Knee-jerk reaction over Wheatley Hotel is uncalled for

The licence that was transferred had not changed, and was not challeged at that time (even before it shut, as far as I am aware). Many licensed premises in Ilkley have similar licenses, but choose not to open until 2am a lot of the time. There are also regulations concerning noise pollution from premises after a set time. I have attended weddings in Ilkley and they have had to close their doors and windows at a given time to adhere to these regulations, no matter how warm outside, therefore noise into the early hours of the morning is uncommon.

The Save US Pub campaign worked tirelessly to ensure the Wheatley Hotel remained in the community. To disparage the years of hard work and the battles won with such a kneejerk reaction is uncalled for, and I feel is disrespectful to those who are no longer with us to see their hard work come to fruition.

Victoria Drew

Pact’s delight and thanks as Chelker turbines are thrown out

Parishioners Against Chelker Turbines (Pact) were delighted that Craven District councillors rejected Yorkshire Water’s application to erect wind turbines at Chelker. We have 338 supporters in parishes surrounding Chelker coming together to counteract misleading information put out by Yorkshire Water and which created so much local anger.

Even the British Wind Energy Association finally threw in the towel last month and admitted that the environmental benefit of wind power in reducing carbon emissions is actually only half as much as they have been claiming, with the result that the Advertising Standards Association demanded that they withdraw their ‘inaccurate and misleading’ information.

Yorkshire Water’s abject failure to undertake a professional Environmental Impact Statement only served to raise local hostility, with English Heritage and the National Park Authority pointing out numerous ‘flaws’. Sent back to do it all over again by Craven District Council, the second attempt was described by Capita Lovejoy (Craven District Council’s landscape consultants) as being ‘appreciably incomplete’.

Dr John Constable, of the Renewable Energy Foundation, described the proximity of the turbines to Chelker families as ‘exceptional and uniquely brutal’ which led us to wonder why Yorkshire Water failed to do a proper Environmental Report and why so much ‘spin’.

Pact decided to dig a little deeper. Yorkshire Water admitted that these wind turbines would never be built were it not for the ‘subsidy’ swiped discreetly off the bottom of our electricity bills, estimated at £50 per household last year.

Finally, we tracked down the effective owner of Yorkshire Water through seven different holding companies and to ask them how these ‘green’ funds might be used to help the environment. Pact was astonished to learn that the majority owner (47 per cent of the shares) is none other than Citibank, a once mighty American corporate bank now laid low by greed and avarice, with a desperate need for cash (green or otherwise) reliant on bail-out funds from the US Treasury and now it would appear, looking to ‘Yorkshire’ for extra help.

If the Wind Vandals of Wharfedale now wish to clean up their sullied reputation, they might start by recognising that local people don’t want their lives wrecked by industrialisation dressed up in green clothing.

Pact thanks all our supporters, and particularly those parish chairmen who properly consulted their residents before lodging their official objections.

Peter Rigby

Chairman, Pact

Lenner House, Beamsley

At last - we know the truth about Ilkley Cemetery

At last the truth about Ilkley Cemetery Chapels is out – and backed up on Parliament’s website. Consecration in 1878 was under the Canon Laws of the Church of England, with the Royal Assent. That covers both chapels; and the North Chapel remains consecrated to this day. That means that it cannot be turned into business premises.

The South Chapel was deconsecrated under another Church Measure made in 1991; as is stated on the Instrument of Deconsecration of 1999.

Parliament says on the internet that ‘Church Measures have the full force of statute law and apply generally throughout England’. That includes the condition imposed by deconsecration that the South Chapel shall not be used for any purpose which causes offence to visitors to the cemetery. That is the law. Turning the two chapels in the middle of the cemetery into a business park does cause offence to visitors to the graves, as the petition by 187 people to Bradford Executive showed.

