IN full support of Jez Gunnell’s comments on market rent rises (Examiner, September 26), I too am a casual trader at the market, turning up more than “now and then.”
Far from encouraging casual traders to become regulars, Kirklees Council’s latest proposals will drive away casual and regular traders.
This year has been tough going for all traders at the secondhand market.
The economic climate being as it is has caused the public, customers, everyone to be more careful with their money, buying what they need rather than something they fancy!
With these new proposals Kirklees is heading towards finishing the market altogether rather than boosting its customer/visitor numbers.
I have spoken with many other traders on the subject and the vast majority agree that the proposals/increases are unreasonable and unattainable and will damage the future success of the secondhand market by adding to the already obvious number of empty stalls.
As if all this is not enough, Kirklees has also made it impossible for “one off” traders – people who decide to try a market stall to get rid of their ‘clear out items’ – by insisting they produce at least four official documents on the day they first arrive. No more ‘one off’ traders then.
That’s all types of secondhand traders covered. Maybe Kirklees’ next step will be to start charging the customers an entrance fee!
One only has to look around the rest of Huddersfield town centre – its empty shops and premises – to see the effects of financial crisis and Kirklees charges.
Kirklees has spent money on refurbishing the open market but dwindling numbers of traders, new and secondhand goods, could cause its extinction as has happened in other towns.
What a shame Kirklees seems to be pushing towards its demise.
CASUAL TRADER
Huddersfield
Disputing crime claims
THE anonymous southerner (Mailbag, September 21) now happily living in the Holme Valley states that in Yorkshire levels of crime are horrific compared to all the areas in which he or she has lived.
Perhaps he or she could provide some evidence to support such a statement.
As Name and Address Supplied refers in particular to violent crime, he or she may be interested in some actual evidence.
On violence against the person, recent Government statistics show that in West Yorkshire there were 15 crimes per 1,000 of the population. In North Yorkshire, the figure was just 10 per 1,000.
Name and Address Supplied has lived in many places yet presumably has not lived in Hampshire (19 crimes per 1,000), or London (a staggering 23 crimes per 1,000) or the South East region (16 crimes per 1,000), or maybe Avon and Somerset (17 per 1,000).
He or she is correct to some extent in respect of Devon and Cornwall – this is slightly lower than West Yorkshire with 12 crimes per 1,000 but is still more than North Yorkshire.
Unfortunately, I have no statistics for fly-tipping, littering or swearing but feel sure Name and Address Supplied has the evidence to support his or her belief that these are worse in Yorkshire than anywhere else.
Name and Address Supplied also believes it is erroneous to blame crime and bad behaviour on socio-economic factors and he or she is entitled to take this view.
However, perhaps he or she could explain why the more prosperous areas of the country, for example North Yorkshire with only 10 crimes of violence against the person per 1,000 of the population is so low compared to areas of deprivation and high unemployment which are considerably higher.
Socio-economic factors are not the only reason for crime, but evidence suggests they are most certainly a major contributor.
Robert Nicholls
Kirkburton
Islam and the West
THE Examiner carried an article entitled ‘Muslim protest rumbles on’ (Saturday, September 22) about British Muslims gathered across from the French Embassy in London.
They were demonstrating against recent publications which they deem blasphemous and denigrating the Prophet Mohamed.
Demonstrators carried slogans such as ‘Sharia For France’, ‘Death to Freedom and Democracy’ and ‘Islam to Dominate France’.
The American-produced film Innocence Of Muslims was the catalyst which ignited their disapproval.
What I find chilling is the ferocity of their vitriol. If these people wish to live in a society which abides by the laws of Islam why have they come to the West?
Surely these people would feel happier in an Islamic state whereby all the people have the same religious beliefs and live their lives guided as one.
Western culture and the way we choose to live is so alien to the Islamic faith.
I believe that the West is on a hiding to nothing trying to fit an Islamic culture into a western civilisation.
We have tried extremely hard with multiculturalism and it has been found wanting.
R J Bray
Shelley
Taxing problems
GOOD idea about collecting tax by direct debit but if you are an undischarged bankrupt you are barred from having a bank account during bankruptcy.
How would payments be collected then?
Graham Beaumont
Huddersfield
Killer disease
I WAS saddened to read in your recent article that Christopher Bell, 34, of Liversedge, died from meningitis on a canal boat in Aspley, Huddersfield, on January 16.
On behalf of charity Meningitis UK which represents thousands of families who have experienced the devastation caused by meningitis and associated diseases, I would like to pass on our heartfelt sympathies to Christopher’s family.
Meningitis and septicaemia are notoriously difficult to diagnose and can kill in hours.
I lost my son Spencer to meningitis and meningococcal septicaemia some time ago and can well imagine the pain that all those who knew Christopher are suffering.
Meningitis UK is fighting back against all forms of meningitis-related disease.
Because the diseases strike so quickly and can be difficult to detect, we fund preventative research to develop vaccines to protect future generations.
If any of your readers would like a free symptoms fridge magnet or further information please call Meningitis UK on 0117 947 6320 or visit www.meningitisUK.org
Steve Dayman
Founder, Meningitis UK
Costly works pension
THIS government wants to make everyone in work join a works pension fund is so they will be over the minimum if they apply for extra benefits when they retire which is what happened to me.
Dennis Rushforth
Bradley
An excellent word
SHOULD the word ‘excellence’ be reserved for rare and outstanding performances in some field, like England’s World Cup match against Germany in 1966?
Perhaps it should not, for a number of universities (Examiner, September 29) are scoring quite high percentages in ‘teaching excellence’. At Huddersfield University, for instance, 80% of teaching appears to be excellent, which might stir questions of how this is possible, how the percentage is calculated, and what counts as ‘good’ or ‘fair’.
Unfortunately, the phrase ‘graduate level jobs’ is also a little puzzling. Does it refer to only the academic year ending June 2012 and exclude students who completed degrees in the summer of 2010 or 2011? Does it embrace those not very exciting vacancies whose advertisements might attract and be awarded to A-Level students or literate, experienced non-graduates?
TC
Huddersfield
