Sir, – I am baffled by Angus Tourism Co-operative’s statement that visitor numbers and money spent were not the only way to measure tourism (V&A wider tourism lift fails to endure, Courier, June 29).
The only other impacts that spring to mind are social and environmental, which are so often negative.
This does not sound like a pro-active response from the sector. I am less perplexed by the claim the “V&A effect” has not been sustained.
As an occasional visitor to the region in which I grew up, there are many things I love to visit, but the much-vaunted V&A is frankly more café than gallery.
Even on opening, the curators lacked confidence: the Ocean Liners exhibition was second-hand from London, which at the same time had Videogames as its exhibit, an industry in which Dundee has some renown.
The building itself was a compromise, pushed inland, and ill-planned roadways divorced the city centre even further from its waterfront.
The site was blighted by offices void of architectural merit and occupants, built in a fit of Dundonian short-sightedness.
Mike Galloway claimed in 2017 that the lack of office space impeded the local economy, and councillors could o nly claim the uproar showed how much local people cared for the V&A building. But even before Covid-19, it was clear that offices were not the future of work – and these should have not featured in the waterfront masterplan.
The legacy of this project should have been vast for the wider region: instead it has been an opportunity squandered.
The Eden Project should look well outside the city limits for a location.
Jamie Potton.
14 Lind Street,
Ryde.
More than the NHS to thank
Sir, – I read the open thank you letter from Health Secretary Jeane Freeman to all the NHS workers.
Don’t get me wrong, they do deserve it.
But there should be a national thank you for all the carers and workers that kept going, not only for the NHS.
Mrs Freeman forgets to thank all the carers in all the care homes nationwide that have sacrificed so, so much, with only very little support from the government!
She forgets to thank all the home-carers that went to private homes to care for people, taking huge risks, with only very little support from the government.
And she forgets to thank the people that cared – and continue to care for – their loved ones at home, keeping them safe and protected.
These people don’t get paid for their ‘job’, they do it out of pure love.
Don’t they deserve a thank you? It is not only NHS workers that were faced with adversity.
All workers from all levels throughout the whole of Scotland were faced with adversity, one way or the other.
Mrs Maaike Cook.
Cash Feus,
Strathmiglo.
Test distancing changes in Fife
Sir, – Evidence suggests the Covid virus is mutating into a weaker strain.
The positive is that, despite fresh cases arising ,the numbers requiring hospitalisation is falling together with deaths, which are now at a level lower than that of a normal Winter Flu outbreak.
In Fife we have gone a week without any new Covid cases yet the government have decided to increase rather than relax restrictions. Why?
Fife could be used as a test case to allow the removal of all social distancing restrictions and a return to normal.
As numbers of new cases are so low in Scotland the test and track system would not be overwhelmed if there should be a spike.
The Highlands and Islands that have low population densities could also be freed at the same time.
Quarantine any cases for 10 days until they are no longer infectious.
We need to restore confidence that it is safe to venture out again and return as quickly as possible to normal life.
Scaring everyone with the threat of a second wave is nonsense.
Eric Gibbons.
112 Coldingham Place,
Dunfermline.
Freedom to worship
Sir, – It seems completely unreasonable to have lifted the restrictions on the opening of pubs and cinemas, yet still prevent churches from conducting public worship.
Who is responsible for giving such advice to the Scottish Government?
Decisions of this nature, which run counter to the rest of the UK, are most likely to prejudice the electorate against any further moves towards an independent Scotland.
Freedom to worship God is the principle for which so many of our Scottish forebears laid down their lives.
It is sheer hypocrisy to wave banners for freedom, yet deny that in your own jurisdiction.
David Scott.
Westfield Road,
Broughty Ferry.
UK Government slow to react
Sir, – Unusually, I agree with Martin Redfern’s first comment (Sturgeon’s stock Covid answers, Courier, July 3) that Nicola Sturgeon is a capable and astute politician, but I would add also as first minister.
That this virus has infected and killed 4,000-plus of our fellow Scottish citizens is an undeniable tragedy.
However, in his letter he attempts to lay the blame solely at the Scottish Government’s door, specifically and unjustifiably the first minister.
When reading similar comments, I have asked the question, ‘What would you have done differently?’, and frequently the answer was ‘I would have shut down sooner!’.
Professor Neil Ferguson agrees, as an ex-member of the UK Government SAGE group, and has produced validated modelling indicating that shutting down two weeks earlier would have saved a significant number of deaths, possibly as much as half.
To achieve this level of shutdown, all employees needed to be furloughed and companies needed other support mechanisms.
It required the UK Government to pull the levers, as this level of intervention is not reserved to the Scottish Government.
The delay in initiating employee furlough and business support and other relief was completely under the control of the UK Government.
What was the hold-up?
Was it the disarray and disagreements surrounding ‘herd immunity’ strategy, where livelihoods were to be prioritised over lives?
Only the UK Government knows.
Alistair Ballantyne.
Birkhill,
Angus.
Recruiters for independence
Sir, – The British Conservatives lurch from one stupid statement to another, with Jacob Rees-Mogg and Boris Johnson pretty much telling anyone daft enough to listen there is no such country as Scotland.
They appear to be going out of their way to cause insult, not only in Scotland but in Wales and Northern Ireland, by ignoring and refusing to engage with the relevant devolved governments.
It is little wonder that latest polls show support for independence at 54%.
Most British Conservatives in Scotland must be bewildered by their masters in England who at the moment are the best recruiting team for independence ever to emerge.
Bryan Auchterlonie.
Bluebell Cottage,
Perth.
