Readers' letters - August 6

Indoor market falls short in many ways
Preston MarketPreston Market
Preston Market

I read with interest the article entitled Ice Cube Market, referring to the cold conditions in Preston’s new Indoor Market (LP August 1).

I always supported the idea of this new indoor market but worried that Preston City Council was not actually going to deliver exactly what the residents and market goers wanted.

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It appeared to be an exciting new development attracting new people into our city.

I personally feel it has fallen short in many ways.

I am not an architect or a planner but have lived in Preston my entire life.

I was taken to the market as a child and remember it being a vibrant and bustling place where you could buy almost anything.

There was always a ‘wind tunnel’ through the market and down through Orchard Street and this remains to this day.

So why did professional planners not recognise this?

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Why place doors at the top and bottom in line so creating another ‘wind tunnel’?

I could see that the first time we were shown round before the official opening.

The doors should have been offset from the centre of the entrance/exit.

Now the suggestion is to build a porch. I actually suggested this many months ago, when I was the Shadow Cabinet member, as the only solution I could envisage working at this stage. There is a cost to this of £3m.

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At a time when we are told by our Labour Administration that there is no money, how will this be funded?

When I visit markets abroad, especially in Canada, I embrace their atmosphere and wide variety of goods and eating/coffee establishments.

We have lost the health food store and the haberdashery from our market.

Both were busy and invaluable stalls which would enhance our present indoor market. I also feel that a ‘food court’ would have been a better option. All the cafes in one area with mixed seating is always seen abroad and attracts you to stay longer.

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I wish the market traders every success as they are a dedicated and hard working body and truly hope that a solution is found to their present problems.

Christine Abram

Cottam

brexit

Germany and France benefits

Your correspondents, Steve and Janet Hogger, asked who has been adversely affected by being a member country of the EU (LP Letters, July 24). Well, hands up all those who have personally –or know someone who has – been ‘adversely affected’ by the continuing rail fiasco and there is your answer.

Part of EU rules is that the UK has to allow other EU rail companies to bid for UK rail franchises and guess which company has the franchise for Northern? Well, the operator may be Arriva but they are owned by Deutsche Bahn, the National Rail Carrier for Germany.

In fact, they own at least six other franchises in this country. Indeed, one way or another, other EU countries’ rail carriers own about 70 per cent of all rail franchises in the UK.

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Then, when we look at both France and Germany, we see that hardly anyone else gets a look in on the rail networks, other than their national rail carriers of SNCF and DB respectively. Even if one looks beneath the surface and sees other rail carriers in France, one finds that they are also owned or run as joint ventures with SNCF.

Thus, by this country slavishly following EU rules regarding rail transport – and not helped by a certain lady PM’s flawed mantra of competition being good for prices – we have allowed ourselves to be bullied into accepting the fiasco that is still unfolding up here in the North.

Accepting the lowest bid does not necessarily mean getting the best value for money. Not only that, Northern Rail passengers are to have driver-only operated (DOO) trains imposed on them, despite many passengers wishing to have some security that a guard brings. Still more profits, so that must be good ... for Germany!

Now don’t get me started on energy companies!

Use the premise that the EU is for the benefit of just France and Germany and everything fits into place. Just how can one certain leader of a certain EU country declare that her country will accept up to one million Syrian refugees without any reference to the EU as a whole or those countries which are going to be affected by this mass migration across their lands? And nobody from the EU Commission demands from Germany that this be referred to them for approval. The now rather odd title of European UNION has thus allowed France and Germany to become the most powerful in Europe.

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The EU has demonstrated its intransigence to anything the UK proposes. Why should that be any different if we were to continue being in the EU? In my opinion, it is the EU commissioners who decide what is best first for France and Germany and the rest of the EU will just have to lump it.

Neil Swindlehurst

Walmer Bridge

fundraising

Skydiving

for Blesma

I am doing a skydive for Blesma Limbless Veterans on Saturday, September 8, at Cockerham, at 8am.

I am trying to get to a grand for this charity so, if you see me and wish to donate, please stop me as I have my form on me all the time or you can leave your name and phone number with the YMCA team and they will give it to me please.

Thank you very much for the support I have had up to now.

Hilda Marle Collis

Longridge

P.S I have also left my fundraising box with the staff on the Vascular ward at Royal Preston Hospital. To donate online, visit https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/hilda-marle-collis