From an outsider looking in, in that I haven't lived in Wakefield for twenty years, I think Wakefield is doing pretty well. I live in a city that is extremely similar in terms of population size, industrial history, and administrative importance, and Wakefield beats it. Apart from the big cities, which are getting by on coffee outlets and fancy pubs, it is common to hear about town and city centre centres dying, with proper shops being replaced by poundshops and charity shops. Wakefield is just like everywhere else, but still it opened its new sy shopping centre, and the top of the precinct near the cathedral is still a glorious place to be on a sunny day.



She waffles on about Sandal Castle and the Chantry Chapel. I spent a lot of my childhood playing at Sandal Castle, and it is better preserved now than it was then, but she needs to learn her history. My understanding is that Sandal Castle was largely uncovered not long before the seventies, so rather than letting it crumble, the city unveiled it and preserved it for the city. What does she want: it rebuilding in breeze blocks?



The Calder bridge hasn't changed in decades, and so what does she expect with the Chantry Chapel? Blame whoever designed the access into the city all those decades ago, not the city now.



To me, the city has hardly changed, and that is no bad thing. Any problems it portrays in the city centre are no different to anywhere else in the country. It's a sign of the times. I can remember my mother doing the weekly shop in Hillards off Northgate. Who would go into the city centre to do any shopping now, other than for treats and browsing?



As for the rhubarb festival, if they were selling the stuff from little stalls in a twee little back street in Camden, with signs written in chalk, she would be cooing over it, waffling on to her mates about how authentic it is.



Your past is what makes you. The fact that she is ashamed of it tells us more of her own self-image that it does about Wakefield.



My message to her is this: I've written things that have been read by more people and in more countries than you ever have, and I'm proud to put Wakefield in my biography. It made me the person I am: a Yorkshireman who likes drinking bitter, who looks after his brass, and likes spending his weekends watching rugby league. I go to London sometimes and meet high and mighty types who I know will think I am an uncultured oaf, but you know what, I don't enjoy their company. They drink wine I don't understand, guffaw a lot and talk about rugger. I can deal with that. Why can't you?

maybe we should send a few of the boys round to have a word?



A letter to the grundian from the club wouldn't be a bad idea, "disappointed by the image portrayed of the club " and inviting the "journalist" to be a guest at a game to get a better view of the current position of the club.

Her mate probably got it up cheapside every Saturday night after coming out of rooftops and she didn't that's her problem

Kerching!

Well said Neil. Much rather read your works than the bile she spouts.



She certainly does not know her history. Sandal Castle being "allowed to go to the whippets" - it was one of the finest examples of a Motte-and-bailey Castle and is famous for the Battle of Wakefield in 1460 where the Duke of York was killed. Much of the Castle was destroyed by Cromwell after the Civil War as Sandal supported the Royalist cause so it wasn't "allowed to go to the whippets"



I was born and raised in Wakefield and I'm proud of the fact and and not afraid to say where I'm from. I'll bet when asked she says she is from Leeds. Thats why I like Jane McDonald, proud to be from Wakefield and tells everbody that she is.



Wakefield and Proud.

People love rhubarb in the Limousin region of France where I live.

Served in some quite sophisticated restaurants.

So maybe Wakefield should twin with somewhere here and become sophisticated enough for the supercilious twit who wrote that article.

Had rhubarb yogurt for breakfast yesterday, bought from local supermarket.

Sandal Castle was was excavated in the mid sixties and not left to rot.

I know that because I worked as a volunteer on the dig.

When you read the comments, she's there trying to defend herself and keeps going on about the social deprivation and neglect of Wakefield, I'd love to know where exactly is all this neglect and social deprivation. I know we've got a few areas in town that could do with sorting out and most of it is going to be but what Cities around the country don't have their more run down parts and also have problems around City Nightlife, which Wakefield has improved vastly since the 80's & 90's.

I'd make a guess the article has been written to get a bit of attention for herself and the only thing she could think of, is to pick fault with her home town while writing a article about Rhubarb, makes sense. It especially makes you laugh since it's written by someone who is now living in London, which has far far more areas of neglect and social unrest than the whole of Yorkshire.



It really does tell me more about the writer of the piece that the town itself to be perfectly honest. The article seems to be particularly lazy and dishonest for the simple fact that in my life time, I've never seen so much regeneration around the place as there has been the last 5 or 6 years and continues to be, the City's unrecognizable in some parts to what it was 10 years ago.

Poor article from a immature girl.

I wonder if she is familiar with the M1 and M62 running through Wakefield? If so, maybe she should go play on one of them.

I am proud to say i come from wakefield and i was born and raised leeds

She was born & raised in Durkar, so obviously she has first hand experience of the derpravity she speaks of.





In the words of the great Alan Partridge "Some People".



Although with journalistic skills like that I'm surprised she's not on the "BBC gravy train".....

Wakefield & Proud love this club love this City

Ditto.



Although I do find it funny on days of national exposure (semi final 08 ect) these same people suddenly come out of the woodwork with a new found grace of civic pride. Phonies, wannabes & self aggrandized attention seekers.