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Why has every traditional drinking establishment in the centre of Nottingham been converted into the latest trendy theme pub at the whim of the brewery's so called whiz kids.With the exception of the "Bell" there is no where for the discerning middle aged boozer to relax in an atmosphere that is comfortable to them whilst enjoying a pint of English bitter. I suppose the reason for the changes to these establishments is to attract more trade, however during my evening visits to town I cannot help noticing the lack of clientele in what used to be good pubs. The worst example in recent times has been the conversion of the News House on ST. James Street to the Aussie bar. Both the brewery and the city planners should be ashamed of themselves.

Howard
Giltbrook

Coats-Viyella closures. Other M&S suppliers seem to be doing well , despite the difficulties of supplying M&S . Dewhirst have just announced increased profits on increased turnover with M&S , what have C-V management been doing to lose orders on the scale they appear to have. It seems to me to be more a problem of poor management and the easy way out is to blaim the customer.

Vera
North Notts

No one should blame M&S for the closures .... what business these days puts all their eggs in one basket .... yes Coats.

Peter
Newark

The reason for the regions textile industry having to shed more jobs (Coats Viyella 1900 jobs) can be directly attributed to the greed of the High Street stores that they supply. All of the 鈥渢op鈥� High Street stores are to blame, but I cite Marks and Spencer鈥檚 because they are by far the major culprit, and I have knowledge of their methods. For years Marks & Spencer鈥檚 have ruled the Textile trade by fear. They dictate their own terms to the companies that they deem worthy to supply them. They insist on the companies supplying them, and them alone, penalising for late deliveries and returning orders without paying, citing trivial quality problems, if they don鈥檛 sell. They dictate where and how much these companies must pay for their component parts. In short they demand everything their own way, and the companies have no choice but to comply as they have effectively put all their eggs in the one basket. In return these companies supplied top quality goods, made by a highly trained, efficient, workforce. Traditional, goods at maybe a little extra price, but a quality, British made garment. However things have got a bit tough on the High Street recently and the reaction is to maintain the high profit margins by demanding even cheaper goods. If the supplier can鈥檛 cut their prices (dictated to them by M&S) then they are told to source from abroad, or, in some cases, relocate their entire manufacturing operation abroad so that they can supply at the prices demanded, dumping thousands of textile jobs as they go. If this is not possible then they are dropped as a supplier (Bairdswear) with no thought for the years of loyalty. Do M&S think that cheap imports and utilising the low/slave wages that these countries pay is the way to go? Do M&S think their customers want cheap foreign imports, dressed up as British goods? Have the prices even come down? The reason the textile trade is in decline is that the Plc鈥檚 can now opt out of this Countries health and safety laws, minimum wage, employer鈥檚 red tape, high taxation, high fuel costs and European directives. There will be no goods produced in this Country soon.

S.J.Hayward
Notts

and in reply ...

It is not totally the fault of the "High street" chains for the decline in British industry. As our twin demands for higher wages and lower prices affect both supplier and retailer, it is ultimately the resposibility of the customer to offset the cost of buying british, and therefore retaining employment, against the hunt for ever cheaper goods. It is not that I have money to burn myself, but if you are to complain about the state of British industry, then you have to support it at every oppotunity. The last part of SJ's posting answers the question why retailers are sourcing from abroad, because of interfering politicians with nothing better to do but punish wealth creation.

Nev
Nottingham (West)

Who do we speak to about Local and general problems and issues when the Local MP doesn't seem to be bothered?
How do we get answers to our questions?
How do we get Support on issues in our area when the MP ignores our letters and fails to turn up to his surgery?

Ian Stokes
Mansfield

I wonder if others, like myself, would like to see a larger museum/library built in the centre of Nottingham. As much as I like the Castle Museum complex, only a fraction of the collections can be viewed in such an inadequate space. If a new museum were built, then the Castle could become an Art Gallery. What about on the site of People's College? After all, this eyesore is long due to be replaced!

