Think yourself
UNDER a letter titled Baffled brains (Hereford Times Thursday, February 23), Sue King claims overwhelming evidence for a positive correlation between a high-level education and being convinced it would not be a good thing for the UK to leave the EU.
As a result she concludes this country should remain a member of the EU. 
She states most of the best brains in all areas of public life think we should remain.
Her criticism of the Referendum is somewhat hypocritical when one considers the same method was used to obtain our original entry into the Common Market. 
The same Common Market that then mutated into the totally un-democratic edifice that is the EU, without anyone including us, having any say whatsoever. The letter goes on, unsurprisingly, to echo the usual gratuitous insults of other Remainers against those voting Leave.
The idea that those with the best brains voted Remain is both simplistic and fatuous, as is her belief that a good education should necessarily bestow privilege and prestige. 
One man looming large in the Remain camp, particularly of late is Tony Blair; a man who could certainly claim to have been well-educated and a man of undoubted intelligence. A man however, whose endacity,egotism and avarice have made him a political pariah and a man trusted by no-one.

Listening to arguments, political, economic,social or otherwise, in the run-up to the Referendum should have been no more than an interesting sideline for all voters. 
The only things that had any relevance were our sovereignty and democracy, surely immutable ideals of every British man and woman.To hold these ideals it is not necessary to have benefited from a high-level education. What is necessary however, is the simple ability to think for oneself.
Educated in the forties and fifties, that ability was education’s bedrock; something so often sadly lacking today. The oft-repeated exhortation of yesterday`s schoolteachers was always to be receptively minded but, “never keep an open mind son, because there`s always someone waiting to fill it with rubbish”. Instead, have confidence in your own reasoning. 
Sue King might do well to remember this nation, just like any other, is full of well-educated fools and villains. Far better not to take too much heed of the words of others, however well-educated; just think it out for yourself.
RON HILL
Leominster
 
Not infallible
HOW refreshing to read the commonsense contribution of Sue King.
I share her disdain for those misguided individuals who ignored the advice of intellectual giants Tony Blair, Peter Mandelson, Neil Kinnock, Michael Heseltine et al whose infallibility is there for all to see. 
Their vested interests in the EU by way of handsome salaries and comfortable pensions gives them a superior insight into its benefits, rather than that of those without such a perspective.
Similarly, those well-known entrepreneurs, in their Caribbean tax-havens, have a far better overall conception than our more unimaginative stay-at-homes of what is good for us all.
Those university lecturers, economists, old Etonians, grammar school products, award-winning journalists and captains of industry, who misguidedly backed Brexit, can more properly be regarded as renegades, and should have been ignored.
It is amazing that so many of the population think that trivial issues like passing our own laws, trading unhampered with the wide world, controlling our borders, being in charge of our own currency, having a parliament that does not have to obey the diktats of Brussels, have any significance when the benign hand of Herr Van Rompuy and his fellow self-appointed colleagues, could safely be left to guide us unerringly to a golden destiny of peace and prosperity. Ask any Greek or Italian.
It really is time that qualifications for voting eligibility were re-introduced, so that those unfit to make a coherent choice are excluded.
Those of us with superior intellects should be left to guide the population down sensible paths.
As Lenin quite properly said, the Lumpen Proletariat should not be allowed views.
Let them eat EUROS!
Leslie Wiles
Kimbolton
Leominster

Arrogant view
I AM surely not alone in finding the views expressed by Sue King (letters Feb 23) regarding the voting public’s decision to leave the EU so abhorrent and arrogant. 
It would seem that she considers that the proletariat should have had no say in the matter and should have left the decision to their betters.
Ms King should be advised that we live in a democracy, and in fact one of the many reasons that a majority of us voted for Brexit was precisely to regain some of that democracy and to return decision-making from Brussels back to the UK.
I totally disagree with her premise that the ‘most educated people in the country’ should ‘determine whether or not the UK should leave the EU’ and, supposedly based on their views, ‘that it would be best for the country to remain a member of the EU’. Incidentally, I was ‘educated to a higher level than average’ and held a relatively senior post in ‘public life’.
PAUL BEARD
Eardisland

A week off?
IS it compulsory for the Mayor Jim Kenyon to be in the Hereford Times every week? 
Will he do anything to get his picture in the paper every week? 
Please can we have a week without a picture of him in it?
R J SMITH
Eign Road 
Hereford

Worth praise
THE often maligned ‘post office’ only gets praise from me. 
Having attended the passport ‘check and send’ desk in the St. Peter Street branch, with my documents on the afternoon of Wednesday, February 15, I was happily surprised to receive my new passport just seven days later. 
A very speedy service, credit where credit is due.
H Bateman
Bobblestock
Hereford
 
