James Edgar

Rainbow does mayoral race

2008-04-27T03:45:00.000-07:00

Genius...

Emptier Emirates

2008-04-20T03:28:00.000-07:00

I was lucky enough to go to the Emirates Stadium to see Arsenal cruise to victory against a struggling Reading side yesterday.
The Gunners dominated the game in terms of possession, territory and imagination, and the 2-0 scoreline flattered Reading, who are teetering just a point above the drop-zone.
But it's not the match, or the reasons why Arsenal didn't score at least another three goals, that I want to comment on.
I know the Gunners have blown yet another promising season, both domestically and in Europe, and there is little to play for in the league with third place all but sealed, but why were there so many empty seats?
I was disappointed with my fellow supporters for not bothering to show up to watch their team, just because we're not challenging for silverware.
Admittedly, the reason I got a ticket was because a friend couldn't make it, but I bit his hand off for the chance of going to the Emirates!
Fans of all clubs, across all sports should show up to support their team, whether they are top of the league, or fighting for their lives.
Arsenal are by no means the worst, and the stadium was pretty full, but far short of capacity.
There are thousands of fans who would have reacted like I did if they were offered a chance to watch a top-flight football match, and I feel the fans who couldn't be bothered to turn up yesterday are selfish glory-supporters, oblivious to their privileged position.

Arguidos, damages and Dewsbury

2008-04-14T03:51:00.000-07:00

The news that Maddy arguido Robert Murat is seeking damages from 11 newspapers and one broadcaster, as the Observer reported yesterday, is a dramatic development in this remarkable story.
If he wins, he could get about £200,000 from each, which would work out at well over £2m.
A month ago today the Express and Star newspapers published front-page apologies for their coverage of the alleged involvment of Madeleine's parents in her disappearance. They also paid £550,000 towards the Find Madeleine Fund.
So it looks like we're entering an exciting and uncharted time for the world of libel and media law in general.
And particularly interesting is the fact that the Portuguese police seem no closer to finding out what actually happened.

In a similar case of child-disappearance, the tangled web of familial involvement is being unravelled by police investigating the kidnapping of Shannon Matthews.

The two stories have been compared and contrasted in terms of the financial backing of the hunts, the class and connections of the families involved and the police investigation itself.

But now that Karen Matthews has been charged, along with a number of friends and family for various parts played in the kidnapping, I expect the suggestive and relatively quiet criticism of the Dewsbury Moor community to turn into more full-blown attacks on the leading protagonists, such as this peice in yesterday's News of the World.

Who has increased rates and by how much

2008-04-02T08:16:00.000-07:00

Times Money outlines a week of turmoil in the mortgage market

James Edgar, The Times

April 1

RBS: Selected 2 year fixed rate mortgages increased by 0.50 per cent. Variable tracker rate increased by 0.80 per cent.
Bank of Scotland: Selected rates for self-certification increased by up to 0.50 per cent.
First Direct: Stopped taking applications from new customers. In recent weeks it received five times the usual volume of applications. First Direct's two-year fixed rate mortgage was one of the most competitive on the market.

March 31

Cheltenham and Gloucester: Selected trackers available through direct business increased by up to 0.20 per cent. Selected trackers available through Intermediary business increased by up to 0.35 per cent. Selected Fixed rates available through intermediary business increased by up to 0.17 per cent.
Chelsea BS: 2 year fixed rates increased by 0.20 per cent. Trackers increased by 0.35 per cent.
Cumberland BS: 5 year fixed rates increased by up to 0.20 per cent.
Yorkshire BS: Variable trackers for 2 years and for term increased by up to 0.25 per cent. Selected offset fixed rates increased by 0.1 per cent
Co-operative Bank: Selected trackers increased by up to 0.15 per cent .

March 28

Progressive BS: Discounts and Trackers increased by xx
Nationwide BS: 2 year trackers increased by 0.57 per cent. Trackers for term increased by 0.51 per cent. 2 year fixed increased by 0.20 per cent.
Standard Life Bank: 5 year fixed rates increased by up to 0.49 per cent. Trackers for term increased by 0.40 per cent
Hinckley & Rugby BS: Selected variable tracker rates for term increased by 0.56 per cent.
RBS: Two year fixed rate mortgages increase by up to 0.20 per cent.
First Active: Discounted variable rate for 2 years increased by 0.25 per cent.
Norwich & Peterborough BS: Discounted variable rates increased by 0.75 per cent. Base rate trackers increased by up to 0.50 per cent

March 27

Abbey: Fixed rates for 10 and 15 years increased by 0.05 per cent and selected tracker rate increased by 0.45 per cent.
Intelligent Finance: Variable tracker rates increased by up to 0.50 per cent. Fixed rates increased by up to 0.35 per cent.

March 26

Heritable Bank: Fixed rate mortgages for self cert increased by up to 0.25 per cent.

http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/money/property_and_mortgages/article3666371.ece

Hackney Post editor's blog

2008-03-04T05:01:00.000-08:00

This is an interview from when I edited The Hackney Post newspaper at City.

Brothers get 27 years for chef murder

2008-03-03T09:04:00.000-08:00

by James Edgar, The Hackney Post

TWO brothers have been sentenced to at least 27 years in prison for shooting dead a 30-year-old chef in Hackney.

Craig Thoms was murdered as he arrived at the High Class Venue nightclub on Homerton High Street in the early hours of February 17 last year.

The jury heard how Junior Gordon, 40, from Brixton, south London and his brother Rohan Gordon, 37, from Forest Gate, east London, assassinated Mr Thoms as he got out of his car in a flurry of gunfire.

Passing life sentences at the Old Bailey, Judge Giles Forester said the two men, who had changed their pleas from not guilty to guilty during the course of their trial, should each serve a minimum of 27 years behind bars for their “cold and calculated crime”.

Mr Thoms was deliberately targeted by the pair because they blamed him for the death of their nephew nine years earlier, the court heard.

The victim’s best friend, Nicholas Nelson, 25, of Shepherd’s Bush, west London, who was also on trial for murder, walked free from court after being found not guilty.

Nelson, known as “Shortman”, claimed his innocence throughout the hearing and denied the prosecution’s claims that he coaxed Mr Thoms to the party where the brothers had planned to kill him.

Earlier in the trial Afab Jafferee, prosecuting, said: “To put it bluntly, he [Thoms] had been set up for execution. It was the ultimate betrayal of trust.”

Jurors were shown CCTV footage of Nelson talking to the Gordon brothers on the night of the murder, but he said they did not get on with each other.

Odette Worrell, Junior Gordon’s 34-year-old girlfriend, received a three-year jail term for her part in the crime after she was found guilty of assisting an offender.

