I AM sorry to see no mention of industry in your listing of the key features of the new Blueprint for Ryedale.

I don’t know whether this reflects a lack of interest in industry at your newspaper or in the minds of the writers of the plan, but either way the omission reflects a prevailing attitude which saddens me after a life spent trying to bring good opportunities to the very good working people of Ryedale.

Practically everything in your list represents the spending of public money, or an importation of an external retailing force.

It would be of some interest to see a survey done of the job that industry does in exporting goods and services to the rest of the nation and to the world in general.

Ryedale has plenty to be proud of but, sadly, little to recommend it as a place where industry is appreciated.

Out of sight and out of mind would appear to be the approach. That gets the most votes, whereas industry has no voting power.

Christopher W Shaw
Chairman and managing director, Micro Metalsmiths Ltd, Kirkdale Road, Kirbymoorside, York