Sir, – I was disgusted and saddened by the petty act of vandalism which resulted in the banner promoting Carnoustie Golf Memories being torn down.
This act of senseless, wanton destruction has no place in our society and the person or persons responsible should feel thoroughly ashamed.
As a Rotarian and an active member of the Golf Memories group nothing will detract from the work that is done in helping those suffering from dementia and memory loss to spend a few hours each month enjoying the banter and fellowship that comes with shared memories.
On behalf of Carnoustie Rotarians and all those associated with Carnoustie Golf Memories, many thanks to our friends at Prime Signs for supplying a replacement banner.
Michael Spence.
President, Rotary Club of Carnoustie,
Victoria Street,
Carnoustie.
Return of trains would benefit all
Sir, – It was encouraging to read recently that Stuarts of Buckhaven have come out publicly to support returning trains to Leven, along with more than 150 businesses.
Actually, I cannot think of any local business that would not back it, since all would benefit from an improved local economy which better connections would stimulate.
What would greatly help the Business Charter drive organised by the Rail Campaign is for the largest local businesses to adopt a similar stance.
Positive backing from the likes of Diageo, especially, but also Donaldson’s, Silberline and Pfaudler-Balfour and also the retailers, such as Sainsbury’s and Lidl, to mention only a few, would provide a great boost.
These are major employers in this area so a train service would assist their own staff and some customers.
Since these larger businesses also generate most of the freight traffic on our poor local road network, moving some of this off-road would be appreciated by everyone.
It’s not only small businesses that carry a corporate social responsibility for their local community. It’s time the bigger players stepped up to the plate.
James Robertson.
Casan,
Leven.
Fair rates for online traders
Sir, – Rates paid by the High Street are high as they are mostly based upon the rental evidence for that location. A city centre location carries a premium therefore, in both rent and rates.
There are exceptions, particularly with regard to public houses, where the rateable value is based on turnover.
I would suggest that in fairness both to the ratepayer and council tax payer such a scheme should apply to internet warehouses. At present, their location means low rates. Let us redress the balance in favour of the High Street.
Leslie Isles Milligan.
Myrtlehall Gardens,
Dundee.
March figures made sense
Sir, – Iain G Richmond states that the independence march in Dundee had “a pretty poor turnout”: 16,000 people, more than 10% of the population of Dundee, is not a bad number, bigger than any other demonstration I can remember in my 50 years in Dundee.
He compares the number of marchers, unfavourably, with the 50,000-strong crowds who attend Celtic and Rangers games: well the Glasgow march, a few months ago, had numbers upwards of 50,000. Perhaps a more realistic comparison for the Dundee march would be the crowds who attend Dundee and Dundee United matches, which would jointly amount to much less than 16,000.
As for his accusation that the marchers were “bad mannered (and) abusive”: I assume Mr Richmond doesn’t attend Rangers and Celtic matches.
He suggests that “if Scots had voted for independence in 2014…we would have faced economic Armageddon and decades of fiscal hardships”. How ironic! Add to this the likelihood of trouble in Ireland, the NHS collapsing, the car industry moving en masse to Europe, food and medicine shortages, pension problems, chaos at the borders, local soft fruit businesses devastated, and he is still nowhere near to where the UK is headed now.
He asks: “Scotland seeks freedom, but from what?”.
I would answer that, consistently in the polls since 2014, more than 40% of those asked wished to leave a union where we are ruled by Westminster governments for which the Scottish people did not vote.
Les Mackay.
Carmichael Gardens,
Dundee.
Wee pretendie world of our own
Sir, – It is being proposed that the Scottish Government forms a permanent link with the Canadian government and on Canadian soil.
Some years ago the Scottish comedian Billy Connelly called our parliament in Holyrood, Edinburgh, “The Wee Pretendie Parliament” and with some justification.
I’m sure he’d similarly call this new Canadian link, “A Wee Pretendie Embassy”.
Scotland was once famed for its inventors and thinkers and the high standard of its education but now, under the financial constraints of the present Scottish Government on policing, health services and education, we are slowly becoming “A Wee Pretendie Country”.
So sad.
Archibald A Lawrie.
Church Wynd,
Kingskettle.
Players are the pride of Perth
Sir, – On Thursday August 23 I had the privilege and pleasure to travel with a party of friends and parents of Perth Youth Orchestra to attend their now annual concert in Greyfriars Kirk, Edinburgh, “on the fringe” of the festival; the bus was almost full.
The concert itself was extremely well-attended – almost capacity I’d say – and the orchestra was in superb form, giving a well-balanced and stylistic performance of music ranging from the 17th Century to the present day.
The soloists were also excellent, all playing to a very high standard of technical ability and musicianship.
The members of PYO are a credit to their parents, their schools, and also to the city and county and deserve to be supported by everyone who takes an interest in youth music-making. We should all be proud of them.
Alister Y Allan.
Castle View,
Perth.
First steps to a bright future
Sir, – I am sure many people will have enjoyed seeing the photographs of the children going to school for their first days in The Courier. They will remember it all of their lives.
I remember my first day at Kinglassie School 76 years ago, during the Second World War, and I still have a close association with the school.
It has been an honour and a privilege for me for so many years to receive an invitation to speak at the leavers’ assembly when the primary sevens are leaving to go on to secondary education.
I tell them there is a time for everything in life and the time has come for them to leave the primary school. I wish them every success in whatever occupation or profession they choose in the future and hope they achieve their ambitions.
In a few years these sentiments will apply to the pupils now starting their education in primary one. We thank all of the teachers for their dedication in teaching our children.
Thomas Michie.
Main Street,
Kinglassie.
Symbol of all our freedoms
Sir, – Regarding the controversy over the decision to fly the Red Ensign, and not the saltire, over the Ball House in Montrose on September 3 to recognise the sacrifice of Merchant Navy sailors, I would like to remind councillor Bill Duff (and the people who agree with him that if it hadn’t been for people like the Merchant Navy, it wouldn’t be the saltire flying, but the swastika.
H Moncrieff.
Highfield Lane,
Perth.
