I AM very upset that my social meeting place at Vernon House in Bishopthorpe has been closed for over a month, stopping me and my friends from getting together. I am 96 years old and I love to go with my neighbour, who is 93.

Vernon House is supposed to have a health and safety problem, but I hope the council can sort it and let us all meet up again. There’s talk of it being knocked down to build houses, which is also upsetting to hear. We can’t understand it.

It’s good for Bishopthorpe’s older people like myself, and many others who are now living alone, to meet up with our friends for a natter with a coffee or we can do sewing, painting, meetings and bingo, which I love. Some have to do their washing there because they don’t have a washing machine, so they are finding it hard.

We have used the village hall but it’s upstairs and I am nervous using the lift so I climb slowly up the stairs.

We like Vernon House very much and we hope the council can help us.

Mrs Alice Gunson, Bishopthorpe, York.