Hello and welcome to Thursdays Levy Letter. I hope you can join me for tonights Look North at half past six on BBC One. Well have all the days news and stories from around our part of the world as usual, and of course well have the detailed weather forecast. So dont miss that, and if youve got anything to say on any of our stories, or maybe a story of your own you think we should know about, get in touch and let us know. Email in to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and keep us up to date.
House Prices Well house prices are back in the news with houses set to fall an average £30,000 in value by next April. We had a story on the programme yesterday of course with some estate agents having to reduce staff numbers or even go into administration due to the housing slump. According to a new report, one in seven house owners could be plunged into negative equity as the average property price could be as low as £150,000, down from £199,600 last August. In a related study, consumer confidence was shown to be at a 34 year low. Its all sounding gloomy, but then a report I mentioned recently in the letter also suggested that things will pick up in the next few years again. Its all rather confusing, isnt it? I wonder how much of the recent panic is due to speculation, or whether we really are getting worse off. It seems to depend who you listen to, or perhaps which papers you read. Hopefully Ill have some more optimistic news in the letter some time soon. Pigs Heres a nice story, and an interesting idea as well. A Birmingham care home has introduced an unusual therapy for its residents, by setting up a pig farm on the site. As you might have heard, owning a pet is reported to give health benefits, and the idea is that having the pigs, as well as chickens, rabbits, and guinea pigs increases the residents wellbeing and provides activity and even entertainment. It sounds like a lovely idea, and so far its been very popular in the care home, which houses about 50 people, half of which suffer from some form of dementia. The pigs chosen to live in the small petting garden are of the Kune Kune breed, which can be trained and make good companions. The scheme has also apparently increased the frequency of visits by relatives, which is also nice, as long as theyre actually going to visit and not just going to play with the animals! Its an interesting idea, and if it proves successful it might be an excellent way to make life more enjoyable for people in their later years. Tap Water Well its often seen as the poor relation to expensive bottled water, or even soft drinks or juice, but an expert panel has spent time finding Britains best tap water, and discovered it comes from an area covering the Midlands and part of Wales. Severn Trent Water was victorious at the top of the list, with Anglian Water coming in second, and Thames Water third. Yorkshire Water was at a respectable 8th place. The tasting panel included a Michelin-starred chef, and the competition was decided in a series of blind taste tests in a London restaurant. Apparently each type of water has its own individual taste, and obviously some are better than others. I cant say Ive ever really noticed the difference in waters, and I wonder what you think about this, maybe youve got your own favourite water, or perhaps you just think this is all a bit ridiculous. As long as its clear and wet I dont see how you can complain really, but then Im not a chef with a Michelin star. Well thats it from me for today. I hope you have a very good day and enjoy the rest of your afternoon. Join me tonight for Thursdays Look North at half past six on BBC One, and Ill be back with the Levy Letter again tomorrow. In the mean time, if you have anything interesting to say, or if you know something you think we should hear, get in touch and tell us about it. Email in to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Bye for now Peter Your email address will be held by the BBC and kept confidential, and will only be used in relation to this newsletter. You will be given the option to unsubscribe from this newsletter each time you receive it. Please visit the BBC's Privacy & Cookies Policy (www.bbc.co.uk/privacy) for more information And for the latest news and more where you live, go to: http://bbc.co.uk/humber and http://bbc.co.uk/lincolnshire ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the BBC Look North newsletter, go to http://www.bbc.co.uk/england/looknorthhull/newsletter/newsletter_index.shtml, enter your email address in the unsubscribe box. 1.94.4
