There is now worldwide concern over the spread of measles.

How is it that my generation, growing up in the 1950s, commonly contracted measles, German measles, mumps and chickenpox, and apart from a couple of weeks’ feeling poorly and a body covered in different types of spots, came through unharmed until teenage zits became the next embarrassment?

Back then, boys were encouraged to have mumps, and girls were actively made to catch German measles, in order to prevent problems later on with having our own children.

Why with modern medicine is measles such a problem?

Geoff Robb,

Hunters Close,

Dunnington, York

Micklegate could be re-opened to traffic

HAS no one in City of York Council’s highways department considered opening Micklegate to traffic from town into Blossom Street when the demolition of the Queen Street Bridge commences (Drivers face bridge work disruption, April 15)?

This must reduce the amount of traffic being diverted onto the new temporary road via Queen Street.

A P Cox,

Heath Close

Holgate, York

Households being driven out of city

IF the housing situation in York wasn’t so serious the housing statements in the Conservative election manifesto would be laughable (Riverside walkway plans in group’s city manifesto, April 15).

Far from providing ‘more than enough homes’ to meet the demands of an overheated and unaffordable housing market York Tory and Lib Dem councillors have consistently reduced the number of homes targeted in the Local Plan, argued against the need for more genuinely affordable homes and taken perfectly viable sites out of future plans for reasons of political gain.

The local Tory party has even been at odds with their own Government and has rolled over whenever developers have put pressure on them. Their excessive reliance on brownfield development has meant too many one- and two-bedroom upmarket flats being built instead of the desperately needed two- and three-bedroom affordable houses for both sale and rent.

I sincerely hope the electorate of York will see through these misleading claims and understand why households are being driven out of York in huge numbers or living in substandard or shared accommodation. Undoubtedly a time for a change.

Richard Clark,

Micklegate Labour Party,

Joseph Terry Grove, York

The piggery of some diners is amazing

Emma Clayton wrote of the ‘perils of going all-inclusive’ (Column, April 15) and of eating and drinking to excess.

With my limited use of all-inclusive holidays and trips I find it’s nice to be able taste and eat a little bit more than usual but unfortunately the piggery of some diners is nothing but embarrassing, with the ‘owt for nowt’ attitude shameful.

Years ago the overnight ferry from Hull to Amsterdam used to provide a free buffet.

Until you see adults scooping up trifle with chocolate eclair and doughnuts you’ve never witnessed piggery like it.

Long ago we used to go on trade events to Leeds, transport provided.

After a bit of propaganda we were let loose on free food and drink: the amount of wasted food and drink would have fed the homeless in York for a week.

Talking of embarrassment, one of our party ordered a double whisky, the bartender replied he was only allowed to serve single drinks. With that the man ordered three single whiskies and smugly poured them into one glass.

Eating and drinking a little bit more as an occasional treat is nice, but downright piggery is shamefully embarrassing.

D M Deamer, Penleys Grove Street, Monkgate, York