County folk
Sir: It was heartening to read Richard West's denunciation of the Heath-Walker county reorganisations (21 August), but I fear that he over-estimates the depth of resentment in the counties themselves.
When I go to Westmorland, I am always demoralized by the willingness of the locals to adopt the monstrous 'Cumbria' — and not only in written addresses. A refusal from everybody to do this in the first place might have helped to make the Act untenable.
As for the architectural misjudgements of the last 30 years, I really believe that many people are unaware of them. When comment on the concrete Insurance building, that stands four-square and hideous on the great sweep of the river at Kendal, I am usually met with incom- prehension from the locals, some of whom assure me that it must be 'very nice and modern to work in', just as they say lamely of the county reorganisation that 'There's nothing you can do to stop the Govern- ment'. If I had been of voting age when it was perpetrated, I might have tried.
Obviously Wordsworth's faith in the Lakelanders' appreciation of their counties was more hopeful than realistic — or perhaps the old 'Michaels' and their fellows lost heart,, and emigrated beyond the reach of insensitive bureaucracy.
Sarah Fletcher,
22 Ranmoor Cliffe Road, Sheffield 10, Yorkshire
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