Sir,

Since moving from Penally to Scarborough in 2002 we have always taken the Observer. In the edition dated November 24 two stories were printed which I feel require a response. The first is factually incorrect and the second maybe of interest to the residents of Lawrenny.

1) I refer to your article regarding the smoking ban in enclosed places effective from 2/4/2007. The business that you highlighted as an example was Brambles Lodge Guest House in Penally. Mr. and Mrs. Sparkes are quoted as introducing a non- smoking policy which has doubled their turnover and have not experienced any detrimental consequences with their customer base. I read this article with a certain degree of incredulity as my wife and I were the previous owners of Brambles Lodge (1987 - 2002) and sold to Mr. and Mrs. Sparks with a non-smoking policy rigidly in place. We introduced a 100 per cent smoke-free environment several years before we sold and a WTB inspector in 1999 commented on our decision as being eminently sensible and obviously the way forward. I would suggest that the people responsible for http://www.smokingbanwales.co.uk">www.smokingbanwales.co.uk http://www.smokingbanwales.co.uk">www.smokingbanwales.co.uk> verify the facts on their website as it states that furniture was replaced due to smoke contamination. This is strange as neither my wife nor I smoke and our guests were not allowed to. In fact, our current guest house in Scarborough is also smoke-free and has been awarded the 'Roy Castle Good Air award'. We are totally opposed to smoking and have been for many years.

2) Re. closure of the Lawrenny Post Office. The circumstances are virtually identical to my own experience when I moved from Penally to Scarborough in 2002. I purchased a guest house with an attached sub post office which was operated by the owners. I had no interest in running the post office, but advised the Post Office that if they could recruit a postmaster/ postmistress, then I would be willing to lease the premises to allow the business to continue. After six months, I was informed that no interested parties had come forward and the post office would subsequently be closed.

The sum total of their efforts to find a candidate was to deliver a vacancy leaflet to houses within a 500-yard radius. The leaflet also stated that applicants would have to provide suitable premises. This was in incorrect, as the post office was already established. No adverts were placed in the local evening paper or the Jobcentre. We have a local radio station in Scarborough and job vacancies within the area are often advertised, but not on this occasion.

After closure, I was approached by several people who would have expressed an interest - if they had been aware of the vacancy. The Post Office are simply not committed to retaining small rural outlets and will not make the effort required to avoid closure. The demise of the Lawrenny facility came as no surprise. A perfect example of deja vu.

Bill Nightingale, Scarborough.