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Dear Sir, It was odd that Councillor Tom Hanson, deputy vice chair of the Tyne & Wear Passenger Transport Authority (PTA), mourned over The Gaslight public house in his statement in last week's Gazette, "there's no point in keeping them [historic buildings] if they're standing empty." Following this inspired logic, local architectural gems such as the Cleadon Water Tower, the Customs House and the Marine College on Ocean Road would no longer be with us. Perhaps someone should remind Cllr Hanson that the PTA owns The Gaslight, and has an opportunity to do something productive (Comedia would use the word innovative), rather than perpetrate an act of vandalism on the last riverside monument to Jarrow's industrial and working class heritage. It seems that the attitude of the PTA and our local politicians is that nothing must stand in the way of proposed second Tyne road tunnel - not concerns about health, environment or architectural heritage. Maybe, Cllr John Watson, if, as he suggested in last weeks Gazette, really is serious about protecting our historic buildings, could have a word with Cllr Hanson about The Gaslight. This "finite resource", the final remnant of Jarrow's 19th Century riverside. For those who care about South Tyneside's heritage, objections can be made in writing to The Director of Development Services, South Tyneside MBC, Town Hall, Westoe Road, South Shields, NE33 2RL, before the 9th September. Once its gone it can't be brought back. Brian Paget sand_dancer@blueyonder.co.uk |