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LET'S TALK ABOUT NUISANCE CALLS

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  LET'S TALK ABOUT NUISANCE CALLS Article by Tony Wallis. Nuisance calls are unwanted phone calls. They are often annoying, even distressing, and in many cases, damaging. It’s important to know how to recognize and deal with them. The phone rings. You get up, pausing your favorite TV show or suspending whatever you’re doing, to answer. Caller ID shows you it’s a mobile number or even a local number. “Hello,” you say. You may be lucky and it is a genuine caller, but usually no-one answers or there is an automatic message telling you “bank security” is calling. Often there’s a brief gap before a person speaks. They usually start with a made-up name and may ask to speak to you.  Then they read a script. They tell you they are from a bank, or from a telecom provider, or even Microsoft. They might tell you about improving your property, such as loft insulation. As if we all have more the one loft to insulate. What they don’t tell you is much about yourself. That is what they’re fis...
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REBUILT - THE FUTURE OF OUR PAST - NOW AND NEXT - THE OLD MARKET HALL

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  'TALK CASTLEFORD WITH TONY' presents: Castleford has buildings that once buzzed with life but now stand silent, waiting for someone to imagine their next chapter. In this series I’ll share images of these forgotten places and using AI explore how they might be brought back into use. I’d love to hear your ideas, memories, and visions for their future. What do you think these buildings become? Join the discussion in the comments below or on Facebook and help shape the story of our shared landscape. Tony Number 1 From OLD MARKET HALL to MARKET CLOCK ARCADE Now -  Next? The old market hall serves as a pedestrian walkway from a car park to Carlton Street and across the road to Carlton Lanes. The sides are no longer in use. The inside is unused space while the outside looks like a derelict building. Problems solved by this proposal to change -  The clock and the walkway are enhanced by the name ‘Clock Arcade.’ (I'd like 'Market Clock Arcade' but ChatGPT disagreed, even ...
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CASTLEFORD 2026 - 100 YEARS OF CHANGE AND CHARACTER - AND THE NEXT 100 YEARS?

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  2026 is a fantastic centenary year for Castleford. Here I list how our town has changed while keeping its character over the last 100 years. This year "Talking Cas' and 'Talk Castleford with Tony' will discuss these events and, just as important, looking forward to the next years, the next century even. Tell me what you think. What memories of the town do you have and how do you hope the town will be like in the future. Tony CASTLEFORD 1926 TO 2025 This is not a comprehensive chronology. It does, however, lists important events for discussion. It starts 100 years ago but there are important events like the First World War including the Barnbow incidents that happened before then. Castleford 1926-2026 image created using AI to add humour to the narrative.  it is not an accurate depiction of the town over those years. 1926 The General Strike Workers, especially miners and their families in Castleford experience hardship, lowered income. A bitterness toward the establis...
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TALKING CAS - JANUARY 22 2026 - TOWN TALES: THE VALLEY GARDENS - A PARK WITH A PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE

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  Talking Cas – January 22, 2026 One of the real pleasures of writing this blog is hearing back from you — your memories, your opinions, and sometimes your disagreements. This week is one where I’m  especially  hoping you’ll comment, because we’re talking about a place that many of you know well, even if you don’t always stop to think about it. Just a few minutes from the town centre lies a quiet green treasure:  The Valley Gardens . And I’d love to know — what does the Valley Gardens mean to you? 🌳 A Green Route Through the Heart of Cas Tucked away yet surprisingly close, the Valley Gardens is one of those places that quietly gets on with being useful. Families wander through, dog walkers pass the time of day, older residents sit and watch the world go by, and children burn off energy in the new play area. The park offers trees, a gentle stream, plenty of benches, and now a modern play space. It also forms a lovely green route from  Lower Oxford Street th...
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