Sir, – Is it acceptable that Linda Gibbon (presumably on behalf of the trustees of the Clock and their landlords the Methodist Church in St James’ Green, Thirsk) is allowed yet again to “stick the jackboot in” (D&S letters, Oct 22)?

The accusation of discrimination is offensive to my neighbours, my community and me.

The cry “discrimination” which Linda appears to use on every occasion she and her posse of “do-gooders” don’t get their own way was levelled at my community last year when we collectively raised some legitimate concerns as Linda, her committee of trustees and the Methodist church rode rough shod over us to site a youth café (which by their own admission had been refused an extension of their lease by their previous landlords) in the heart of our community.

I suspect like me many had gone to listen in December 2009 in the then Methodist Church Hall to what was being said on both sides of the argument.

It had been a particularly challenging – the Methodist Church and the Thirsk Clock were telling us they would be citing a youth café within our community without any consultation.

But here seemed the perfect opportunity for Linda to roll out her unsubstantiated argument that those who raise questions, those who wanted more information, those who are not quite sure, those who wanted to suggest alternatives would be mown down in the juggernaut that Linda was right and everyone else was wrong; if you are not with Linda you are against her. Where have we heard that before?

This time, jumping on the back of the issue of “discos for young people”, Linda, the Thirsk Clock trustees and the Methodist Church congregation are on the bandwagon again banging the discrimination drum.

We don’t have the other side of the argument, we don’t know why legitimate businesses don’t want in an economic recession to have their premises used by Thirsk Clock, but having both sides of the argument isn’t important to Linda.

What I find fascinating about the discrimination brigade is that it is better to shout that others are discriminating rather than look to yourself. When it comes to accusing me of nimbyism Thirsk Clock is in my back yard – not in Linda Gibbon’s, the trustees of Thirsk Clock nor the Methodist congregation – none of whom live on the Green. Those who have concerns over young people’s discos be warned.

C G O’DONOVAN St James’ Green, Thirsk.