The jury heard how she helped Gordon “lie low” in Luton after the murder and dispose of the distinctive clothing he was wearing.

Worrell, of no fixed address, is likely to be deported because she is living in Britain illegally.

http://hackneypost.co.uk/?p=35

Five-star fury over hotel plans

2008-02-28T09:08:00.000-08:00

by James Edgar, The Hackney Post

PLANS to build Hackney’s first five-star hotel on the site of the former Magistrates Court building on Old Street into are likely to be approved by the council in the coming weeks.

With 128 guestrooms, a restaurant, bars, conference rooms, and a gym, it will largely cater for businessmen visiting the City and the developers hope it will boost the economy in Haggerston.

But the proposals have enraged local residents and workers who argue that the seven-storey modern extension at the back of the old court, a grade two listed property, will dwarf the surrounding homes and offices.

An action group has strongly objected to the plans, raising concerns about the hotel’s size, design, security, and parking problems.

In a letter to Hackney Council, seen by The Hackney Post, Hoxton Street jeweller Lexi Dick wrote: “It is a greedy building, cramming itself into every square inch of space available, regardless of the surrounding buildings. It resembles a stack of shoe boxes.”

She argues that the looming edifice will reduce vital narural light in her studio by up to 30 per cent.

For Edward Woodcock, who lives in an apartment in the Timber Yard, the main concern is privacy. He said: “I will have a window facing right into the flat I own. They are saying my privacy will not be affected, because guests will not be in during the day and will be drawing their curtains by night. What about when guests draw their curtains in the morning? This is so lacking in common sense it’s laughable.”

But time is running out for the campaigners. Hackney Council’s planning sub-committee is scheduled to meet on 12 March to decide whether to grant planning permission to developers Mastcraft, who own and run a similar hotel on Great Marlborough Street in the West End, where rooms cost £250 to £450 a night.

Zsolt Moldan, the architect behind the design of the development, said that the hotel should make Hackney residents proud: “I think it will give enormous benefits to local residents and workers. We’re providing a big health and fitness centre, which will be available for them as well as considerable function and banqueting rooms.

“It will be the first five-star hotel in Hackney, which is quite something. I think people should actually be proud of it.”

Jonathan McShane is the councillor for Haggerston ward. He said: “Most people were quite pleased when they saw that a hotel was being developed there, but it was only when they realised it was going to be such a massive extension at the back of a nice old building that they became less keen.

“The hotel in principle is a good idea but the scale of this development seems out of keeping with the area.”

With approval from English Heritage and the Hackney planning service. it is unlikely the application will be rejected by the sub-committee, Cllr McShane said. “Frankly it’s highly unusual for councillors to turn down an application if officers have suggested it should be approved, especially with a big developer like this,” he explained.

'Dazzling Darren' hits 17 victories

2008-02-26T09:01:00.000-08:00

by James Edgar, The Hackney Post

‘Dazzling’ Darren Barker defended his Commonwealth middleweight title in Bethnal Green on Friday night, winning in bizarre fashion.

A packed crowd at the York Hall saw Barker dominate the fight, which took his professional record to an impressive 17 wins in 17 bouts with 11 knockouts.

Despite comfortably out-classing his opponent Steve Bendall throughout the early stages, Barker’s victory owed much to a stroke of good luck.

An accidental clash of heads in the seventh round caused a deep cut above Bendall’s right eye.

Referee Richard Davies was left with no choice but to stop the contest, awarding the fight to the 25-year-old Londoner.

The bout, organised by Hackney-based promoters Hennessey Sports, saw Barker on top from the start.

He knocked his 34-year-old opponent to the canvas after just 20 seconds of the first round with a short right to the chin and a sweeping left hook.

Bendall recovered from the early fall, but never looked close to challenging the title-holder, in what was likely to be his last chance at the big time.

Light-footed Barker ducked and dived around everything Bendall threw at him, using his trademark jab to chip away at the senior boxer.

He showed discipline and maturity beyond his years as he applied steady pressure on his opponent.

A clear signal of Barker’s inevitable triumph came in the fifth round when the quick fists of the Barnet-based fighter proved too much for Bendall.

The southpaw found himself marooned on the ropes after a lightning four-punch combination.

Ironically it was not Barker’s fists that won him the match, but the pair’s accidental collision in the seventh.

Barker shimmied to avoid a right-hander and the pair clashed heads, causing the cut above Bendall’s eye.

The referee briefly let the fight continue, which allowed Barker to take advantage of the gash by landing three blows that caused it to start bleeding heavily.

Davies ended the bout soon after as experienced left-hander Bendall was unfit to continue, awarding Barker a win by technical knockout.

Bendall, from Coventry, had started the year well with an unbeaten run of three wins in consecutive bouts, and Barker did not underestimate the title challenger.

Speaking after the contest he said: “I never overlooked Steve Bendall. He is a quality opponent and he has proved that with the opposition he has faced. He was a stiff test. It was a matter of boxing smartly.”

Barker turned professional after winning the gold medal at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, and the young man promised there is more to come: “I am learning all the time so this was a good performance at this stage of my career.”

And Barker’s future looks bright, with plans to cross the Atlantic to take on the best America has to offer.

Fight promoter Mick Hennessy said: “Darren is an exceptional talent and has the potential to be a big star of British Boxing. I’m looking to get Darren US exposure this year.”

http://hackneypost.co.uk/?p=29#more-29

Review - There Will Be Blood

2008-02-19T03:55:00.000-08:00

There Will Be Blood charts the journey of an aspiring miner, Daniel Plainview, at the height of the Californian oil boom of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. But Daniel Day-Lewis’s sublime performance and the struggle between Christianity and money renders Paul Thomas Anderson’s tragic and simple plot almost immaterial.

The primary conflict in this tale of the American Dream is between Plainview and Eli Sunday, the local preacher of the community whose land Plainview buys to drill. The bullish masculinity of the tycoon and his men penetrating Sunday’s sanctified yet seemingly barren land does bear fruit – oil in vast quantities.

But Plainview’s own admittance of a lack of faith coupled with denying Sunday the chance to “bless the well”, result in his son being deafened and one of his workers impaled by an iron rod – signals of impending disaster. Their tit-for-tat exchanges run throughout the narrative, with blackmail causing the only times they come into accordance.

Some references signposting the audience towards religion are a little forced. The owner of the ranch Plainview buys is called Abel Sunday, and Plainview picks up his son from a basket to baptise his head with oil. But the use of the three vital liquids, oil for money, holy water for faith, and blood for life is subtle and thought-provoking. Indeed, blood is only mentioned near the conclusion of the film.