Jayne
Nottingham

For many years, we shopped at M & S but since they turned their backs on the UK workforce, we've stopped shopping there. The fact that the garments cost a bit more was not an issue; the good quality certainly was and that's why we went there. We have too many shops who sell cheap, foreign clothes. Without sounding too 'Anglophile', we really should support our own industries first. 'Buy British' is as true now as ever it was.

Debbie Blake
Stapleford, Nottingham, England

The state of the public toilets in Nottingham is absolutely appalling, in the Victoria center they are permanently closed, the market square they are filthy inaccessible and stink, in the Broad marsh center they are hidden away and stink. Business and City officials in the city often complain that they can’t compete with modern out of town retail parks is there any wonder when there is a active campaign to make customers feel ill when they use the Loo. Really, really clean accessible loo's in a prominent covenant place will attract people particularly women to an area. Make a feature of how clean and well maintained they are rather than trying to hide them away.

Jim
Nottingham

why are our children forced to learn their future in large inhuman schools? My children attend the Rufford school in Edwinstowe and at the moment it is under threat of closure, it is a small secondary with less than 500 pupils and it is said to have surplus places so will be closed and all the children have got to move to Dukeries school making this school over 1000 pupils apart from this there is not enough classrooms for the children currently at the Dukeries so how can it accomodate more? Also the local community will lose out because the dukeries complex is used by the people of ollerton and already we are hearing of cutbacks because of the threatned closure.

Sue Cardinal
Bilsthorpe Newark Nottinghamshire

Why do comments about the dirty buses - tin cans rolling about every time I use them and screaming inconsiderate passengers get left out of the comments. I have other ways to show that some comments are removed by the council.

Dennis
Mansfield

I sympathise very much with the employees who will lose jobs, But when both unions and management blame foreign imports this is calling the kettle black. CV themselves import clothing from their own companies abroad. And have the cheek to sell them in their factory shops. CV have only themselves to blame.

JAH
Derbyshire

It Isn't anybodies God-given right to drive on our roads and it certainly doesn't given then the right to exceed the speed limit as and when they feel like it. However, most people do exceed the speed limit. It would help matters having a realistic speed limit on certain roads in our County and towns. For instance - A60 Mansfield to Nottinghan - It has a 50 mph speed limit, yet all the side roads and narrow lanes off it has a 60 mph limit. Or - Streets around schools or in heavily built up areas having a 30 mph which are incapable of exceeding 30 mph without being dangerous. Sounds daft to me! We still have to abide by the law, and until such laws and speed limits are made more realistic then drivers will not reduce their speed to the safe limit.

J Swanwick
Mansfield

Speed Ramps - what a waste of money. Already this year I have had to replace the entire suspension on mine and my Wife's cars, as a result of having to drive over some 14 speed ramps every day. Sneinton Dale in particular is a nightmare, particularly now the buses have no where to pull in (not they do anyway...). I now need new tyres, as the tracking is out that much they are worn on the edges, and to cap it all, the council are planning on imposing MORE tax on motorists who drive within the city limits. This is what Nottingham Council has done for Nottingham:

1. Increased traffic congestion by way of so called 'traffic calming' and by closing down lanes, adding bus lanes etc.

2. Increased pollution in the city (because of point 1)

3. Increased wear and tear and running costs on all motorists.

4. Since placing speed ramps on Sneinton Dale, there have been MORE fatal road accidents there, it restricts access for emergencey vehicles, and cars tend to drive more erraticly in an attempt to avoid the speed ramps.

5. Carlton Road - so when was that last re-surfaced? In fact, I cant think of one thing that has been done in favour of the Motorist. If only they used speed cameras instead of chicanes and speed ramps. Then at least traffic could flow, and speeders would be caught, and the council would get a return on their investment. Mind you, I aint going to hold my breath, since when has a politician listened to the public, except at voting time?

Jim
Nottingham

and in reply...

