IN the light of Dave Himelfield’s item on new campus plans for Kirklees College (March 2), I should like to add the following thoughts.

Firstly, there is clearly a need for a better campus and improved facilities for the college and its proposed location on the Folly Hall site has merits in terms of the regeneration of that particular area and as a complement to the university.

The subsequent development of an ‘education quarter’ would impact considerably on the growth, future identity and wealth of the town.

However, we live in a dramatically reconfigured economic situation with equally worthwhile submissions throughout the UK competing for a place in the pecking order.

It is to be hoped that the Learning and Skills Council in their prioritisations of budgets for capital projects, will have been persuaded by the arguments for enhanced provision in Kirklees.

The commitment thus far of all those involved in making the case should be applauded.

What I find difficult to applaud, however, are the proposed designs for the new college as illustrated in the Examiner.

My concerns are further reinforced by the fact that the development is called ‘The Vision’.

This smacks of marketing hype to sell an architectural idea that is neither visionary nor innovative.

The conglomeration of boxes that represent the Waterfront education quarter are mediocre in concept and reflect the kind of expedient architecture that blights many towns and cities across the country.

Huddersfield already has enough examples of this.

The design already looks dated and I am surprised that those close to the project, as well as other bodies such as the Civic Society, have not been more demanding in terms of quality, aesthetics, invention and sensitivity to location.

The college and Huddersfield deserve better than this.

If the arguments for a new college prevail and the site development goes ahead, I hope it won’t be too late to look again at the design of this complex.

TONY CHISHOLM

Huddersfield

Stand united over schools

I AM writing to say how extremely annoyed I was to hear a parent state that the Mirfield Free Grammar School ‘has a bad reputation’, in the Examiner report on March 6 about the proposed closure of Castle Hall.

This comment is most certainly not substantiated or true.

Mirfield Free Grammar was judged as ‘outstanding’ at their last Ofsted inspection. However, Castle Hall was judged as ‘good and satisfactory’.

I would like to say that I do not agree with the proposed changes either and I believe that all Mirfield residents should be pulling together at this time and not using mud-slinging to discredit what is actually an excellent school.

We don’t want any schools in Mirfield to close.

I have two children at Mirfield Free Grammar School and they are flourishing. Both are doing really well in all their subjects.

We actually live nearer to Castle Hall, but both my children chose Mirfield Free Grammar because of the facilities and opportunities it offers.

All students at the school are actively encouraged to achieve their potential.

The Behaviour for Learning system that was introduced at Mirfield Free Grammar was later introduced to Castle Hall. This gives the students much needed boundaries.

Please can we all pull together at this time to try to stop these ridiculous changes that have been proposed.

NAME AND ADDRESS SUPPLIED

Huddersfield

Tin box under the bed

MONEY makes the world go round.

The banks have failed to lend, so businesses and jobs are going to the wall and savers would be better to resort to the tin box under the bed.

Our three stooges, Brown, Darling and King have tried Phase One by cutting VAT which has failed to kickstart the economy.

Phase Two – billions of taxpayers money poured in to banks.

In comes Phase Three – printing money to the tune of £75bn.

The papers are full of bankers’ huge pension pots and bonuses for failing us.

We have saved hard for a rainy day to be rewarded with rates so low you would need binoculars to spot them.

Brown went down well in America, so here’s hoping they offer him a job there to get rid of our woeful PM.

I hate to think of what Phase Four will be, but will the last person lock up.

P.M

Shelley

Celebrate St George

DOES Ian Roche (Letters, March 7) realise that the reason Huddersfield does not celebrate St George’s Day is because English folk cannot get off their backsides and organise it!

I am guilty of being so. I have organised events and because of the lack of folk I have said never again.

We are our own worst enemy.

So Ian, why don't you come back to Huddersfield and get St George’s Parade going?

It’s not racist. It’s having pride in our history!

MIKE WARREN-MADDEN

Brockholes

A better life overseas?

IN REPLY to letters about the smoking ban (March 4 and 7).

Just because someone has had a good holiday in the Caribbean and are able to enjoy themselves without risk of crime and not having to sit outside in the cold to smoke, what makes these people who “have got a life” in the wrong?

Whingers! Don’t think so, it’s the likes of the two letters who are the whingers.

You need to go abroad to see for yourselves how people should live – it is crime free, no VAT on cigarettes and alcohol and be made welcome by the friendly Caribbean people.

So get a life, live abroad and let live, tax payer or not.

D BAMFORTH

Dalton

Viewers’ sadness

IT was with sadness I read of the demise of the Yorkshire TV Network.

It appears that the most popular programmes such as Heartbeat and The Royal are to go and ‘experts’ now suggest that reality shows such as I’m a Celebrity, Britain’s Got Talent and similar are safe from the hatchet.

It does seem that trivia shows are in the forefront, while the established series are dying the death.

As an older citizen, I think I speak for many when popular programmes are ditched.

I couldn’t care less when wobbly warblers are given the heave-ho, so let us have the established talent given a free range and then, and only then, will we enjoy the programmes on offer.

Let us go forward, not backwards!

KATHLEEN ETCHES

Huddersfield

Tesco is a threat

I GENUINELY thought I had put my views forward regarding Tesco.

But I have to reply to the letter written by Mike Dowling.

In the letter, he categorically states “Tesco is not threat”.

Many people have deep concerns about a Tesco in our valley, Holmfirth and surrounding villages.

With all due respect to Mr Dowling I cannot see how he can state what he says is a fact from a Saturday morning visit, which suggests he does not live here.

He obviously did some research on the percentages of businesses and his calculations brought him to this – what he calls an enhancement.

To actually live in a place where Tesco is being proposed is, believe me, a frightening thought for many of us.

Of course, I am biased in my views. I love my job and want to keep it.

It’s quite easy, in my opinion, to come to a place and write down figures and go away again and write a letter like Mr Dowling’s.

But to live here and be against this proposal is very daunting, dark and quite depressing.

ANNA BROWNE

New Mill Co-Op

Thank you after bump

I WOULD like to thank the person who left a note on my car windscreen on Saturday afternoon, February 7, at Sainsbury’s Shorehead, with details of a vehicle that had run into me.

Thank you very much – the matter is being resolved.

A HAJIWYX

Huddersfield

Honour the miners

I WAS on the miners’ side in the 1985 coal strike.

I found it impossible to support the Thatcher government, even though Mrs T and I were fellow Lincolnshire yellow-bellies.

That said, I was torn several ways on the mining issue because I did not think it was humane to have men crawling around, at great risk, a mile underground.

The coal miners seem to have been treated badly down the generations.

They should have been treated like gods.

After all, who would want to do that job, other than those born into it?

I say that, knowing full well the miners liked the job and, indeed, fought hard to keep some pits open.

MAX NOTTINGHAM

Lincolnshire