JUST a quick thank you to start with after last week’s column. To all my fans at the BBC, I do appreciate the publicity, but you’re still part of the most arrogant, self-seeking and pretentious organisation on earth. And as for the parasitic Mr G... Anyway, onwards and upwards.

This weekend, at the behest of my son, I dragged my aching and aged frame to a squash court. Let’s leave for a minute the disappointment at just how few courts are now available for members of the pubic to hire and spare a thought for the kids kicking about outside the sports centre.

They were a scruffy looking lot, with the obligatory caps, low-slung trousers and accompanying attitude. But, weren’t actually doing anything wrong. In fact, they weren’t doing anything, which is why they were so obviously bored out of their minds.

But, step inside the sports centre and the place was deserted, except for the well-presented, but equally bored, members of staff.

So, we have bored youngsters, just a stone’s-throw away from a smashed window and sports centre staff just waiting for the end of their shift.

Ask either group the reason for the madness and they both agree it’s the cost of hiring the facilities.

The answer is blindingly obvious, but no-one has the guts or foresight to take on the problem.

Drop the prices to a point where the kids can afford it. Otherwise, we’re simply marking time until the kids do something daft.

And if the sports centre is empty with staff on duty (and not required by anyone else) we might as well let kids in for free, or a few pounds.

And yet we sit back and wonder why youngsters today act the way they do?