High Street trees I READ with great sadness of the decision by Hambleton District Council to decide against planting trees in Northallerton High Street and use planters instead due to opposition from the Showman’s Guild. “Protest as tree plans changed for planters” (D&S Times, Feb 19). Northallerton High Street like many other high streets around the country will have to evolve from mainly retail to a blend of retail, hospitality and residential if it is to survive. The addition of an attractive public space in the centre of the town would be a key part in this, encouraging visitors to the town which would in turn reap its own financial benefit for businesses on the High Street as well as providing an attractive multipurpose venue to host outdoor events such as music, live theatre or a host of other community events.
Subsidy changes I READ with interest your very informative article about a survey of the concerns of farmers and landowners regarding the shift from the EU’s Basic Payment subsidy to our government’s proposal to replace it with the ELM Scheme (D&S Times, Dec 11). Although I sympathise with their anxiety about losing the EU subsidy, there must surely be a realisation that in our market economy they must become more efficient to survive. To rely on aid for their agricultural industry may now be looked on by other industries to be a bit unfair and almost immature. It could be that the industry, in a previous era could possibly have been regarded by some as an ignoble “lame duck” and should be left to fend for itself – as other industries do.