Re the posts on speed ramps/ humps/ bumps/ sleeping policemen/ call them what you will. It seems to be a little known fact, especially among so called traffic engineers, that they are not supposed to physically slow cars down or stop them speeding. When they were developed it was as an undulation in the road which could be crossed safely at speed. The way they were supposed to work was that the shape, (low) height, length and spacing was such that if a car went over a bump at an excessive speed it would still be bouncing from the previous bump when it crossed the next and so the bouncing would get worse and worse until the driver felt ill from motion sickness and slowed down. So how come if you go over a speed bump at speed these days you rip your wheels off, and if you go over slowly, you just rip your exhaust off?!?

Bogush
Nottingham

Post deliveries - Some people call it "snail-mail" - no wonder! By the time your comments reach the editor the news people have moved on to something else. The other day I was pushed off my penny-farthing by a horse-drawn tram. Now they are talking of introducing "autobuses". I dare say they will have trams next. I expect that this letter will not reach you in time to be printed - and they call this progress...

Adrian Scollin
Heanor, Derbyshire

Firstly, I think all pigeons should be shot. However, there is a greater menace to society than this; Old People behind the wheel. My reasons for saying this are as follows; I am 21 years old and have been driving for 3 years with no claims and no points against my licence. If I was to go out tomorrow and consume 5 pints of alcohol, and get stopped by the police, I would get into serious trouble. The reason for this is that when someone consumes alcohol, their eyesight deteriorates, there hearing is not as sharp, and there thought processes and reaction times are adversely affected. All of the symptoms described previously are exactly the same as what happens to you when you get old. Why is it then that although it is illegal for someone to consume alcohol and drive (which I agree with), that old people are still allowed to terrorize the streets with their damn right dangerous driving. After all, they are for all intents and purposes driving in the same state as someone under the influence of alcohol?

Merlin
Nottingham

and in reply...

I'm sorry Merlin you may have good reasoning for your comments but they are not the right ones. Old Folks don'nt act as if they are under the influenceof drink,they just don't drive the way you do and if they did perhaps you would not complain. They drive at a speed and manoeuvre their vehicle to what they think is safe. not what you think is safe. Most young drivers drive behond their safe limits relying of the cars safety features such as ABS, power steering, power brakes and other features that where not available up to about 10 years ago. Older drivers had to contend with double clutching, crossply tyres, signal indicators switches on the dashboard, things they had to do while travelling safety. It is perhaps hard to change the habit of a lifetime. One day you will grow old and some young kid in a flashy car will be up your backside wanting to get past. Just think about the future. By the way I'm not so old.

LittleJohn
Mansfield

a bit more ...

Yes and No. Some oldies drive more cautiously because of their greater experience and past experiences. When it's not safe, they drive a bit slower, and when it is safe, they don't drive quite as fast. Some drive according to their degenerating capabilities. When it's not safe they drive quite a bit slower, and when it is safe they don't drive anywhere near as fast. But what about the old duffer in his flat cap doing a steady 40 regardless of the situation. But my own personal favourite is the ancient duffer in the trilby doing a steady 20 along the road, across the zebra crossing, round the roundabout, through the red light, and down the motorway. Without ever stopping. Even when he gets into his garage.

Bogush
Nottingham

Nottingham Bus Lanes - Well, if the chaos that already exists is not enough, lets instigate some more bus lanes. Is this the net result of THE 'traffic surveys' or is it just another method of annoying the already harassed rush hour drivers ? Do our council officers have the privilege of flexy time, that allows them to miss the rush hour ? or do they drive to work totally oblivious to the fact that the bus drivers already drive as if they own the roads without giving them the stiff hand of the law as protection ? AND have you noticed that dividing some of the roads into two lanes to provide the bus lane is actually a safety hazard - note in point being the stretch of road leading down into Sherwood from Carrington - to get past the bus that does not fit in the bus lane you have to cross the line into the opposite carriage-way . So all in all CONGRATULATIONS on a well thought out method to reduce road traffic - whats next ? the road safety campaign, or maybe stress! ! free driving - your guide to the future of Nottingham travel !!!!

