Sir – In the 1990s there were government grants to bring empty floors over shops into residential use. Worcester obtained some of this money and units were duly converted. Since then councillors, planning and housing officers have continued their interest in bringing housing into the city centre and there are many flats over shops or residential developments in central locations.
But problems persist. Security and access can be difficult with the only entrance often through the shop. Late night revelry intimidates residents trying to enter or leave their homes. Even with no revelry, city living can be a noisy affair – exacerbated by the night-time foraging of noisy seagulls. Frequently there is no nearby parking for easy loading and unloading. Rubbish is left out overnight close to what would often be someone’s front door.
Converting upper storeys into flats is a laudable aim, but not every shop’s upper floors are suitable for residential use. However this does not mean that they need to be left empty. There are other appropriate uses such as storage and offices, and many already are used in this way. The real crime is not using this space at all. 
In order to provide sustainable uses the city needs to look at the city centre holistically so suitable uses are found for each upstairs space and all the associated issues are simultaneously considered and addressed.
LIZ SMITH
Worcester

Advising EU to stop Brexit concerns
Sir – According to an article in the Telegraph Lord Peter Mandelson is now advising the EU on stopping Brexit.  He advises Jean -Claude Juncker and his team on their communications strategy. He has liaised with Martin Selongy, Chief of Strategy for  J.C.J.  president of the EU Commission. In a letter to him in Nov. 2014 , Lord M. writes:  “You mentioned that you would welcome input from me in developing your communications capabilities. Of course I would be very happy to follow up on this”  Mr. S. replied:  “You remain an inspiring force and a model of effective political activity and communications. I am therefore grateful for your generosity and sharing your insights and expertise. Thank you also for your availability in dealing with the challenges ahead.”
The letter was written on headed Global Counsel notepaper, an advisory firm he co-founded in 2010. Part of the Telegraph’s investigation shows that as part of the Commission’s strategy  J.C.J. said he would be very happy to call upon his assistance  both personally and as pres. of British Influence the newly-formed organisation to keep Britain in the EU. 
However an EU spokeman said that Lord Mandelson is not advising the Commission on communications.  His visits were made public via  MEC’s transparency website.     
I can’t say I have ever been inspired by Mr. M.  as any kind of model or force,  certainly his influence on Mr. Blair in communications did not seem positive if the WMD tale is anything to go by ...?  It is to be hoped that these apparent skills come to nothing when British people vote in the EU referendum.
WENDY HANDS
Upton-upon-Severn
  
Times are changing throughout England
Sir – As someone who came to this country in 1953, when it was still very much
England, I look back to those times and compare it with the England of today . It has totally changed for the worse, back then we still had a thriving Industry, compare that to now-a-days, when it’s mainly low paid jobs that these people do, I know there will always be the odd exception, Doctors, being one of them, we are losing our qualified doctors at the rate of 3,000 per year, to be replaced by doctors from third world countries.
Getting back to the refugee problem , let’s not forget it was partly through our government’s stupidity that the world is fast running out of safe places in which to live, they cannot seem to let go of their British Empire mentality, by hanging on to the coat tails of the biggest bully in the playground.
We seem to be arguing about the technicalities of, someone being a migrant, refugee, economic migrant, illegal immigrant, call them what you will, the fact is, we have already taken in over 300,000 East Europeans this year, thanks to this useless EU. I voted UKIP in the last election, but unlike a lot of people I wasn’t panicked into voting Conservative at the last minute, by Cameron and his lies, after all I had seen what he was like over the last five years, I actually voted for him in 2010.
Finally, no one has yet thought about what this mayhem across the EU is going to cost this country? who can forget our worthy PM’s words in the Spring of 2014, during the worst floods in living memory “We are a rich country” and when this country was presented with a bill of £1.7billion extra from the EU that we had to pay, all of a sudden we weren’t so rich after all. The EU is a total waste of time and money, it’s handling of the Migrant crisis in Italy and Greece has been abysmal , and it goes to show that when things get a bit tricky, they just leave you to get on with it as best you can, truth be known the only thing they are any good at is fiddling the people of Europe out of billions of Euros/pounds and doing very little in return.
BILL KOVACS
Malvern

Admiration for legal action of culling
Sir – I was very pleased to read that Brian May “has threatened legal action if the controversial badger cull goes ahead for a third year”
Evidence has shown that the cull is cruel, unscientific and likely to lead to an increase in bovine TB, rather than the opposite.
Remember that this slaughter of wildlife is not being done out of any love of cows.
This is because fewer than 40,000 dairy cows are killed annually in the UK because of bovine TB, which is less than 10% of the 450,000 that are put to death each year, with more than 100,000 being killed due to infertility, 120,000 because of mastitis and lameness and the remaining 200,000 because they have become too old to be efficient milk producers.
Naturally cows can live to be up to 25 years old, but the dairy industry slaughters them when they are only five to seven years of age, and 100,000 male calves are killed annually on dairy farms, shortly after birth, because they are of no use for producing milk.
All this suffering and slaughter because humans want to drink a product that is really meant for calves.
And all totally unnecessary when we can all live perfectly healthily without consuming milk, meat or any animal products.
Worcestershire Vegans & Veggies exists to help switch to a humane diet and can be contacted at info@worcsveg.org.uk, on 01562 700043.
RONALD LEE
Worcestershire Vegans & Veggies