Day-Lewis’s acting is dark and disturbing. Devoid of affection or sexuality, his only motivation is financial. He uses his young son merely as a tool to gain the trust of the people he is trying to con, “I’m a family man, I run a family business. This is my son and my partner.” And his selfishness and greed is uncompromising: “I want no one else to succeed. I hate most people.”

Paul Dano’s portrayal of Plainview’s nemesis Eli Sunday is understated, measured and unsettling. His staring eyes and blank expression coupled with a hushed, monotonous tone of voice give a degree of menace to his god-fearing character, while his preaching scenes are wild.

Jonny Greenwood’s score moves from haunting string dissonances and metronomic percussion in the opening to polyphonic melodies by the end. This reflects Plainview’s successes in the flow of both oil and money, but is a poignant contrast to his mental and physical deterioration into alcoholism and the lonely abandonment of his family.

Postman to Peer - A profile of Lord Clarke

2008-01-22T03:38:00.000-08:00

The grand and cavernous Royal Gallery at Westminster Palace is a far cry from the Mornington Crescent post office where Tony Clarke began his career. Now almost 60 years on, Baron Clarke of Hampstead is a Labour Party life peer. Sinking deep into a leather chair, with the vast fresco depicting the death of Nelson over his shoulder, he says: “I never dreamt that I would end up here.”

Arsenal fanatic Lord Clarke, the son of a chauffeur and a maid, was evacuated from the capital with his siblings at the outbreak of World War Two. But his mother brought them back to Hampstead after she paid a visit to Bedfordshire. “She didn’t like how we were living, so we came back to London when the Blitz was happening,” he says with his soft, but distinctly North London, accent. However, the threat from enemy bombs never stopped him from enjoying himself: “Although we played football between a barrage balloon and a rocket site, Hampstead Heath was a very safe place for children.”

He started work at 14 as a telegraph boy in 1946, after just two years of formal education at a catholic school. He rode around the city on a bicycle delivering telegrams. “I was physically too small to ride a motorbike”, he recalls. It was when he returned to be a postman after a short spell in the army that he got involved in politics. Angry at the management of his Hampstead sorting office and feeling let down by his union, Clarke spoke out and decided to run for a position: “By 1955 I was a trade union official of that branch, and later the whole district of North West London.”

Through various roles in local politics, his involvement in industrial activism snowballed, and he became a full-time official of the Union of Postal Workers in 1979. He was editor of the union’s monthly journal: “That’s a bit of a laugh if you look at my background,” he says, “but we made it work!” In later years he served as Chairman of the Labour Party and in 1998, became a life peer: “The phone rang, and it was Tony Blair asking if I would accept a peerage. Of course I said yes.”

Lord Clarke’s self-effacing account of his journey through politics explains his approach to the issues he values. He campaigns for better conditions and pay for employees in Britain and abroad, once smuggling his way into apartheid South Africa to negotiate a deal for postal workers. Despite taking the Labour whip, Lord Clarke admits he is outspoken on certain issues, and is not afraid of straying from the party line: “The post office has been destroyed by my government. I think it’s appalling.”

His life-long love for Arsenal Football Club has allowed Lord Clarke to stay in touch with his past and keep his feet on the ground: “It’s a great way for me to switch off. I’m with my son and the people around us are all friends. I just love it.” He was once asked by Neil Kinnock (who he stills calls his comrade) to go to Australia for a meeting. He agreed to attend, on one condition: “As long as I get back by three o’clock on Saturday!”

But if it came down to choosing between his red seat in the House of Lords and his red seat at Arsenal, the 76-year-old says: “I couldn’t voluntarily leave this place,” looking around the priceless paintings, “so I think I’d give up the Arsenal because I’m old enough that I can watch it on television.”

Holiday cheer for violence victims

2008-01-14T03:32:00.000-08:00

By James Edgar, Yorkshire Evening Post

DOMESTIC violence victims from Leeds will be able to enjoy a much-needed holiday break on Yorkshire’s East Coast this spring.

Fifty children and 29 women will spend a week caravanning in the May half-term.

The Leeds Hospital Fund has donated £7,000 towards ensuring the trip, organised by the Leeds Women’s Aid (LWA) charity for sufferers of domestic violence, goes ahead.

Rosie Robinson, director of LWA, said: “The children are just thrilled. It’s a chance for them to spend time with their mums and put the past behind them.”

The charity works with women and children who experience violence, and provides safe places for them to stay.

The holidaymakers live in the organisation’s refuges and safe houses.

Coaches will take the trippers to the coastal holiday park where each family will have their own caravan and entertainment passes.

Ms Robinson said: “It’s thrilling really, because the women and children don’t normally get holidays.

Peaceful “All we want is for the children to enjoy the time that others take for granted. It’s something they think other children do but they don’t.”

She believes a holiday will give the children valuable, peaceful quality time with their mothers and will improve the childrens’ mental health, sense of well-being, self-esteem and confidence.

Youngsters have told her that they would like to go on holiday, and most of all, they want to be “just like other kids.”Leeds Women’s Aid works in the community, runs sessions at ante-natal departments of hospitals and helps protect unborn children.

The charity also operates in schools, raising awareness about domestic violence and healthy family relationships with children and young people.

The total cost of the holiday is £11,500, and the remaining money was raised during Leeds Shopping Week 2007.

Ms Robinson said: “We have hired 29 caravans for a week so it becomes really expensive. But we’re delighted the holiday is going ahead.”

Leeds Women’s Aid would be grateful for any further donations towards the project and others in the future.

The 24-hour helpline is (0113) 246 0401.

http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/Holiday-cheer-for-violence-victims.3667918.jp

Decision on future of Birstall cobbles today

2008-01-09T08:01:00.000-08:00

By James Edgar, Yorkshire Evening Post

THE FATE of Birstall’s historic cobbles hangs in the balance today as Kirklees Council meets to decide their future.

Campaigners have fought to save the stone setts from being dug up as part of the regeneration of the market place.

But they recently suffered a setback when they lost their fight to have the stones listed by English Heritage.

Local solicitor Beverley Mottram formed the Birstall Heritage and Conservation group after over 1,000 people signed a petition urging the council to reconsider the plans.

Miss Mottram, who is attending the crucial Cabinet meeting, said: “I expect them just to bulldoze the lot, but if we can get them to reconsider, that would be great.”

The celebrated market place is home to a statue of the 18th-century philosopher and clergyman Joseph Priestley. Born in Birstall, he is credited with identifying oxygen and being a founding father of the United States.

Pressure from the campaigners has forced the council to use the cobbles that are in good condition, about a quarter of them, in the new development. Other new stones would be sourced elsewhere.

If the remaining stones are ripped up but not used in the regeneration project, the conservation group and its supporters want them to be kept in Birstall, rather than being sold on by the council.

