Sir, As a Perth native, it’s with some sadness and puzzlment I read stories about the controversy over the Perth City Hall proposed demolition and now problems with Perth Theatre and its parent body Horsecross Arts.
I’m not an expert, but I wonder if we should now be listening to the “experts”, some of whom may have played a part in creating these situations. However, I would like to know the answers to a few questions.
It is not that I don’t like it, but did Perth really need a new concert hall when it already had a city hall and theatre? How much did the concert hall cost? How often is it used? Did any architectural experts really find City Hall so hideous and in need of immediate demolition in its long years of service before the new building made it redundant? Did anyone ever object to the much-vilified cherubs on top of its portico at that time?
And with regard to Perth Theatre, much tampered-with in the last 50 years. How much did that all cost to rip out its former glory which someone has now decided should be reinstated? At a cost of £14.5 million, I read (whatever happened to austerity?) and a possibly greater cost in terms of closure and jobs. Let’s hope they don’t tear down the City Hall, replace it with another short-lived “space”, then decide to restore it to its former glory at great expense.
Didn’t something similar happen at The Byre Theatre (now closed) in St Andrews? And didn’t the Byre’s chief executive move to Horsecross, and has since left?
I can’t help thinking that there is a pattern here: sinking public money into “improvements” can have disastrous consequences. Some things should be kept as they are, unless there is a good reason to change them.
I read that the refurbished Perth Theatre will be “spun around 180 degrees” and its back will now be its front. How long before an “expert” realises this was all a big mistake? Those of us who know, and love, the Perth Theatre of 50 years ago already know the answer to that one.
Neil Foston. 47 Arbroath Road, Carnoustie.
Fed up waiting reintroduce the dancing
Sir, I am getting fed up waiting for something to be done about Perth’s City Hall.
I met a friend on Saturday who used to enjoy Scottish country dancing there. The floors there are sprung especially for that purpose so why not reinstate country dancing there ?
The library for the disabled and the tourist information point would also be better in this excellent central venue.
I hope these will be seen as constructive suggestions!
Isabel Wardrop. 111 Viewlands Rd West, Perth.
Such remarks don’t help
Sir, I was saddened to read the young mother in the article on the Family Nurse Partnership had such a low opinion of health visitors. Intrigued as well, as being in the partnership she will not have had contact with a health visitor her care will have been provided by midwives and her family nurse. Granted the majority of family nurses are themselves health visitors.
Health visitors offer a universal service to families with a child under school age regardless of the mother’s age or how many children she may have.
Families are encouraged through support and advice to make positive choices in raising their children. Some families may require additional support due to concerns about parenting or lifestyle and we work in partnership with voluntary and statutory agencies to provide this.
The average health visiting caseload is 250 children in comparison to the 25 held by the family nurse and health visitor pay is a grade lower than that of the family nurse.
We are currently experiencing a shortage of health visitors and derogatory remarks will not help recruitment, much less the workload and pay.
Margaret Beaton. Health visitor. Leven.
Heading back to the 1970s
Sir, We now have three senior police officers, all activists in the police union (the police federation), who are increasingly being shown to be guilty of a form of perjury in their activities relative to the Andrew Mitchell affair.
It is apparent that their actions were a deliberate attempt to smear and ruin a politician whose party’s views the police federation actively disagreed with.
Then we have the issues at Grangemouth linked to the reported Unite activities to ensure a Unite nominee is elected in Falkirk.
It would seem that we are again approaching a point where the role of unions in society is being usurped to an extent where union priority is no longer the genuine welfare of ordinary workers.
We are heading for a situation last seen in the 1970s when the thoughtless aggression and autocracy of union bosses proved to be the trigger for the future privatisation of nationalised industry and the ultimate demise of such industries in Scotland.
Care should be exercised in society to ensure no repeat of the union chicanery that we have recently witnessed.
Derek Farmer. Knightsward Farm, Anstruther.
Must consider all the facts
Sir, Gordon Drummond (letters, Courier November 1) speculates that something akin to family loyalty could determine which way some people vote in the independence referendum.
Surely not very many. I hope thinking people will determine the issue by listening to the arguments, weighing up the verifiable facts then vote according to what they then see as being in Scotland’s best interests.
The decision has to be a hard-headed one; not one determined by idealism, romance or indeed family loyalty.
R A Wallace. Standalane, Kincardine.