AT the March meeting of the Tadcaster Civic Society it was cheering to learn that Tadcaster may benefit from help by an outside agency in cutting the Gordian Knot that for too long has threatened to strangle the town centre.

Can the aptly named Yorkshire Forward help break the stalemate between the district council and Samuel Smith's Brewery that has existed for the last 20 years?

May we hope that Yorkshire Forward might succeed where others have failed by unlocking the goodwill on both sides so that Tadcaster can become the "vision" all our townspeople want?

There has been so much talking, so much "Plan A", "Plan B", discussions, reports, consultations, litigation.

Can we now hope that something will at last be done - that we really can indeed move forward?

Mrs Joan M Clarke,

Golf Links Crescent,

Tadcaster.

Updated: 11:30 Tuesday, March 29, 2005