According to Miss Mottram, reclaimed stone is in short supply and it has shot up in value in recent years.

The Birstall Heritage and Conservation group proposes that the stones are relocated around the village centre.

The group has recently been granted charitable status, and Miss Mottram presented the council with a copy of the document that established it as a charity, the constitutional trust deed.

She said: “I want them to consider the fact we are now a charity and relocate the stones around the Birstall area.”

The group hopes the council will decide to donate the cobbles, unused kerbstones and unused Yorkshire stone flags to them.

Miss Mottram said: “We would much rather they remained in the market place, of course.”

http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/dewsbury-news/Decision-on-future-of-Birstall.3654527.jp

Kids follow yellow bus road to success

2008-01-08T07:54:00.000-08:00

By James Edgar, Yorkshire Evening Post

CHATTERBOX children in West Yorkshire are ready to learn when they arrive at school – after a daily babble on board a yellow bus.

Teachers say the 8,000 pupils that use Metro’s “My bus” scheme are “talked out” by the time they get to lessons.

Other advantages are that the schoolchildren enjoy travelling with their friends, and parents are spared from doing the school run.

Parents are freeing up nearly an hour a week on average and save 30 kilometres a week.

Martin Driver, a spokesperson for Metro, the West Yorkshire Passenger Travel Executive, said: “Teachers are telling us the scheme has improved the punctuality and attendance of the pupils.

“There is training for all kids before they use the service and they gain additional self-confidence by using the bus.”

Former Home Secretary David Blunkett launched the 150th yellow bus when he visited a school in Leeds yesterday.

St Theresa’s Primary is one of over 130 schools signed up to West Yorkshire’s yellow bus scheme, the largest in the UK.

The Labour MP for Sheffield Brightside met parents and students who regularly use the service.

Already the yellow buses have eased congestion in West Yorkshire.

Almost 70 per cent of primary school pupils and 20 per cent of secondary pupils that use the service were previously dropped off by car.

The single-deck buses, which have on-board CCTV and belts on every seat, follow a specially devised route to pick up students along the way.

Some buses are equipped for children with special educational needs.

Trained operators run a back-up system that parents and drivers can contact in the event of any problems.

Mr Driver said: “The scheme has been implemented carefully and methodically with input from both parents and schools.

“The buses take children from as young as four to those taking GCSEs.”

Mr Blunkett is chairman of the national Yellow School Bus Commission, set up by bus operator First, which looks at the possibilities of introducing more yellow school buses across the country.

“My bus” started taking children to and from school in autumn 2004 after Metro won £18.7 million in funding from the Department for Transport.

http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/Kids-follow-yellow-bus-road.3649873.jp

'Tenants still want to rent flats in city'

2008-01-03T04:06:00.000-08:00

by James Edgar, The Yorkshire Evening Post

A LEADING Leeds city centre property agent has slammed an industry survey that said tenants’ demand for flats has slumped.

The report by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) said this was “due to a glut of properties on the market.”

According to the study, surveyors reported demand for flats in the latter part of 2007 slowed down dramatically compared to the first half of the year. It found only one in five of surveyors saw a rise in demand in the third quarter, compared with 37 per cent in the second.

But Jonathan Morgan, managing director of Morgans estate agents, said it was not the case in the city.

He said: “We expect our figures for December to be far better than last year. “We’ve had our best year for rentals in 10 years.”

Mr Morgan said his own quarterly lettings statistics for city centre properties prove substantial and continual growth on the corresponding periods the previous year.

Compared with 2006, the signed tenancy agreements in the first quarter of 2007 saw no change, the second quarter an 11 per cent increase, the third 21 per cent higher and the fourth saw 29 per cent growth, he added.

Mr Morgan said: “This clearly contradicts the RICS figures.”The RICS study also concluded the buy-to-let market has taken a nose-dive.

RICS spokesman Jeremy Leaf said: “A combination of tightening lending criteria and successive interest rate rises has started to hit the buy-to-let market.”

Mr Morgan agreed the statistics reflect anecdotal evidence on a national level, but he said they do not relate to his specialist area of the city centre market.

http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/39Tenants-still-want-to-rent.3635260.jp

City's martial arts club 'boxing clever'

2007-12-20T08:06:00.000-08:00

by James Edgar, Yorkshire Evening Post

A boxing club in Leeds is celebrating the end of a mighty year in the Thai martial art of Muay Thai, after fighters won regional competitions and a British title.

Stuart Kemp, 24, of Pudsey, won the British super-welterweight title on November 18 at the Batley Frontier, and Phil Burke, 36, of Kirkstall, is the Northern area cruiserweight champion, a title he won in Manchester on October 14.

Kemp is also Northern area champion and golden belt Area Champion. They train at the West Yorkshire Muay Thai gym, which was formed last August by Mike Tobin, 41, of Pudsey.

TechniquesMore than 60 adults and 25 children train at the Armley club and nearly 20 take part in competitive fights.

Mr Tobin, who was twice British champion during his 20-year career, refers to Muay Thai as the science of eight limbs because fighters use elbows and knees as well as punching and kicking techniques. He believes thai boxing motivates children and encourages them to stay out of trouble.

He said: “It gets kids off the streets and it really disciplines them. Martial arts is about much more than just punching and kicking, it’s about leadership and courage.

“I’m not trying to turn young kids into street fighters, I’m trying to give them the support and discipline that will keep them off the streets.”

Mr Tobin has noticed there are far fewer boxing clubs in Leeds than when he started the sport. He said: “Where else can these kids go? When I was a young, there were lots of boxing
clubs for us to go to. But there aren’t any more.”

Leeds-based security firm, Network Securities, has donated over £4,000 this year for equipment and maintenance of the gym. And Christmas came early when the firm gave sponsored tracksuits and t-shirts in November for the fighters to wear in competitions, costing over £1,500.

Glen Crosthwaite, managing director of Network Securities, is a keen fighter and coach at the gym and was once a British champion himself.

He said: “To be good at martial arts takes a lot of commitment and dedication not just from the pupil but from the teacher and Mike Tobin gives young people and adults bucket loads of both, which is why Network Securities are helping with the funding and the West Yorkshire Muay Thai gym in Armley.”

The pair are currently planning for a professional coach to come from Thailand to teach for three months in the New Year.

http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/City39s-martial-arts-club-39boxing.3607629.jp

Leeds United video

2007-12-18T07:21:00.000-08:00

http://video.jpress.co.uk/editorial/LEED/lufc hospital visitjp settings.wmv

Witches add Kop heroes to fundraising brew

2007-12-17T07:02:00.000-08:00

by James Edgar, Liverpool Echo

WIVES of ex-Liverpool football players are teaming up to raise money for a children’s hospice.