Councillors on the executive have been told where they can read what Parliament says in plain English on the internet. They do not need a lawyer to interpret what is said. Nor does anybody. Bradford Council cannot by lease, or in any other way, override the authority of Parliament and the Royal Assent. Nor can any kind of lessee of either Chapel override the authority of Parliament and the Royal Assent. And Parliament and the Crown have made the consecration of the two chapels and the visitors’ rights legally binding.

Factsheet L10 (pages 2, 3 and 5) can be found at parliament.uk/factsheets parliament.uk/factsheets. The website opsi.gov.uk/uk-church-measures/index leads to Care of Churches and Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction Measure 1991 (Section 22 and Section 28).

Edwin Schirn

Victoria Grove, Ilkley

MEP speaks out on the need for clearer labelling

British meat is the finest in the world, produced to extremely high standards of quality control and animal welfare. Yet meat products on our supermarket shelves can still be labeled as British even if they are reared abroad and processed in the UK.

Not only is this misleading to consumers, it is also wholly unfair to our farmers who are at a disadvantage to producers who may not have such scrupulous standards.

The Conservative Party has announced that it will change the law to ensure that only products reared here can be labelled as British. Meanwhile, the Government has said it needs clearer labelling laws at a European level before it can take action against misleading labelling.

While we will campaign for clearer country of origin labelling at an EU level, I can see no reason why giving clearer information to consumers about the food they eat would spark a trade row. It is time the Government stopped dithering and changed this unfair law.

Timothy Kirkhope

MEP for Yorkshire and the Humber, Leader of the Conservatives in the European Parliament

Beechwood Farm, Main Street, Scotton, North Yorkshire

We must not let Ilkley become a ghost town

I moved to Ilkley from Anglesey in February 2007. There is a town in the centre of Anglesey called Llangefni. It was a busy, lively small town with about as many shops as Ilkley has. Also there was a twice-weekly large market. On market days it was crowded and, although there were two large car parks, it was very difficult to find a space anywhere, even on the streets.

In May 2008 I went back to visit friends. I was shocked to see how Llangefni is now. Most of the shops and cafes were closed and boarded up. I saw about four people on the pavements. On market day there were about six stalls set up, and the large car park next to it was almost empty. It was a dead town, a ghost town. I don’t think it will ever recover. It took less than 18 months for this to happen.

Ilkley is a delightful town, but I fear the same thing will happen here if we allow a large supermarket to be built.

Anne Barron

Greendown Close, Ilkley

Thanks to all who helped after sledging accident

I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who helped me and my family on the afternoon of Sunday, February 8, at Ben Rhydding golf course, after I decided it would be a good idea to go head first down the hill on my son's sledge. Little did I know that I would come to an abrupt stop by hitting a tree and knocking myself unconscious. Eventually I was air lifted to Leeds General Infirmary and spent seven nights under their care, diagnosed with a fractured skull and damage to my neck vertebra, along with 12 stitches.

I did not know it at the time but have subsequently found out that complete strangers were offering me items of clothing to keep me warm until the emergency services arrived. But, most importantly, comforting my wife and four-year-old son.

Once again, I can not thank everyone involved enough.

Martin Taylor

Burley-in-Wharfedale

Researcher seeks information about Harold Addy

I am researching Australians who served with the Royal Naval Air Service during the Great War. My research has revealed that one of those men, Harold William Addy, was a resident of the Wharfedale region around 1955 when he lived at The Gables, Burley-in-Wharfedale.

Mr Addy was born in Blamain, a suburb of Sydney, Australia. He was living in England prior to the outbreak of the war and enlisted with the RNAS on January 31, 1918.

I was hoping one of your readers may have any information regarding Mr Addy. I am trying to complete cradle-to-grave biographies on all the men in the hope of having a book published so that these men’s deeds will not be forgotten.

I would be only too happy to share my research with the local historical society once the book is published.

Andrew Smith

Australian Society of World War 1 Aero Historians rnas@optusnet.com.au

215 Banks Drive, St Clair, NSW, Australia 2759