Blackpool snobs
Sir: As one of the working class so charmingly patronised by Mr Peregrine Worsthorne may I make two points: I. I dislike Blackpool intensely, but then I need go only for conferences.
2. Most people who go to Black- pool are there for only two weeks out of the year. They go for a change, a rest, that we all hope for on holiday. For the remainder of the year, Mr Worsthome can be assured, working class folk are not totally old-fashioned, insular, low-brow, racialist, vulgar and easily pleased. He must be confusing us with some of the Tory Party delegates.
Dail Douglas Machray Y Record, Glasgow c2 Sir: Mr Levin believes 'that the only thing good epough for the poor is the thing that is good enough for Mr Worsthorne and for me. namely the best'. Who is he or indeed Worsthorne to decide for the poor what is good or more precisely what is bad? My wife says this point is facile. I can only answer that that is an occupational hazard of answering Mr Levin's letters.
Artor Nott 5 Tuesday Close, Witney, Oxon
Sir: Mr Peregrine Worsthorne in 'Personal Column' this week's SPECTATOR makes slashing attacks on the 'progressive leftish intel- lectuals' who apparently recently did not enjoy Blackpool at the recent party conferences, held at this resort. Mr Worsthorne makes several valid points on their view- points of Blackpool, but to me he comes out of it personally as the 'super-snob' of the number of poli- ticians and writers he mentions. As a working man, employed in a pro- fessional office as a clerk. I must say from time to time over the years I have enjoyed and admired the skill of Mr Worsthorne in his anti - Left/Liberal articles, even though so often I disagreed gener- ally with his conclusions, but he has always seemed to me with his accent and his delightful 'Tory name' a true-blue member of the middle-class. The idea of Mr Worsthorne enjoying himself at a resort like Blackpool is extremely remote. in fact he would be prob- ably the LAST person I would expect to see on the front at this resort, but then perhaps it is his 'television image' that has confused me . . !
Personally I have often thought what innocent enjoyment and plea- sure I would get from for instance having tea at the Ritz Hotel in London where really 'high tea' can be obtained and they have I believe a musical trio playing in the Palm Court type of music; and to sit in the leather backed chairs at White's Club or Boodle's. what bliss, what company and conversation. Oh I could go on and on. but with so much talk of Mr Heath having em- braced a national policy of 'one nation' perhaps my wishes will be- come a reality in the near future, and my entrance being will be made easier to such 'citadels of upper class privilege'?
John Waterfield 278 Taunton Avenue. Plymouth, Devon Sir: Did not Samuel Johnson have something to say about patriotism . being the last refuge of a scowl- ' drel?
Peregrine Worsthorne has proved that point quite admirably.
K. Michael Oppen 6 Belsize Square. Hampstead, arw3
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