Sir – There’s controversy in Perth. Shopkeepers complain of declining sales.
Our council points to record job creation. Are they both right?
Here’s an explanation. Major multiples were not at the Royal George meeting called to discuss the challenges facing Perth city centre.
They account for at least half of retail sales. Nor were our motor traders represented. They’re enjoying strong growth. Could that be an explanation?
Not present at the meeting was the internet. This is a pity, because it is the growth of the internet that is eating our retailers’ lunch.
Perth has more than 30 shops selling fresh foods. Do we need more? You might think not. Others claim we need more competition.
Years ago, Perth and Kinross Council thought it policy to have some middle and higher income households in Perth.
The belief was these people would bring extra spending into cafes and shops and perhaps give work to property maintenance firms. But that ambition has been abandoned.
Have you ever wondered how other cities manage?
Andrew Dundas.
34 Ross Avenue,
Perth.
Perth lighting a waste of cash
Sir, – While welcoming attempts to regenerate Perth, I think it is a waste of money for the council to spend enormous sums lighting up the streets during the night.
As an employee of McEwens said: “What is the point of lighting up the centre of Perth when there is little to bring people to the centre of Perth?”
When one goes to the continent one finds that as well as lights being on at night, the shops are open.
At a time of austerity when services are being cut, should not money go to these areas – children’s services, education and care in the community?
The argument that lighting will bring people to Perth is dubious when it is not backed up by other facilities such as shops, cafes and toilets.
This is without going into the argument about global warming.
Ruth Gunn.
12 Cornhill Road,
Perth.
Motorists used as cash cows
Sir, – I am glad the managing director of McEwens of Perth has exposed the role of his local authority in the demise of this long- established business.
Problems were caused by rates and over-zealous parking regulation.
In Dundee we have “enforcement officers” in uniforms which would not be out of place in Russia or Ukraine.
At least stop the pretence that parking regulation is anything to do with traffic management.
It is revenue raising pure and simple.
John Justice.
20 Staffa Place,
Dundee.
Stop destruction of our wildlife
Sir, – Late spring in Scotland should be the most wonderful season with the countryside clothed in lush, verdant vegetation and bird song greeting one at every turn. While the former is still true, the latter is becoming rare.
Here on the farm, over many years, I have created a wetland site of some 20 acres. Mallard, gadwall and shoveller duck are nesting along with lapwing, waterhen, grebe and the little blackheaded gull.
Fox predation is minimal due to our constant vigilance. Most birds will hatch but few survive thanks to the constant predation of the big gulls.
These gulls emanate from the expanding colony of 2,500 pairs breeding on St Serf’s Island on Loch Leven only seven miles away.
The gull colony is protected and nurtured by Scottish Natural Heritage and the RSPB and the damage they inflict on our wildlife is enormous. Leverets, chicks, ducklings, goslings: nothing is spared.
EU wildlife directives created by faceless urban bureaucrats are enforced by SNH and the RSPB.
These people ignore common sense and protect common predators such as the big gulls, ravens, buzzards and cormorants with no regard to the welfare of their prey. I believe history will judge these organisations to be guilty of crimes against wildlife and that they have caused irreparable damage to the biodiversity of our country’s wildlife.
Mike Smith.
Threapmuir Farm,
Cleish.
In praise of Perth council
Sir, – I would like to place in the public domain the appreciation and thanks, both of myself and of those residents of Braco and Greenloaning community from whom I have received positive feedback, in response to Perth and Kinross Council’s having effected a number of resolutions in circumstances that had each posed significant risk to public safety.
Specifically, I refer to three hazards; potholes at the Greenloaning A9 link road/A822 junction, a collapsed drain at Feddal Road/Mid Lane junction and the damaged parapet obstruction forcing pedestrians into the carriageway on the bridge carrying the A822 over the River Knaik.
In each case, Perth and Kinross Council responded within 48 hours, resolving the first two hazards and erecting barriers at the third. The debris obstruction had been cleared and the road warning sign retrieved by a resident living nearby.
If there is a moral to every story, then perhaps this set of responses reminds us that if we all assume that someone else will have reported it, then we give ourselves no mandate to criticise perceived inaction.
Thank you, Perth and Kinross Council.
We look forward to the same levels of response in future interactions with you.
Ron Rose.
Bridgend,
Braco,
Dunblane.
Time to let Jenny Hjul go
Sir, – I note that there have been two letters attacking your columnist Jenny Hjul recently, together with a barbed comment from Mr Allan MacDougall of Bridge of Allan on these pages on Thursday.
As I am a firm believer in never having enough of a good thing, here is another.
Ms Hjul is a one-stringed guitar.
She only knows one tune: SNP bad, Tories good and bangs on about it endlessly.
I usually skip her repetitive nonsense but this Wednesday I had a quick glance to see if she had anything to say about the living fossils of Muirfield Golf Club who have upheld the ban on women members.
There was not a word. Ms Hjul just kept on beating the same old weary drum.
Another of your columnists, Jim Crumley, had plenty to say about it and said it very well.
I particularly liked his quote from Hugh MacDiarmid which summed it all up for me.
But, of course, Ms Hjul could not comment on it.
The dinosaurs who kept the ban would be Tory voters to a man and Ms Hjul couldn’t upset the party faithful.
Besides, as she lives in Edinburgh, it is quite possible she knows some of them.
Well if that is the company she likes to keep she is welcome to it, but I think mainstream Scottish thinking would side with Jim Crumley.
Perhaps The Courier should look at the political landscape of Scotland, appreciate that the fossilised ideas of the Tory party hold no sway here and give Ms Hjul her jotters. Such a decision would be greeted by a collective gasp of relief by the vast majority of your readers.
Jim Robertson.
194 High Street,
Montrose.
