women having served in the Great War people today, as then, might well feel a sense of outrage at the bas-relief work in question; Our Lord driving the moneylenders out of the temple seeming to portray Leeds as a city of war profiteers (I make no mention of one or two possible guilty consciences).
But let’s not forget that the choice of subject was simply Gill’s deeply patriotic comment on the war itself - that in some cases violence is entirely laudable.
In any event, let’s now join Westminster Cathedral, BBC Broadcasting House and London Transport HQ in having our Eric Gill masterpiece on public display.

Staff keep calm and carry on

Mavis Harrison, Leeds 9

Having been to British Home Stores in Leeds city centre today I was impressed by the fact that all the staff came across as helpful and courteous as ever, despite the threat of their livelihoods being almost certainly lost.

It must be a case of ‘keep calm and carry on’.

Join battlefield pilgrimages

John Battye, Castleford

Each year the Kings Own Light Infantry Battlefields tours organise pilgrimages to the battle areas of the First World War. This year the tour is from September 22-26 and seats are still available.

This year we plan to visit the Somme Battlefields, the Ypres Salient, Arras, Vimy Ridge and Loos battlefield areas if requested.

One hundred years ago on July 1 2016 the Battle of the Somme began. After the first day of fighting the British Army casualties were in the vicinity of 57,000, the hightest casualty figure the British Army ever suffered. The Battle of the Somme ended on November 18 1916.

The trips specialise in visting specific cemeteriesor memorials on the above mentioned battlefields as and when they are requested and an experience battlefield guide will accompany each tripto commentate on the various battles and the many historic events that occurred in the areas that we visit.

We can also assist people in the tracing of war graves from the First World War.

The KOYLI battlefield pilgrimages were formed as a charitable hobby in 1990 by ex-servicemen who have many years of practical experience in conducting visits to the First World War battlefield areas of France and Flanders and we support the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal and other institutions.

These trips are open to anyone who might be interested and we welcome all inquiries.

Anyone who requires further information should write to John Battye, Rhodes Street, Hightown, Castleford, WF10 5LL or call 01977 734614. We ask for a medium sized SAE for all postal replies.

A man of loyalty and principle

June Hunt, Moortown

I agree with MP Richard Burgon entirely (YEP, June 27).

Mr Corbyn has been set up - right from Cameron’s resignation. Talk about a ‘complete distraction’ you are absolutely right.

Like a game of chess, the Tory Party planned out what they would do if they lost the European argument. They have diverted the blame and attention on to Jeremy.

The north/south divide has been going on for years. For once the working man has voted and even now they, the southerners, want a re-vote.

Thank you for sticking up for Mr Corbyn, a good, strong man.

You have shown yourself to be a man of principle and loyalty by staying true.

Have cyclists lost their way?

Carol A Gannon, Barwick in Elmet

Oh dear, perhaps the road rage cyclist picked on the wrong person when he decided to steal Radio Leeds presenter Nick Ahad’s car and house keys.

I do dismay at the standard set by many cyclists using our roads today and can only hope the next generation have more sense.

On the same day Nick Ahad’s story was in the paper I was walking though Leeds at 8.30am on the pedestrian precincts to be met by cyclists travelling at high speeds weaving in and out of delivery vans and the many pedestrians.

Ten minutes later on a bus travelling down The Headrow the driver stopped at red lights only for a cyclist to continue in the next lane through the lights oblivious to people crossing, or other traffic about to turn into his path - not a single thought for self-preservation or the safety of others.

In my school days I had almost two miles to travel to reach the school bus stop and mostly cycled, partly on roads and bridle paths.

I always had two lights on and a bell and hopefully was well-mannered.

I certainly didn’t cycle at speed past unsuspecting pedestrians in my way and would often dismount.

Now it seems even on footpaths it is the pedestrians having to step into the road out of the way of cyclists.

Somewhere along the way we do seem to have lost the plot, or is it just general bad manners within the population.

Can we start dredging now?

David Green, LS14

Now we have decided to leave the EU, can we please ignore the stupid directive that stops us from dredging the rivers to help stop flooding.

I am sure many people, and insurance companies, will welcome this happening.

It will also help save money by not needing to provide unsightly flood barriers that will not work anyway, as floods will find a way round, or over them, when the water gets deep enough if it cannot get away.

New PM needs to negotiate

Terry Watson, Adel

Now, thanks to the 16 years of dedication and dogged determination of Nigel Farage, we are leaving the worst trading block in the world, the EU.

With the inevitable resignation of soft touch Cameron, who wanted to lock us into it permanently by fair means or foul, we now need a Prime Minister who will put his own country first, not last.

All the doom and gloom predictions of the Remain Brigade are proving to be unfounded.

The EU doesn’t make much difference to our economy. We are exporting less and less to it each year and we have had a trading deficit every year 
with Europe so what have we to lose?

We are exporting far more to countries outside the EU, and will do far more when we are free to do our own deals without interference from Barmy Brussels. Britain will bloom while Europe continues to stagnate.

We now need a leader to negotiate a deal without the strangulation of single market membership with all the red tape, and of course the open borders policy which has been a disaster for everyone.

All we want is to trade with the single market which is what we voted for originally. Other countries trade very successfully with Europe without membership.

Unless drastic changes are made to the EU, which is highly unlikely, it will collapse.