Kop legends Bruce Grobbelaar and David Johnson will give after-dinner speeches at the fundraiser in the Champions Suite at Liverpool’s stadium.

Soccer stars past and present are expected to be among the 300 guests in January.

The event is being organised by WAG charity club the Wirral Witches (Women In Touch with Claire House), which hopes to raise a five-figure sum for the hospice.

Current “witches” include Andrea Barnes, Tracy Rush, Debbie Thomas, Karen Durnin and Lisa McAteer, wives of ex-Liverpool stars John Barnes, Ian Rush, Michael Thomas, John Durnin and Jason McAteer.

Mandy Molby, wife of Jan Molby, who came up with the idea of Wirral Witches, said: “All the witches are really supportive and it’s a great way of fundraising for a good charity.”

There will be a three-course dinner, dancing, music and entertainment from radio presenter and comedian Willie Miller, and all the proceeds from the auction and raffle will go to Claire House.

Top lots include the Ultimate Anfield Experience, involving a tour of the stadium and a training session at the academy.

Shirts signed by Liverpool aces Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher will be auctioned as well as donations from jewellery designer Christopher James and Estee Lauder.

Formed in August, the Witches group has more than 50 members and has already raised nearly £70,000 from a celebrity football match and dinner in November.

Subscription is just £1 per week, and each witch must host one charity event a year.

Mrs Molby said: “It’s going to be a great party. That’s the best thing about it.

“If I can’t do anything else, I can throw a really good party.”

Claire House Children’s Hospice in Wirral relies entirely on charitable donations of £2m per year.

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-fc/liverpool-fc-news/2007/12/17/witches-add-kop-heroes-to-fundraising-brew-100252-20260978/

Steadfast scousers and the Sun

2007-12-14T04:35:00.000-08:00

For those that aren't familiar with the story, the Sun newspaper reported that Liverpool football fans pickpocketed crushed victims and urinated on police at the Hillsborough disaster in April 1989.

96 people died in the tragedy.

I'm not going to speculate on the validity of the claims made by the Sun, but the people of Liverpool staunchly denied them and were deeply offended.

The newspaper was immediately boycotted and its name is still frowned upon by many.

But I hadn't realised the the Sun was still such an unmentionable and unbuyable paper in the city nearly 20 years on. Offence is still taken by Liverpudlians when the disaster is mentioned.

For example, in November, Eastenders found themselves in hot water after a character linked Hillsborough to hooliganism. The BBC had over 1000 complaints.

So the disaster is still a source for stories, particularly in the local press.

And it's not just Liverpool FC supporters that hate the newspaper. Evertonians stand by their rivals, as well as non-football supporters, in condemnation of the Sun.

You can buy the Sun from newsagents, but there are far fewer copies than the Echo and national tabloids.

I have tried to dig around for regional sales figures for newspapers to provide solid evidence, but my research has proved fruitless.

I have still been buying the Sun while I have been up here on work experience (at full price by the way - is it still 20p in London?) but I have to fold it into another paper or put it into my bag to avoid stares and eyebrow-raising.

I have to admire the scousers for their support and solidarity, but I'm afraid I still need my daily fix.

The North/South divide

2007-12-14T04:32:00.000-08:00

The North/South divide is a subject I’ve come to be familiar with over the last few years. Although Leeds University is more like a north-London transplant, I managed to befriend a good proportion of the northern students during the three years I was there. And living and working in Leeds for a year after I graduated, having a season ticket for the Rhinos and playing water polo for the city, I actually spoke to people from the north – something the vast majority of students never did.

I even lived with a northerner last year, which was great after we established a few house rules – such as using cutlery and the lavatory, and not speaking in grunts. (Before I go any further, that was a JOKE! - I say this mainly because I can only imagine the sadistic plans Fay and Shep are scheming as they read this!)

Joking and northerner-bating aside, I'm actually writing to say I think there is a strong bias towards the south in national newspapers. And I don't think it's right at all. I do understand the pretty obvious reason that all nationals are based in London, and most of the reporters, editors, subs etc etc are from down south, but they should be much more aware of what is going on north of Luton.

From what I gather by talking to northerners, they don't buy nationals because they don't feel any connection with them at all. Why would they buy a paper that may as well be called The London Loop? This is probably why papers such as the Liverpool Echo and Manchester Evening News aren't doing too badly in these slash-and-burn days.

Alder Hey kids dream of a Reds Christmas

2007-12-14T03:40:00.000-08:00

by James Edgar, Liverpool Echo

REDS stars laden with presents visited patients at Alder Hey children’s hospital.

Manager Rafa Benitez and his Kop stars signed autographs for youngsters and posed for pictures.

Peter Crouch, Harry Kewell and Sami Hyppia were among the Liverpool first-team players to swop their red shirts for red Santa hats for the visit.

They took gifts such as teddies, scarves and calendars to the youngsters – some of whom will spend Christmas in Alder Hey.

Dirk Kuyt’s son was admitted to the hospital in West Derby shortly after he was born earlier this year.

The 27-year-old Holland striker said: “They do wonderful things for these children.

“It's great that we can walk into the ward and help the kids forget about their problems for a while.
“It was good to have a chat with them and sign autographs.”

Republic of Ireland defender Steve Finnan said: “I think it's really important that the lads come here and do what we can for these kids at this time of year.

“It's nice that we’ve been able to come and put smiles on their faces.

“It's a difficult time for them being in hospital but if us coming along and giving them a present from the club cheers them up then that makes it all worthwhile for us.”

Holland midfielder Ryan Babel said: “It's a really emotional experience. If we can give these kids the inspiration and faith to help with their healing then that's great.

“These kids have dreams as well and even though they're in hospital, hopefully they'll soon be able to get out and realise their ambitions.”

Even Everton fans were pleased to see the Liverpool stars.

Kuyt said: “We came across a few Evertonians as well which was fun and we did our best to change them.”

Spokeswoman for the Alder Hey Imagine Appeal Chris Done said: “It was a fantastic visit and it leaves the patients with a great feeling.

“This year was really special because it was the first time Rafa Benitez came and his visit went down so well with the children.

“It doesn’t matter if they’re a Red or a Blue. There was loads of banter and it’s all taken with really good heart.”

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-life/liverpool-lifestyle/2007/12/15/alder-hey-kids-dream-of-a-reds-christmas-100252-20252585/

Santa drops in to Alder Hey by helicopter

2007-12-13T07:06:00.000-08:00

by James Edgar, Liverpool Echo

FATHER Christmas swopped his sleigh for a helicopter to deliver presents to children at Liverpool’s Alder Hey hospital.

Helped by Royal Air Force personnel, Santa swooped down in a Sea King helicopter laden with gifts.

