Sir, I would congratulate Dundee City Council on any plans, as described in The Courier, to promote the city as a destination and stop-off for the cruise ship fraternity.
The photos and projected photos and plans of a marina etc make for an exciting future if they all come to fruition.
This future would make the many years of disruption to our city well worth while.
Whilst congratulating the council in its present form we must not be remiss in recalling that the city development covers many political shades and not just that of a yellow hue.
What I do find curious in the drawing is that there is no mention of a biomass plant right on the waterfront, if that were to take place.
This projected plant adjacent to deep water where any cruise liner would anchor for tender landings would only hinder cruise ship planning.
Link that to the air pollution of the area and which cruise line would wish to participate in that?
The Courier published a brief poll showing we are in favour of this development but I suggest that had many of us been aware of a poll to participate in the result may have been different.
My own opinion is that Dundee City council have attempted to absolve themselves of any responsibility by handing this decision over to MSPs who will no doubt pursue the aim of Alex Salmond to state Scotland will be self-sufficient in fuel demand by 2020 and grant same.
No other city in Scotland has one and both Glasgow and Edinburgh have spurned the same opportunity. Our council should have done likewise.
Continue with the vision of building a marina and Dundee becoming a centre of tourism and the potential additional employment this success would create and actively oppose a plant with 30 full-time employees and a health risk to them and the rest of us.
Biomass versus cruise ships and tourism. They just don’t mix.
David C Metcalf. 1a Bridge Street, Broughty Ferry.
Odd attitude for a manager
Sir, Your story about the British Heart Foundation Dundee shop raises interesting points: if the manager has really been 40 years-plus in management (presumably retail management) she should know the difference between denim and other fabrics, especially when the wearer says it isn’t denim.
Equally, her determination that no one argues with her on her sales floor presumably includes customers, so any punter who mentions that an item offered isn’t what they wanted will also be harangued out of the door.
The manager’s attitude is odd, especially at a time when motivated volunteers are not always easy to find.
ADF Maclean. Clive Street, Dundee.
We can answer any question
Sir, I read with great interest, the article in Thursday’s Courier headed, ATM safety first. All good advice which I will follow, except for the suggestion that if the ATM retains your card, try to stay by the machine and phone your bank. You will almost certainly be standing there for half an hour trying, usually in vain, to get to speak to your actual branch.
It reminds me of the man who tried to do just that. His call was answered by a gentleman in a foreign country who assured the caller that he could answer any question without the need to speak to his branch. So the caller said: “Well, can you tell me if I left my umbrella there yesterday?”
Betty Bowman. West Park Road, Newport-on-Tay.
Blaming the wrong ones
Sir, I was disappointed to read Councillor Craig Melville’s letter berating me for speaking up for the many Broughty Ferry residents who have contacted me about no longer being allowed to take their garden waste to the Baldovie recycling centre.
How refreshing it would have been if he had said that his administration had got it wrong and that he would ask the environment department’s managers to come up with a solution.
Instead he did what the SNP always do when faced with defending unpopular choices they have made, he blamed the UK Government.
Bailie Derek Scott. City Chambers, Dundee.
Wouldn’t dare to criticise . . .
Sir, SNP Councillor Craig Melville tearsstrips off Conservative Councillor Derek Scott for questioning the administration’s cutsprogramme.
Coucillor Melville denounced the budget cuts being imposed on Dundee Council by Chancellor George Osborne.
There is only one problem with this local government finance is a devolved matter.
Any cuts to Dundee’s grant come entirely from Holyrood.
But then, of course, Councillor Melville would not dare to criticise Alex Salmond.
Stewart Whyte. 25 Crombie Acres, Westhill, Aberdeenshire.