Letters: Toilet debate, TV licences, bank closures and 1973 politics

PICTURE FROM THE PAST: Village politics under the rafters, February 1973. A winter’s evening over half a century ago, when local democracy found a rather cosy refuge. Driven out of the Old School on Station Road by the resounding rehearsals of the local choir, members of Albrighton Parish Council decamped to the drafty, charming loft of Councillor Keith Worthington’s home on the High Street. Perched on mismatched chairs beneath bare brickwork and exposed timber beams, the councillors pressed ahead with their village agenda—stoically resisting the siren call of a miniature electric train layout set up just inches from the debate. | Shropshire Star archive

placeholder image — PICTURE FROM THE PAST: Village politics under the rafters, February 1973. A winter’s evening over half a century ago, when local democracy found a rather cosy refuge. Driven out of the Old School on Station Road by the resounding rehearsals of the local choir, members of Albrighton Parish Council decamped to the drafty, charming loft of Councillor Keith Worthington’s home on the High Street. Perched on mismatched chairs beneath bare brickwork and exposed timber beams, the councillors pressed ahead with their village agenda—stoically resisting the siren call of a miniature electric train layout set up just inches from the debate. | Shropshire Star archive

A puzzling toilet debate, concerns over TV licences and the closure of local banks, readers share their views

Toilet debate is puzzling me

The article covering the market traders vs Assembly Rooms toilet debate puzzled me. Surely anyone buying drinks or food from Bill's or LAR is a customer whether or not they trade on the market? That comment did, however, highlight that local businesses support other local businesses. Spending in them can help the town many times over.

This will be our 22nd Christmas at our independent shop on Castle Street. It is not just meat, cheese, bread and basics that we then buy from our fellow indies. Our accountant is on Corve Street, our dentist on the Eco-Park, our favourite takeaway on Galdeford, our cars are serviced in Culmington etc.

Studies have shown that 50-80p of every £1 spent in a local business stays in and supports the local economy. For national chains the number is 5-30p - no doubt out of town supermarkets are at the bottom end of this and only time will tell what economic damage they will cause to the town centre.

It is something we all might want to bear in mind as we look to keep Ludlow an attractive, vibrant place to live - whoever is using LAR's toilets.

Will Bentley, Ludlow

Make everyone get a licence

I was talking to a lady on the bus about her daughter. She’s got a mobile phone and watches TV, but hasn't got a TV licence to watch items on the TV. It’s people like that who get away with not paying. I worry if I’ve not paid my TV licence.

The BBC should send the detector van round to see if they are using the mobile or TV in the house. Even the children watch their TVs in their room. It’s all wrong when decent people like me have to pay.

Mrs Wilcox, Norton

Why are all our banks closing?

If cash is not dying out, why are banks closing? Not everybody has online banking or even a smartphone.

Most of the building societies have also closed down. You go into Lloyds to use the cash machine and the queues are out of the door. It is same at the Post Office; you wait ages to get a bit of money out to do shopping. I’m nearly 96 years old and I can’t stand in there to get money out as my legs give way.

We do need more banks, or even put two or four banks in one area so you can use them. Everything I do is done with cash, not credit card, and never Direct Debit.

Mrs Davies, Midlands

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