We want to read about Rochdale, not Bologna in Italy

ON Saturday, I sat down to read Peter Baran’s weekly article: Life in My Northern Town.

I was amazed to find that I was reading something about the highlights of visiting the cities of Modena and Bologna in Italy.

I think that if this had been an assignment written by a student, the grade awarded would have been zero, with a teacher’s comment advising the writer to stick to the topic.

I know people are entitled to their holidays, but what Mr Baran seems to have overlooked is that your readers are mainly interested in Rochdale and the surrounding area, especially at this time of year, when in my opinion it is at its best.

Many of the residents leave the town for far flung destinations, just like Mr Baran; this exodus changes the atmosphere of the town making the area quieter and more pleasant.

I love the fact that on the whole the roads are less congested, the town is not as crowded, and there are no queues in the shops, cafes or banks, and plenty of room in car parks; in fact this week I’ve been able to park almost at the door of my supermarket.

Rochdale is less congested, quieter: such a pleasant change.

There are other aspects of Rochdale which Mr Baran could have highlighted if he had stuck to his brief.

Summer here makes people happier; there are pockets of colour from summer flowers dotted here and there, and plenty of seasonal activities, all of which could have been highlighted – they all make life here far more harmonious.

If I wanted to read an article on Italy I would have bought a travel magazine, and I certainly don’t expect to read about it under the heading of Life in My Northern town. Sylvia Hodge Littleborough

CAN YOU HELP FIND FRIEND?

MY name is Irena Milloy (nee Nuttall) and I live and work in Cambridge.

As a little girl I lived in Rochdale at 4 Belgrave St and then 114 Spotland Road.

I went to Meanwood Primary School from 1952-1959 and moved away from the area as I started secondary school.

I was Irene Margaret Nuttall and my father was Frank Nuttall, a local government officer at the town hall.

My best friend throughout my years in town was a girl called Jacqueline Mary Lord.

She was the daughter of Ted Lord who had a painting and decoration business, the premises of which were at Spotland Bridge. The last address I had was in Failinge Fold.

We remained in contact until A levels when she went from Rochdale Girls Grammar to C F Mott teacher training college near Liverpool. ●●This super picture of a kestrel in flight was sent in by Terry Angus. Email your pictures to rochdaleobserver@menmedia.co.uk or upload them to flickr.com/groups/rochdalepics

I believe from the amazingly helpful people in the archive centre that she married Victor Smith at St Clements Church on 3 August 1974.

I do realise it is a very long shot but nearing my 70th birthday I would love to try and find her. Irena M Milloy imm30@cam.ac.uk

LET’S HAVE POSITIVE NEWS

I WAS dismayed to read the pages and pages of coverage in recent editions of two demonstrations by a few dozen extremists (from out of town) in Rochdale. Are you sure there was no other news going on?

I now look forward to seeing similar coverage (if not more) of the hundreds of volunteers and council gardeners who have worked tirelessly to make our town look spectacular for Britain In Bloom. Now that’s what I call news.

Let’s have few positive headlines about all that’s good going on in Rochdale! Richard Farnell Leader of the council

STAGGER THE ROADWORKS

ONCE again I doff my cap to salute Rochdale Council’s unwavering ability to cause chaos on the town’s major roads.

At the moment (August 1) a large part of the east of the town is gridlocked.

Let’s start with Whitworth Road, Molesworth Street and John Street.

One long traffic jam for most of the working day for no other reason than the appalling timing sequence of the lights at the Yorkshire Street/ Whitworth Road junction.

The lights are timed in favour of traffic using the ring road and Yorkshire Street.

All well and good in normal times, but not when Yorkshire Street is being resurfaced at the same time as the long-standing road works at Heybrook.

Clearly, there was no forward planning.

We move next to Albert Royds Street on which there have been temporary lights for several weeks. Nose to tail on a busy arterial route.

Is it any wonder it took me 45 minutes to travel from Cronkeyshaw Common to a Kingsway supermarket.

No doubt the many road works were important, but could they not have been staggered? Ian Ogden Whitworth