THREE towns in the Selby district (which includes Tadcaster) are said to be making final preparations for the launch of a new vision for the area. (August 17).

Another vision!

Newcomers to this green and pleasant small town may be unaware that during the past 30 years we locals have been driven to despair by the lack of progress on the many and varied proposed "visions of Tadcaster."

Countless well-attended public meeting were organised - but no positive action ensued.

Meanwhile, the present incumbent of the benefice of the parish of St Mary The Virgin Tadcaster (all right the local parish priest) helpfully organised additional meetings to try to resolve the temporal deadlock within his parish. If any visions appeared owing to this kindly ecclesiastical intervention then they must have disappeared with indecent haste.

During the many years of Tadcaster's wrangling, I attended public meetings where the sole purpose was said to be to try to "reclaim Tadcaster."

Sadly, many ideas burned out in a blaze of talk, or died in a welter of vagueness. Other crumbled at the first sign of reality - about who did or did not actually own the central car park plot of land which is a brown field site.

That is the real reason for the 30 years civil war at Tadcaster.

Ida Mary Goodrick,

Woodlands Avenue, Tadcaster.

Updated: 09:50 Saturday, August 27, 2005