Joanna Rossell
Location Unknown

I get sick & tired of farmers grumbling about their plight. Has anyone seen a poor farmer? They continue to ride around in large 4 wheel drive vehicles. They have had it easy for years, paying for cheap labour and charging high prices for their goods. Welcome to the real world. They pay 3p tax on their fuel and yet hold the country to ransome by blockading the oil distribution depots and wanting further reduction. They receive subsadies for doing nothing. Pig farmers grumble saying that they are having to sell up and take on other jobs. They say they are losing money yet they continue to hacve pigs. Farmers stop your grumbling you have still got it easy. Welcome to the real world.

Jim
Newark

I had the "Good" Fortune to live in Leeds when they introduced bus lanes 30 years ago. The whole city ground to a halt. But fortunately once people got used to the bus lanes average car journeys were "ONLY" 20 minutes longer than before.

Mind you, the buses were flying along. Some journeys were UP TO ..... ooh .... a whole .... 5 (THAT'S FIVE) minutes quicker (official figures, as far as I can recall). SOME of them. Of course other buses got caught in the general congestion caused by the bus lanes and took longer than before!!!!

Now Nottingham is trying to copy that wonderful experiment. The latest wheeze seems to be to put new bus lanes on every remaining stretch of radial road where you can possibly fit them in. And making them 24 hour ones! Even when the amount of traffic only needs one lane, think of how much more smoothly it would flow with two available. And how much extra waste of resources and increased pollution is that?!?!

OK, so you're driving home from a long days work, at midnight, with a boot full of gear, in the pouring rain, and the heater set uncomfortably at just the level you want, and the ventilation set inconveniently just how you like it, and you're thinking how nice it would be for someone to pee on your shoes, or puke down your shirt (if you're lucky) and once in a while (like every few days) you see one of those executive luxury buses (you know, the ones with carpets, and bars, and (clean) loos, and clean, comfortable, adjustable seats, with a conductor who comes round, and even has change for a pound coin) flying up the inside lane, and you think, yes, that 24 hour bus lane has really shown me the error of my ways. Tomorrow .....

No actually what you've just seen is Tony's Bliar's campaign bus.

Ordinary buses are always full. During the rush hour. Because it would be uneconomic to have enough of them. Or even nearly enough of them. (So if more people switched to buses, they would't find more available!) But on average buses take up one and a half times as much space per passenger as cars do. And that's not including the miles of empty bus lane behind them! And produce (is it?) three times as much pollution per passenger as a car.

I used to use the bus when I lived in Leeds. I'd aim to catch a bus before the "rush hour". And I'd often walk the wrong way for a stop or two so the buses would be emptier. And I'd still have to join a long queue. And wait for several buses to pass before one with room arrived. And this was on a main route.

So what exactly are 24 hour bus lanes are supposed to achieve.

Cut congestion - no. Speed up travel - nope. Cut pollution and reduce waste of scarce resources - definately not. Provide a more convenient and comfortable way of getting to work - pur-lees.

Some one please tell me.

Bogush
Nottingam

reply to Bogush...

Bogush, I don't understand your argument mate. Because buses are always full we shouldn't have bus lanes. Eh? That's the point isn't it? If one bus has 50 people on board, you should let that overtake, say, 30 cars (each with about 1.7 people in them, and that's being generous). The idea of bus lanes is to save the most total time. If 50 bus users each save 5 minutes, and 30 cars (50 people) have a delay of 3 minutes, that's a net benefit of 100 minutes, or do you think car users are more important than bus users? 24 hour bus lanes are used because it's difficult to enforce rush-hour only lanes; people forget when they're in operation. And you don't need both lanes in the off-peak. If that many people were travelling in the off-peak you should have 24 lanes anyway.

Dan
Basford, Nottingham

and in reply...

