Letters, March 16

Mar 16 2010 by Sarah Bull, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

I NOTE with interest that Huddersfield Civic Society, Huddersfield and District Archaeological Society and Honley Civic Society have all objected to the Castle Hill Hotel which just looks like the old hotel submitted by the Thandi Partnership.

I never saw any comments from the above societies regarding the development of St George’s Square, ie red Chinese granite transported thousands of miles where child labour is used in that kind of industry when Yorkshire stone from the surrounding areas could have been used.

That the granite is harder does not come into the equation as they dig St George’s Square up every 20 years. Also nothing from the societies regarding the giant horse trough in front of the historic George Hotel which costs £50,000 a year to fill up or the communal showers in front of the award winning facade of the railway station.

Castle Hill and the earth works would have been built by people from the surrounding area in times of turmoil. Now in its peaceful era let it be used for the people by the people in recreation.

Come on you bloggers, get on your computers and let’s get a campaign going.

I had my first pint of real ale in the hotel 50 years ago and I would like my last one there.

d crowther

Liversedge

The silent majority

CONGRATULATIONS on your editorial (Sat March 13).ŠUnless a concerted and organised effort is made to rally what must be the silent majority, the chance of returning the hill to its former glory days will be lost forever.

When a pub/hotel was on the site it attracted many more tourists to the tower than there are now and an inn even pre-dates the tower.

The Thandis must look at all the objections by the minority groups – some with tunnel vision – and convince all that the £1m investment should go ahead.

If the application is rejected by the council then I do hope that the Thandis will appeal this decision and be given an opportunity to have their proposed development scrutinised by a more open-minded panel.Š

If totally unsuccessful, well let’s pull the old, seldom-open Victoria Tower down and flatten and lock up the site forever!

Dave Walker

Lockwood

No need for pub on hill

I HAVE read with interest the letters supporting the building of a hotel by the Thandi brothers on Castle Hill and note that none of your correspondents appear to have written a formal letter of support to the council.

The societies who have written with objections represent considerable numbers of members so there are, in fact, more than 14 objectors.

Your correspondents all think the new hotel would not deface or detract from the landscape. This might have been the case if it was to be built with the original stone, but that has gone. If new stone is used it will not blend into the landscape but would probably stand out like the proverbial ‘sore thumb.’ As to missing the old silhouette, I for one have difficulty remembering what it looked like despite having lived in Huddersfield for over 50 years.

The old hotel with its toilet facilities has not been around for some time now – how have people managed and how many people have complained to the council?

They have managed because they know there are no facilities and make appropriate arrangements as do people who go hiking or visiting other remote places.

There are many walks which start from the hill and I don’t suppose these walkers are complaining.

There does not appear to have been a reduction in visitors to the hill despite it “looking bare.” A great deal of work has been done repairing footpaths (under the supervision of archaeologists), information boards have been put up and a ranger is now working there.

Of course the Thandis have incorporated an education room – they need good PR.

A new hotel would bring more traffic to the hill carrying customers who presumably not want to walk there. The site does not need more traffic and the road is not suitable. How many visitors from outside Huddersfield visited castle hill because of the hotel in the past? How many would come to the new one? I suspect that most visitors from outside Huddersfield are coming because of the history of the site, not for a meal or drink or are brought by friends and relatives who are aware there are no facilities.

No, we objectors don’t have big bladders. We plan our visits and certainly would encourage visitors to take in the bracing air, wonderful views, but, most importantly, the history of the site, it’s most important feature.

Hill supporter

Kirkheaton

Use old stone for pub

WITH regard to the new pub/hotel, which is hopefully going to be built on Castle Hill, I would ask the committee in charge to use suitable weathered local stone for the new building.

Hopefully this would not look out of place with the stone on the tower.

The tower and the old pub were quite a landmark. Therefore any errors on the new building would be visible for miles.

shirley moorhouse

Berry Brow

Question of priorities

I WAS astonished to read the Examiner article on March 6 that two men who were arrested on suspicion of stealing from handbags were cautioned and released. That must have really worried them.

I have witnessed/known people who have had their purses stolen, including a lady aged 86, who was devastated, losing not only her money, house keys, but photos of children and her late husband. Why are the police so pathetic?

Park on a yellow line you are in trouble, steal from an old lady and ruin her life, well that’s OK, don’t do it again.

barry fowler

Honley

A purse returned

I WOULD like, through the Examiner, to thank very much the person who handed my purse in on Wednesday, March 10, at Sainsbury’s, Market Street.

It is nice to see there are some honest and thoughtful people in Huddersfield.

Thank you.

mrs b bowyer

Newsome

Huddersfield’s song

PHILIP Taylor, of Longwood, writes about a song he learned at Goitfield School, Longwood.

On reading through the lines of the song, it seems as likely as not to be entitled Huddersfield.

In a book I have, writing in 1907 of the National Eisteddfod, O M Edwards says: “But now the Treorci choir was ready ... the crowd was in a blissful spirit by now and when the choir finished, the 20,000 sang Huddersfield with Emlyn Jones leading them...’

One and the same?

Perhaps the victorious Brythoniaid Male Voice Choir could now assist with finding the answer!

David Brook

Crimble

Own goal by Kirklees

CONGRATULATIONS to Kirklees Council on yet another piece of prospective legislation that hasn’t been thought through.

I refer to the proposed parking charges for staff in schools. Of course the teachers won’t pay these but will park on the roads around school instead. Thus an already bad traffic situation will be made worse.

The next stage will be a sea of yellow lines around schools with parking restrictions and residents only parking permits. Teachers will then have to park even further from school.

Because most teachers take lots of books home to mark at present, with the new restrictions they will decide it is too much to bother.

Who will suffer in the long run? Pupils.

As we know from the Castle Hall fiasco, Kirklees Council isn’t concerned with good education provision, only finance.

Another own goal, I think, Kirklees.

mr c woodhead

Holme

A clean sweep

A FEW kind volunteers can achieve a skip full of rubbish and a parkland area transformed for everyone to enjoy in the warmer months ahead.

Many thanks to everyone who contributed their time and energies at Roger Lane playing fields in Newsome and to our local councillors (and mayor) for arranging the skip and mucking in too.

This work is part of exciting community-led plans to make better use of this beautiful area for the benefit of all. For more information, contact us at outtoplay@hotmail.co.uk

Alison Richards

Newsome