Readers' letters - February 7

North End are having a good season and are a decent Championship side but all the hype of going into the Premiership is just not on.

In similar circumstances, I remember Derby County going up.

They went back down with a record of lowest points. I think they won one game if my memory serves me well.

Derby lasted just one painful season and are now a good Championship side, probably better equipped to have another go at promotion.

I go on now mainly with a smile on my face because we are in the right division as we stand now.

If we did get promoted, we would be losing week in, week out.

As we stand now, our home gates are a joke.

A lot of the so-called supporters frown at the prices.

If we did get into the Premier League, the prices would rise.

No PNE, stay in this good Championship division and let’s get 20,000 people supporting us because the present day gates are rubbish.

BRIAN LOCKLEY

Fulwood

equality

‘Grid girls’ and ‘grid lads’

So the ‘grid girls’ are to go.

As a woman, I do cringe at overt sexism (the tabloids’ Page 3 girls is one example), yet I feel sorry for the women in the motor racing and darts world who will now lose their jobs.

What I do believe is, in a world where technology increasingly risks jobs, every job is increasingly precious.

What if there was a compromise so no jobs are lost?

Why not update their role for modern times?

What about that oft quoted ‘equal opportunities’ phrase?

Why not have ‘grid lads’ as well as ‘grid girls’?

(Surely both sexes should have the same opportunities?)

Or if scantily-clad men are not to the tastes of the darts and motor racing fans, why not have smartly dressed grid lads and grid girls?

The sports don’t lose their perceived glamour, the attire looks less sexist and more elegant, and everyone keeps their job.

And we have equal opportunities for men, too!

Molly Clare

via email

Nostalgia

Ernie’s big day

Today’s Looking Back shows Lancashire Evening Post staff at the premises at 127 Fishergate, Preston.

Happy days.

This would be the early 1980s and shows the presentation of the long service award to the late Ernie Cooke for his 50 years as a printer.

In that time was his war service, he served with the army in Burma.

Not a pleasant place to be.

He was a Burma Star member for the rest of his life.

The man holding the ‘Onion’ sign in the background is Bob Heatley.

He went on to become a chief engineer at Broughton Printers and, I believe, was the last one of us to leave.

The sign was in recognition of Ernie’s favourite pie (with onion rings) at the Saddle Inn.

The man presenting him with his gold watch was the then general manager Ralph Walker, with works manager Jim Wilson, second left.

I’ve often wondered what Wally Watson was whispering to him!

Allan Fazackerley

Penwortham

finances

Pension rise

I am beside myself with excitement!

I have been advised of my coming year’s pension entitlement, always welcome, however meagre.

However, I am also advised that, as I will be 80 in August this year, I will receive an extra amount of 25p per week in addition.

Bliss!

I am at a loss to decide what to spend this on, have your readers any ideas?

Peter Brooke

Address supplied

nhs

We can return NHS items

For several years we have all complained that we can’t return walking aids, trolleys, hoists and commodes and so on, supplied by the

NHS.

Now the service is provided by Medequip and they will gratefully accept all these items and, if necessary, collect them.

So if you have any equipment that is no longer needed, phone 01772 286573.

If this information is more widely known, it will save the NHS a lot of money, badly needed in all departments, so please circulate this number.

JG

Preston