Sgt Tony Tyrer, whose four-and-a-half-month-old daughter Emily tragically died at the hospital, teamed up with Costco to donate presents and a £1,000 cheque to the intensive care unit.

Over 50 more gifts for children on other wards were bought with donations from RAF bases across the UK.

Flight Lieutenant Diane Carbutt, a spokeswoman for the RAF in Liverpool, said: “It’s sad to see so many children in hospital over Christmas, but seeing the smiles on the children and staff’s faces when Santa arrives is so worthwhile.

“RAF personnel in the area are so eager to get involved every year and many help behind the scenes purchasing and wrapping over 200 presents.”

Alder Hey spokeswoman Emma White said: “It really brightens up the day of the children.

“For some of them who are really poorly, it’s the first time they’ve smiled in days.”

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-entertainment/christmas/2007/12/13/santa-drops-in-to-alder-hey-by-helicopter-100252-20244027/

Centre to bring estate new hope

2007-12-08T07:21:00.000-08:00

by James Edgar, Liverpool Echo

CAMPAIGNERS were celebrating today after winning their long-running battle to rebuild a crime-ridden row of derelict shops.

Empty buildings at the heart of Deysbrook had become a haven for drug users, vandalism and anti-social crime.

But it took residents 10 years to realise their dream of turning the derelict shops into a new community centre.

And it came just two years after it appeared the whole project was on the brink of collapse when a £245,000 government grant seemed to have been lost.

Councillor Ann Hines, who helped lead the campaign, said: “Change doesn’t happen overnight and we’re now starting to see the fruits. I’m delighted for the people living there.”

Campaigners hope the new £500,000 Deysbrook Village Centre, in Deysbrook Way, will become the hub of the once crime-ridden area.

Two days of celebration kicked off yesterday with Cllr Peter Millea cutting the ribbon.

Children from the new on-site nursery performed songs and dances for the crowd and got the chance to meet Father Christmas in his grotto. And there was bingo for the over-50s.

Cllr Hines said: “The estate within West Derby was in desperate need of regeneration.

“The Deysbrook Village Centre will add to the quality of life for the people living there. It’s part of the regeneration of the area and I hope it will be right at the heart of the community.”

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news/2007/12/08/centre-to-bring-estate-new-hope-100252-20220802/

Never underestimate the power of........ the editors

2007-11-18T07:38:00.000-08:00

On Saturday night (8 – 9 pm) Radio 4 aired The Editors with Andrew Neil, previous editor of the Sunday Times. Unfortunately I was unable to catch it, but due to the fabulous internet-age in which we live I tracked it down on the BBC website. It’s well worth a listen and doesn’t require full concentration. Look for The Archive Hour on http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/progs/listenagain.shtml. I’ll try not to get bogged down with all the detail, but a brief synopsis might give you an idea of what it was all about.

The dulcet, comforting, and occasionally soporific tones of Andrew Neil (who also presents The Daily Politics and This Week – the one in which Dianne Abbott and Michael Portillo practically make sweet love on the sofa – on the BBC) takes the listener through a selection of successful editors of national papers. He discusses the relationships between editors, proprietors and readers, chopped up with some interesting and revealing anecdotes and quotes from various big cheeses and commentators.

He introduces with the glory days of the Daily Mirror (5 million readership) and the relationship between editor Hugh Cudlipp and proprietor Cecil King. The Mirror was the paper for the working classes, edited by a man who left school at 14 who was equally comfortable talking to royals, TUC leaders and homeless drunks on Fleet Street.

The “memorable duet” of Arthur Christiansen and Lord Beaverbrook at the Daily Express is interesting as their “compulsive attraction to each other” coupled with diametrically opposed political standpoints propelled the paper. The Express’s appeal across the classes and skill at knowing what the news was and how to project it saw sales reach 4 million.

The programme touches on the Scott Trust, now owner of the Guardian and Observer, with a profile of Observer editor Astor, whose talent at recruiting and nurturing talent brought, among others, George Orwell to the paper.

Harry Evans’s skill at campaigns and investigations at the Sunday Times is exemplified by the thalidomide case. He likens a good campaign to a “midwife” that exposes reality, and emphasises facts to be more important than opinion.

As a brief aside, Neil discusses the relationship between editors and politicians. Editors are courted by politicians who believe that if they can get them on-side, they can affect what is written, and maybe even swing elections.

The programme understandably focuses on the Sun, particularly after Murdoch bought it from Cudlipp, with interesting quotes from Larry Lamb and Kelvin MacKenzie. Lamb compared the paper to evening TV programmes, rather than news bulletins, and MacKenzie defended the Sun’s (mis)treatment of anyone in the public eye (or not for that matter) if the reportage was in the public interest.

It concludes with the Daily Mail, briefly describing David English’s impact of understanding the mid-market audience and the female readership. The low-profile and high-paid current editor Paul Dacre is quoted from a rare interview on Desert Island Discs in which he says, “the editor who relies on market research is dead” so it’s all about “gut instinct”. The Mail stands up for “family values, self-reliance and aspiration”, while the Guardian is “patronising, right-on, and sanctimonious”.

So then, to conclude, it is clear that all successful editors are “strong characters, who imprinted theirs [characters] on their papers”, but their beliefs and philosophies can be hugely different. However, the days of this type of editor could be numbered because the 21st century has so many alternatives with the advent of the internet etc. “If so, British journalism and public discourse will be diminished.”

Extracts included: Cudlipp (Mirror), Christianson (Express), Astor (Observer), Evans (Sunday Times), Murdoch, Max Hastings (Daily Telegraph), Larry Lamb (the Sun), Kelvin McKenzie (the Sun), Derek Jameson (Star), David English (Daily Mail), Paul Dacre (Daily Mail), Michael Leapman (newspaper historian) and Ruth Dudley Edwards (journalist and historian)

Temperate language for stoolpigeons

2007-10-25T04:24:00.000-07:00

It’s not just us hacks that are under constant scrutiny for our use of language. Gordon Brown got himself into hot water yesterday as he accused David Cameron of “misleading people”. Outrageous… politicians misleading people… that’s just not on Dave. Of course Mr Brown wouldn’t dream of misleading people himself.

What followed was Tory MPs accusing Brown of using “unparliamentary language”. It seems a list has been compiled of words and phrases that are unsuitable in the Commons, and the ever-ready Tories pounced on the chance for a good old-fashioned lower house squabble. The Guardian helpfully picked out a few (p.13). Now I can understand “liar” and “traitor”, but I did chuckle at “guttersnipe” and “stoolpigeon”. It sometimes amazes me how “down-with-the-kids” these guys are!

