I am the owner of Torsway newsagents and would like to thank all the people who have helped me during the last few troubled months.
Unfortunately we were unsuccessful in keeping the post office open but that was not through a lack of effort from all concerned: Sue Ridyard and Peter Collins (Conservative councillors), Paul Walker and his team from Blackpool Council, all my loyal customers and friends and especially Joe Robinson from The Gazette who has worked tirelessly for all the post offices that had to close. Perhaps if we had MP support, we may have had a result.
JULIAN WIGLEY
Ex-sub postmaster
Torsway Avenue, Layton
l Above: the Post Office as a newsagency


Dangerous failings of rules
In my opinion the New Fire Safety Order 2005 is too loose and open to misinterpretation.
Inspecting officers, be it local authority or fire authority, will never produce identical reports due to the training each officer has in their own specialised field.
The legislation states fire risk assessments must be carried out on all business premises by a competent person but it does not state what constitutes competence. This needs to be addressed so we all sing from the same hymn sheet.
As an ex-fire officer I carry out fire risk assessments and find that no two premises are identical. My experience and knowledge alerts me to possible dangers and hazards which general landlords and business people fail to recognise.
Until the legislation becomes more specific and unified and less open to interpretation the public, employees and tradesman are exposed to risks that could prove fatal.
It shouldn't take another fire like the Leber Mount or the Manor Hotel to bring this home and we shouldn't be able to pick up The Gazette and read of another hotelier fined for breaches in fire safety regulations.
Fire Safety should now be paramount in all businesses by virtue of a fire risk assessment. This is now the law of the land.
These failings should have been picked up by a competent person on their risk assessment and acted upon in a given period of time. It's too late when a coroner asks why?
David Clift
DLC Fire Training Services
Condor Grove, Blackpool


Road lay-out anger
Re the comments made by Coun Roy Haskett (The Gazette August 22) about the "new" road layout in Layton.
Can he produce the findings of the survey sent to Layton residents last year after completion of said alterations?
Also can he please tell us which of the traders in Layton actually LIVE in Layton.
A man quoted in the article said he was "learning to live with it" and not that he actually liked it, whereas we who do live in Layton have to live with it all the time.
When I was the chairman of the now-defunct Layton Area Forum, I received many complaints from irate residents about an ill-conceived scheme which originated in Holland. When are the powers that be going to realise that we live in England?
The article seems to centre more round the Christmas lights, which happen for around two weeks a year, rather than the good of the community and road safety which is with us 24/7.
What short memories people have. There were Christmas lights and a tree prior to the present councillors. We didn't need a new road system to accommodate it.
As far as I am aware Coun Haskett doesn't even live in the area. I am still a very concerned Layton resident.
Christine Dawson-Brown, Layton


It's got wow factor but ...
After all the hype and build-up to the new Debenhams store opening in Blackpool (pictured), I was so excited to go and spend my Debenhams vouchers in the store on an item I could only purchase in a large store ie Preston.
My first impression on the new Hounds Hill complex is wow! What an improvement. Some stores are still awaiting completion but at last some good quality stores.
I asked the assistant in Debenhams where the Royal Doulton was only to be told "we are only a medium-sized store so you will have to go to Preston to buy what you want." Oh well, the dream of not having to travel to Preston has suddenly ended. Nice try.
K Hill
Staining
New roundabout certainly not fine
The fact that councillors or police say the Bispham roundabout is fine does not mean it is (The Gazette, August 6).
Anyone who has seen traffic flow going south towards the roundabout will realise that under the new markings there will be a slowdown.
This will be apparent when school runs start again.
Not that slowing traffic is a bad thing but to direct traffic to turn left into the village is a waste of road surface facilities.
There was nothing wrong under the old system going south but there was going north. But under the new north going route, it is not clear to traffic who wish to go west into Red Bank Road. Actually there was nothing wrong under the older system with a single roundabout.
Name and address supplied
Beef up the transport links
As the local ward councillors, we welcome the proposals to build a new power station at Hillhouse. As The Gazette rightly points out, this will boost long-term job prospects in Thornton and its neighbouring areas.
But North Fylde continues to be strangled by a totally inadequate transport system. The A585 is simply not fit for purpose, and the Poulton - Fleetwood Railway remains closed.
Surely Lancashire County Council and the Government can stop dithering and get on with building a decent road link to the M55, as well as opening up the railway – a priceless asset which could bring construction materials and equipment to the new site quickly, and with far less disruption than road haulage?Couns Don MacNaughton and Julie Newsham,
Bourne Ward, Wyre Council