Stray Views is a weekly column giving you the chance to have your say on issues affecting the Harrogate district. It is an opinion column and does not reflect the views of the Stray Ferret. Send your views to letters@thestrayferret.co.uk.

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This first letter relates to this week's news that the Harrogate Convention Centre will no longer host the 15-day  International Gilbert and Sullivan Festival  after the organisers claimed costs had doubled.  The director of the HCC then responded saying the loss of the festival would a limited economic impact. 

Dear Editor,

We think it is fair to say that figures – and in particular, the costs of “in-kind” services can be interpreted in many different ways.     

Fallacy somewhere,  I fancy! (Ruddigore, W S Gilbert)

We are delighted that CEO Paula Lorimer feels that the town will not miss the Festival.

Still, we know that our thousands of visitors will certainly miss the beautiful Royal Hall, the outstanding hotels, and the fabulous restaurants and facilities.  And so will we!

It’s an unjust world, and virtue is triumphant only in theatrical performances (The Mikado, W S Gilbert)

However, it’s not all doom and gloom.  We are bringing a fantastic New Year Gala Concert to The Royal Hall on January 7, 2023, and we promise there’s no discount in sight!  The outstanding National Festival Orchestra and international opera stars will perform all those wonderful favourites.

It will be a great way to celebrate the New Year.

You can book your tickets at www.gsfestivals.org or by phone on 01422 323252.

We look forward to seeing everyone there.

 Life’s a pudding full of plums (The Gondoliers, W S Gilbert)

Bernard Lockett, The International Gilbert and Sullivan Festival.

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Too much rubbish in the Harrogate district

The council in their wisdom have welcomed with open arms developers to bury the countryside in acre after acre of new homes.

Now surprise, surprise, these new residents are actually creating lots of rubbish and recycling.

The council now reveal they do not have enough bin operatives or vehicles to remove said rubbish etc. More stores etc are creating industrial amounts of waste. Once again, not enough staff to remove it. I am led to believe that not much of the recycling is actually dealt with as it should be.

I suspect when the new council takes over this situation is likely to deteriorate.

William B Thompson, Harrogate 

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Read More:

• Stray Views: why build Maltkiln when Flaxby would be better?


• Stray Views: Knox Lane housing scheme ‘lacks detail’

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