You’ll be pleased to know, however, that Brown got away with his slur on his opposite number. No, not because they realised that such pettiness would make them look (even more) like a load of out-of-touch crones. But because Gords didn’t accuse Dave of misleading his fellow MPs, just misleading the general public. OH, that’s all-right then! Panic over. At least we know where we stand. Big Brown Bear did get a jolly good finger-wagging though, and was told to use more “temperate language”. That’ll teach ‘im.

You might be thinking what this has got to do with newspapers, but I think we can learn a few things from it. There will always be people, whether it’s “Concerned from Tunbridge Wells”, or your news editor, who’ll cross-examine the tiniest details in your work, so don’t give them a reason to hang you out to dry.

Also interesting is the way different newspapers handled the episode. I’ll just choose two papers’ coverage. The Guardian went with a fairly straight piece, with the odd smattering of humour, particularly in the furniture. The Sun started off saying: “There were shameful scenes in the House of Commons yesterday as Prime Minister’s Questions degenerated into a farce with MPs catcalling and jeering”. But then just ran some bloke’s commentary on PM’s questions. Bizarre I thought, but a good cartoon. Perhaps both could have done a bit more with it, possibly drawing aspects of the other’s style into their own, especially as today was one of the driest news days in weeks.

So fix up you guttersnipes!

Soundbites - James Edgar stirs it up with the hot Steppa

2007-08-22T03:55:00.000-07:00

by James Edgar, The Leeds Guide

After a recent holiday to Greece, I flirted with the idea of an exclusive pan-European special report contrasting the Leeds dance music scene with that of its Athenian equiva lent. However, although I did manage to find some time between oiling my mankini-clad body and perfecting my rendition of Wham’s ‘Club Tropicana’ video to savour what the Greek capital had to offer, I found little to make a fruitful comparison. Maybe I just went to the wrong places? (Suggestions on a postcard to the usual address please.)

What I should done to hear some decent beats is follow Leeds drum & bass heavy-hitter DJ Steppa on his worldwide tour! Fresh from headlin ing nights across Europe and Canada, Steppa will be back in Leeds for his big birthday bash at SubDub on 8th September before heading out to the white isle to DJ alongside Andy C for the closing party of Metropolis’ first season in Ibiza (as featured in last month’s Leeds Guide). Then on to Lithuania of all places — Greece needs to catch up!

After the relative lull of Leeds’ summer, Steppa told us: "I’m looking forward to getting the raving season kicked off again in Leeds. There’s a lot of big line-ups this year. Metropolis and SubDub have stepped it up a whole other level."

As well as those two main residen cies, he’ll be DJing at Jump, the new monthly drum & bass night opening in September at the Mint Club. And, of course, with the return of the students it’s "all about getting ready for the freshers’ week onslaught!"

It’s not just about the mixing for Steppa. With a brand new studio, he’s looking to treat the production side of things more like a job, with a remix for Ray Keith in the pipeline for Dread Recordings. And his current tune, ‘The Menace’, a collaboration with Ego Trippin and DJ Sly (3rdangle Recordings), is getting a lot of support on dubplate from the likes of Nicky Blackmarket and Hype.

Winning Best Breakthrough DJ in the National Drum & Bass awards was a real turning point for Steppa, and he explained how he used it as a launch pad for his career (take note kids): "You can’t sit around and wait for bookings to come in, so I got off my arse and promoted myself as the best breakthrough DJ, and I’ve got so much more work out of Leeds now. I’ve played in places I didn’t even know existed or even had a drum & bass scene, so things are going off!"

Check out the latest from Steppa and listen to his beats on www. myspace.com/djsteppa

Warriors grab crucial win in battle for play-off berth

2007-04-18T06:43:00.000-07:00

by James Edgar, FIBA website

The Golden State Warriors are still hoping for a place in the play-offs in the Western Conference following an emphatic 111-82 win over the Dallas Mavericks.

Table leaders Dallas rested a number of stars, including Germany star Dirk Nowitzki, Josh Howard and Jerry Stackhouse, and the Warriors capitalised on the presence of Dallas reserves Jose Juan Barea, Maurice Ager, Greg Buckner, DeSagana Diop and Devean George.

Golden State jumped out to an early lead, outscoring the Mavericks 30-15 in the first quarter and never looked back.

Mickael Pietrus led the scoring for Golden State with 22 points, with Matt Barnes taking 19 and 12 rebounds and Jason Richardson collecting 14 points and seven rebounds.

Pietrus shot six-of-nine from the field, including three-of-four from the arc, and Barnes was seven-of-15 from the floor for the Warriors, who led by as many as 28 points in the third period.

Ager scored 20 points and Barea added 13 and a career-high 10 rebounds for the Mavericks, who will face either the Warriors or Los Angeles Clippers in a first-round playoff series.

The battle for the eighth and final play-off spot will come down to the last night of the season, when the Warriors take on Portland and the Clippers host New Orleans on Wednesday.

The Clippers posted a critical 103-99 victory over Phoenix Suns to keep their play-off dreams alive.

Elton Brand collected 21 points and nine rebounds and Tim Thomas added 18 and eight.

Quinton Ross made two free throws and Jason Hart scored on a floater in the lane as Los Angeles grabbed a 97-92 lead at the 2:11 mark in the fourth quarter.

Brazilian Leandro Barbosa netted five straight points for the Suns to close within 99-97 with 32 seconds left, but Hart sank all four of his free throws in the waning seconds to seal the victory.

Raja Bell and Boris Diaw each scored 17 points and All-Star Amare Stoudemire chipped in 16 for Phoenix.

The Clippers now need to beat the New Orleans Hornets and hope the Warriors stumble at Portland to secure thier second straight play-off berth for the first time since 1992 and 1993.

The Cleveland Cavaliers won their third straight game with a 98-92 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers.

Larry Hughes scored 15 of his 22 points in the second half, LeBron James added 18 and Lithuanian Zydrunas Ilgauskas collected 14 points and eight rebounds for Cleveland.

The Cavaliers now must emerge victorious from their final game against Milwaukee on Wednesday and hope Chicago lose at New Jersey to earn the second seed in the Eastern Conference.

Orlando Magic posted a 95-84 victory over the Washington Wizards. The Magic are peaking at the right time while the Wizards are heading in the opposite direction.

The Magic have won five of their last six outings, while Washington have lost eight of their last 11 contests to fall into sixth place.

Hedo Turkoglu of Turkey scored 26 points, Dwight Howard had 17 points and 12 rebounds and Antawn Jamison made 14-of-26 shots.

Washington trailed by 12 points at the intermission but stormed back in the third with a quarter-ending 16-7 burst capped by Brendan Haywood's eight-foot jumper for a 73-69 lead.