Well, in my first paragraph I mention 20 (that's T-W-E-N-T-Y) minute A-V-E-R-A-G-E delays for cars, not 3. The 5 minute savings were the G-R-E-A-T-E-S-T savings for buses. Other B-U-S-E-S were D-E-L-E-Y-E-D by the bus lane schemes. Buses A-R-E N-O-T always full. They are O-N-L-Y full in the rush hour. On average buses take up one and a half times M-O-R-E room P-E-R P-A-S-S-E-N-G-E-R (and, as I forgot to mention, use one and a half times as much fuel per passenger) than cars and produce three times M-O-R-E pollution than cars. (Nearly forgot: P-E-R P-A-S-S-E-N-G-E-R) And non 24 hour lanes are N-O-T difficult to enforce, and if they are it's only for a few hour a day, not for 24. And though you might not "need" two lanes off peak, they would allow traffic to flow more smoothly and with even less pollution and waste. Sorry to have to spell it out, but you either genuinely had problems reading my post or were deliberately trying to twist my words to your own ends. Of course you wouldn't be doing that would you, especially if you were an environmental/anti car campaigner, now would you?!?

Bogush
Nottingham

even more from Bogush ...

"There's too many cars on the road as it is"? - See my reply to Diana, Notts Re M25!
"..... the major contributors to global warming"? - Sun Spots, natural causes, and buses!!
"childhood asthma"? - too clean modern homes plus, is it, 7 times as much pollution from household chemicals as cars produce!!!
"road accidents"? - probably mainly caused by pedestrians and cyclists - and motorists have to pay the costs regardless - and Two Jags and Tony won't build any more motorways even though they're the safest roads!

Bogush
Notts

and even more from Bogush...

As someone put it in another place - why 24 hour bus lanes - where are the 24 hour bus routes ?!?! PS when the new bus time-tables come out, as well as showing 24 hour services, exactly how great a reduction in journey times will they show. Oh yes, and with all the fuel and man- and bus- hour savings: what savings will we see in bus fares (on top of the ones paid for by the new parking and speedig fines) ?!?!

Bogush
Nottingham

I am a wheelchair user. Showcase cinama should be more freindly for us Disabled. There are no good spot in the cinama but I get a stif neck when the only place I can sit is 10 foot from the screan. And please make it cheaper for us disabled.

D G Bradley
Location Unknown

Well I never knew there were so many cyclist's (judging from the comments in this discussion group) I for my part freely admit to being a cyclist and also a car driver. I cycle to work most days from the Mapperley Plains Arnold area to Colwick area fine on the way to work (about a 300ft drop in 4 miles) but the return trip is to say the least hard.
I cover about 100 to 150 miles a week on my cycle and about 120 miles in the car.
I have no problem with the general comment of making cyclist pay to use the road, as I do already i.e. the car I own. But this suggestion is less than ideal; it would take a tremendous amount of paper work and administration to implement this kind of system. How would it affect small children on a bike in their street, where would you start to Tax?
As for the cycle paths some are a complete joke, and dangerous these cycle paths are used by the public on foot and the motorist as I have found to my cost. Also whist on cycle paths the lottery I understand provided money to the millennium fund to provide cycle paths through out the country from the majority of so called cycle paths in Nottingham(shire) this went to provide a few tins of white paint so a line could be painted approximately 1metre from the curb with the odd cycle image provide every few hundred metres. Being as I drive a car and ride a cycle I think it gives me a reasonable insight to both sides. Car drivers come to close to cyclists when over taking, also they tend forget that pedal power does not accelerate as quickly as a car and papping their horn does not enable the cyclist to accelerate any quicker to get out of the way. On the other side some cyclists do some stupid things like pulling out in front you of a pavement with out looking, going through traffic lights on red.
At the end of the day we are all users of the roads and pavements, we should respect the others users of both roads and pavements. We all pay for the privalidge of using the roads and pavements is just that the driver of the car gets to pay more.