Cycle danger
WHEN commuting, I often cycle the Great Western Way from Sainsbury’s to Redhill. 
After dark, this route can be quite interesting and becomes a recreation area with large groups who congregate oblivious to cyclists. 
The path has poorly lit areas ideal for individuals who like to be out of sight of others when pursuing their pastimes or conducting business transactions. They can then disappear using numerous access points along the path. 
While riding my well illuminated cycle along the path after dark recently I collided with a dog whose owner had not used a dog lead to control the animal. 
This resulted in me being injured sufficiently to be taken by ambulance to hospital for treatment. 
It left me with severe pain, extensive bruising and financial loss due to repairs to cycling equipment and replacing my badly damaged cycle helmet. Good job I was wearing it. 
After thinking back to the numerous near-misses and potential hazards that I have experienced along this path in recent months, I believe that I’m more likely to be injured on this cycle-path than on the road. 
Surely this can’t be allowed to be the case?
Jeremy Daw
Credenhill
Hereford

Put pride back
WHAT has happened to our once so lovely roundabout on Newmarket St. 
It is such a busy part of the city and it could be such a lovely feature, instead the rosebuds are covered with weeds and have been like that for many years, somebody must have donated roses to the city and if that had been me, I would be disgusted. 
Surely a few man-hours is all it would take; no money as such to tidy it all up. 
Let’s put some pride back into our city, it is the little things that cost the least and can make such a difference.
J Higginson
Coniston Walk
Hereford
 
A useful job
SINCE my retirement to this beautiful county, I have discovered a useful and rewarding job that  I can highly recommend to other people. 
It involves driving people who have mobility problems around, to doctor or hospital visits, or even just shopping. 
It provides those who aren’t able to get around, with a degree of mobility. 
It enables me to get out and about, find my way around the county, meet new people and perform a useful service. 
It involves driving for Community Wheels who are always looking for new drivers; so if any of your readers would like to call them and have a chat about the possibility, the number to call is 01568 737940. 
I’d particularly like to find some more drivers because I’m sure that in a few years’ time I myself will be needing the service.
Kenneth Williams
Pembridge
Leominster

Get in touch
DO any readers remember Boots Booklovers Library?
Boots the chemist once had subscription libraries within their stores. 
Founded by Florence Boot in 1899, they were extremely popular and in their heyday they had more than a million subscribers. 
Hereford was home to a branch of Boots library. 
In my book ‘Lipsticks and Library Books’, former staff share entertaining anecdotes of wealthy, eccentric subscribers and a way of life that existed really not so long ago but which seems very distant from today. 
Boots library in Hereford probably closed in the mid 1960s. I would love to hear from any former members of staff. 
JACKIE WINTER
The Chantries
Winterborne Zelston
Blandford
Dorset
DT11 9EU
thorntandem@btinternet.com

Thanks to all
ON Wednesday, February 22 I had a fall near Asda Fuel Station. 
I would like to thank the members of the public who came to my assistance, West Mercia Police who were just passing and stopped to help, and West Midlands Ambulance Service who attended to me. 
I am extremely grateful for you coming to my rescue, thank you all once again.
SUSAN GOODMAN
Belmont
Hereford


Pot-hole woe
I FIND it hard to believe the gangs out patching potholes are actually value for money to the county. 
It is no good Herefordshire Council saying how much has been spent on pot-hole patching if the result is substandard and has a minimal life. 
Take the A4110 near the Leominster Car Auctions as a case to study. Hollows before repair, humps and hollows after, and two weeks on most of the repairs fallen out and lying in the verge. 
Surely use of external professional tarmac gangs would, long-term, be far more effective and economical than the B.B. Bodgers.
Dr Tony Wilcox
Dilwyn

Bring life back
THERE was an inspiring presentation by the Ministry of Imagination at Hereford Archives Centre about how to bring Hereford city centre back to life.
Hereford is making a bid for “City of Culture” in the near future.  
If all the positive people from Herefordshire Council, Hereford’s new university, the Art College, 6th Form college, College of Technology, all schools in Herefordshire, Joint Action for Hereford Library, City of Culture promoters and everyone who wants a new city centre can get together behind this initiative, we can make this a reality.  
Everyone will benefit, including residents, shopkeepers, students, and people for all backgrounds and age groups.
Herefordshire Council are stuck in a negative response: “we can’t afford it”.  
Yes we can, we have to have it for Hereford.  
It is for everyone. 
Janette Ward
Tarrington


Needs balance
DONALD Trump puts a temporary ban on citizens of certain middle-eastern countries, including Syria, from entering the USA. 
People all over the world, including Hereford, march in protest at his anti-Muslim rhetoric.
Vladimir Putin, a really ruthless ex-KGB villain, precision bombs Syrian casualties in makeshift hospitals in the ruins of Aleppo. 
The Russian airforce has no conscience. 
In the interest of balance, I now eagerly await to see Emily Beavan (letters 2/3/17) and her anti-Trump brigade holding a similar anti-Putin march in Hereford as soon as possible.
I think that I might have a long wait.
Ian Jenkins
Sudbury Avenue
Hereford