LETTER: Dewsbury is a shadow of its former self

GV's to go with a story about a redesign of Dewsbury town centre. Idea is that Market Place and the Town Hall Square are too busy with clutter (benches, plant boxes, bandstands etc) and council are going to clear it up to make it more attractive, better to walk around.

I have lived in Dewsbury since I was born in Moorlands Maternity Home in 1931.

I can trace my Dewsbury ancestors back to the end of the 18th century.

During the latter stages of the 19th century their Woollen Mill made blankets for the soldiers in the Boer War, two of which I still have.

Dewsbury was a first class Country Borough.

The town council did their best for the town; a good theatre, five cinemas and a good selection of shops where you could get anything you wanted, and plenty of work as well.

It breaks my heart to drive through the town centre now and see all the empty shops and other premises and litter left about.

The only time I stop and get out of the car is to go to the bank.

In those days we never thought of going to Huddersfield.

Leeds and Wakefield were nearer and better.

Then came the advent of re-organisation of local government, when tragically the West Riding County Council was broken up; that too was an excellent council to work for.

Followed closely by the EU and, as Mr Sheen said, this started the deterioration of our town and loss of jobs.

Over the years since, reported in your paper, sums of money i.e. £12 million and £4 million have been quoted as being available for schemes in Dewsbury.

What happened to that money?

Perhaps to pay for the recently reported cable car in Huddersfield - what an idiotic idea.

The one big thing that concerns me is that a wonderful building, built and opened in 1932 is empty and boarded up and that is the Wheelwright Girls’ Grammar School.

It is an absolute tragedy.

My sister and I both attended the school from ages five to 18.

My mother also attended the old school in the early 20th century for a similar period.

It was a very good school with high standards and excellent teachers with many people going on to universities and colleges, including Oxford and Cambridge.

What is going to happen to this building? One can only imagine the worst.

Finally, more people would find their way to Dewsbury if people could see the signposts, which are obliterated by overgrown trees, as are many of the street lights.

Sent by Miss C Withers, of Grasmere Road, Dewsbury