John
Arnold

TAX 6 0 Motorist Petrol Tax & VAT revenue being used by the government for improving health & schools services? Work place car parking revenue being used by the government for improving health & schools services? Increase in the number of speed & red light camera鈥檚. Revenue used by the Police & local councils for improving law & order and public transport? Emergency road accident treatment being claimed by hospitals against car insurance companies being used to improve health services? Increase in insurance policies due to above Emergency treatment & more VAT collected by the government to improve health & schools services? Nottingham County council introducing on street parking from April 2001. Extra revenue, in the second year, to be used to improve public transport? When will the motorist get anything back and not just for the election year? The government & councils are promising improved public transport but I haven鈥檛 seen any improvement or it getting cheaper. How about:- Free or 50p per day park and ride (5am to 7pm with plenty of buses)? Free buses between the City & both hospitals and free buses between the hospitals (5am to 7pm) Free buses between the railway stations & the city and major places of work (Boots)? Free school buses or bus passes for children & students? Tax relief on bus & rail passes? P.S. One car owner, cycles to work 3 or 4 days a week and now an ex Labour supporter.

Graham
Toton

Firstly let me start by saying how diappointed i am with the current panthers team and set up. firstly mr black said he was going to put a team together that would be good enough to play in the new arena but what i have seen so far he and alex dampier have got it all wrong and if they dont sort it out quickly and get the team spirit back we had last year (IE):THE WILL TO WIN AND NEVER TO GIVE UP. And the right players for the task a head, next year the arena will be back to the same size crowd they had last year in the old barn sorry to be negative but it so frustrating watching your team play as if they had never trained together before.

Neil Bissett
TOTON, NOTTINGHAM

During the day nottingham has a lot to offer, its great shops and friendly atmosphere. As the day draws to an end and all them party animals get ready to party in one of englands best clubing experiances. In conjuction with this, nottingham has a new lease of life to offer those who have nothing better to do on a friday and saturday night. i am refering to those car reving, back firering, dumb valve hissing and horn hooting boy racers. who race at exessive speeds and have no concideration for other road users. Carnt the council provide a place for these people to follow there interest in a safer place?

Nataleigh
Nottingham

So I was driving along Derby Road towards the island at the QMC, around the 30ish mark. To my surprise I was undertaken by a Trent Bus going in excess of, at least, 40 mph in the 24 hour bus lane. This is mega dangerous as vehicles in these bus lanes are closer to the kerb than would be normal with open lanes. Speed limits I believe apply to all - please correct me if I am wrong!!!!

Mick Thackray
Trowell

I'm going to have to stop posting to this forum. (Stop that cheering at the back there!)

Either I'm clairvoyant, or the powers that be are basing their policies on my posts. Either the lunatics have taken over the asylum or I've woken up from a bad dream to find myself in a nightmare. Either way, is there any point in carrying on?!?

I comment that the left impose senseless policies to curtail car use for illogical ideological reasons. I then read that a job creating, economy enhancing, £100 million hotel and business park development at Junction 26 on the M1 has been held up for two years by squabbling between the local city and county councils.

The county wanted the developer to provide £half million of road improvements to ease congestion. The city wanted more people to walk or bike to work.

Apparently it could have been sorted ages ago. But someone forgot to ask Two Jags Prescott to change the law so that workers could walk or cycle on the hard shoulder of the M1.

I then respond to Jayne Tomlinson's post commenting that most politicians are either socialist and hate British culture and history, or liberals and feel guilty about it (something to do with imposing those nasty, polluting railways on India). That post is obviously still in Millbank, as it hasn't appeared here yet.

I then hear that a new report claims that the term "British" is racist and insulting to minorities and immigrants and should be dropped.

Why do these people think that immigrants came here. Do they think that only public school and oxbridge educated guardian readers like themselves can read a map. That people end up here by accident, because they held the atlas upside down, and were really aiming for Madagascar.

And regardless of why or how we immigrants ended up here, we ended up in the land of the British people, which sounds as good a reason as any to use the term British.

Isn't it strange that the kind of people that write these reports are the same people that insist that British atlases are reprinted each time some tin-pot dictator takes over and renames a country - oops, sorry, that would be Tony then!

Bogush
Nottingham