Late in the fourth, Carlos Arroyo drained a jumper and Grant Hill made 1-of-2 foul shots as Orlando snapped an 88-88 tie with 1:45 remaining.

DeShawn Stevenson split a pair of free throws, cutting the lead to 91-89, but Hill fed Turkoglu for an 18-footer off the high pick-and-roll with 23 seconds to seal it.

The Magic need a win coupled with a Wizards loss on Wednesday to avoid facing top-seeded Detroit in the first round of the play-offs.

The Detroit Pistons rested most of their starters as they rolled to a meaningless 100-84 triumph over the Toronto Raptors.

Detroit outscored Toronto 38-19 in the second quarter to forge a 61-37 advantage at the break and never looked back.

Murray scored 16 points for the Pistons and All-Star Richard Hamilton added 10 of his 12 in the first half.

Argentinian Carlos Delfino scored 12 points and Lindsay Hunter had eight and a season-high 11 assists for the Detroit.

Slovenian rookie Uros Slokar scored 18 points off the bench and Morris Peterson had 14 points and 13 rebounds for the Raptors.

Atlanta Hawks found solace at the end of a frustrating season by beating the Indiana Pacers 118-102.

Smith scored 25 points and grabbed 13 rebounds and all five starters scored in double figures for the Hawks.

Tyronn Lue added 25 points and eight assists and Marvin Williams had 23 points and seven rebound for the Hawks, who snapped a three-game losing streak.

Ike Diogu scored 20 points and Danny Granger added 15 for the Pacers, who missed the play-offs for the first time since the 1996-97 season.

Indiana were eliminated from play-off contention with Sunday's 111-107 defeat to the New Jersey Nets and finish off the season by hosting the Washington Wizards on Wednesday.

http://www.fiba.com/pages/eng/fc/news/lateNews/p/newsid/18789/arti.html

Addingham motorist has the hump over speed bumps

2007-04-08T08:30:00.000-07:00

By James Edgar, Ilkley Gazette

SPEED bumps in Burley Woodhead could fall foul of anti-discrimination laws, a disabled Adding-ham woman believes.

Christine Gale, who fractured her spine five years ago, finds the road humps too painful to drive over and says they prevent her from enjoying Ilkley Moor.

Mrs Gale, whose injuries resulted from a sledging accident, thinks the speed bumps are preventing disabled drivers from using the roads, and she has called on Bradford Council to make a study of their impact.

The 11 humps in Burley Woodhead stop Mrs Gale from using the moor road because they cause her so much pain when her car goes over them.

She said: "I have no problems with speed bumps per se, but I find these ones too severe and painful. There is very little gradient into the bump, so the impact is very harsh.

"My problem of access is caused specifically with these speed bumps, since I have no difficulty driving over other speed bumps, such as the ones on Springs Lane in Ilkley."

The humps were put in place three years ago following approval from Bradford Council's Shipley Area Committee in 2003.

Since December 2006 any planning for new traffic-calming measures needs to adhere to disability equality legislation. This ensures their suitability for disabled people.

Mrs Gale believes permission for the bumps would not be granted if an application was made now.

She has been advised by the Disability Rights Commission to ask Bradford Council to carry out "a retrospective impact assessment."

In a letter she wrote to City Hall chiefs, Mrs Gale said: "I believe little or no consideration was taken into account concerning disabled drivers when the speed bumps were originally installed."

Mrs Gale also doubts the road humps have had an effect on motorists speeding through the area.
Her husband Andrew expressed his concern on other safety issues. He said: "She has to go over the bumps at such a low speed, people behind her start beeping and some of them even overtake her. It encourages road-rage."

A spokeswoman from Bradford Council said: "We will look at the issues that Mrs Gale faces with the speed bumps on Ilkley Moor/Burley Woodhead Road and investigate, and we will reply to Mrs Gale direct with the findings."

Mr and Mrs Gale were made famous in 2003 when they staged a John Lennon-Yoko Ono-style bedroom Love-In' at their home in Old Station Way to protest against the war in Iraq.

The former Beatle and his wife staged a similar stunt to protest against American involvement in the Vietnam War.

Because of the publicity over the event, John Lennon's widow Yoko Ono invited Mr and Mrs Gale to meet her in London.

Fears grow over future of an Ilkley Post Office

2007-03-08T08:33:00.000-08:00

By Paul Langan and James Edgar, Ilkley Gazette

PENSIONERS in Ilkley could be left without vital services if the Leeds Road Post Office ends up on a closure hit list.

Post office owner Kam Basra has asked Ilkley Parish Council for support because she fears that the Dean Street Post Office will be included in the next cull of nationwide postal businesses.

At a meeting this week, parish councillor Michael Gibbons said: "I was informed by the lady who owns the post office on Leeds Road that she has been notified that she was under threat of closure under the proposals recently announced.

"That service to the community would be a terrible loss. She told me today that there will be a consultation of sorts. But the list that will be produced on this occasion unlike the previous occasion will be definite and those on the list will go. I think that is absolutely unacceptable.

"A lot of residents use that office the loss of a postal service there and the inability to access a postal service would be a tremendous loss. We should put a strong case for the retention of that unit."

The Dean Street shop is also a newsagents and off-licence and is located opposite a complex of old people's flats.

Jean Tales, who lives in the complex, said: "It would be a great loss. I use it for everything that needs to be done at a Post Office.

"It's so very useful for the elderly people around here too. It's quite a long walk for them to the main Post Office. I just hope it doesn't close."

Pensioner Robert Rishworth also lives opposite the Post Office. He said: "I use it and I think it's convenient for people.

"I pay my rent there, I do my shopping there and I pay all my bills there, so I'll miss it if it is closing. I'm sure the other people will feel the same as I do.

"At the moment I'm physically strong enough to go to the other Post Office. But what's going to happen in a few years when I can't get there? Everybody in this complex is a pensioner, so what's going to happen?"

Another neighbour, who did not wish to be named, said: "I wouldn't like to see it closed myself because I get my bits and bobs there."

Kam Basra said the fate of the shop was out of her hands, and will be decided later this month.
She said: "I think the elderly residents would be devastated. Young children from the school next door also use the shop.

"It's a good service for the community. This side of town hasn't got much any more. Ilkley is quite a large town now, and we've only got two Post Offices as it is. It's an unnerving time."

Parish Councillor Kathy Best said: "It serves a lot of elderly people, some of who are housebound and it also serves a social purpose.

"It is a facility that is available for everybody and it is particularly useful for people who live round there particularly the elderly."

In December the Government announced that between 2,500 and 3,000 post offices faced closure because of financial losses.

The Department of Trade and Industry described the current size of the network of 14,000 post offices as unsustainable' and the Royal Mail said the size of the network depended on the level of Government funding.