Comment: Time to reconsider cycling row

Cyclists are becoming like Marmite – you either love them or you hate them.

Any issue involving cyclists is almost guaranteed to spark a furious debate, with some motorists and pedestrians saying they are a menace and the cyclists themselves saying they are law-abiding and helping the environment.

Frankly this level of debate does not help but today's story about youngsters showing their skills in the city centre does raise an interesting point.

On the one hand we have visitors Mr and Mrs Drummond saying their safety was put at risk by the young cyclists.

No one would argue that pedestrians should be safe from cyclists.

But on the other hand, these are youngsters who love their bikes and who want to show off their skills – something we would expect from normal teenagers.

Frankly, the most reasoned comment comes from the trick cyclists who accept that a minority of their peers are irresponsible but who plead for understanding when they perform their stunts with consideration.

Surely there must be a compromise which could be thrashed out. The sight of young people taking part in a healthy pastime which also adds to the vibrancy of the city must be applauded.

But at the same time, they must realise they have a responsibility to both themselves and others to ensure no one is put in danger.

If that means more facilities for the cyclists, then this is something which the authorities must consider.

IT is not a good sign that the St Peter's Hospice charity shop in Clifton's Triangle has closed down.

And what is bemusing is that with several other businesses in the area closing in recent times, the landlord of the charity shop thought it sensible to raise rents by 70 per cent.

Clearly this is a difficult time for all businesspeople – landlords included – but to impose such massive rent increases makes no sense.

The danger now is that the area could fall into a spiral of decline with businesses closing, leading to lower numbers of shoppers and this causing problems for the shops which remain.

It seems that landlords in the area still think it is prime land but in the current climate – and with Cabot Circus providing alternatives to the fashion-conscious – this could backfire on them.