Thriving pawn shops show hard times are back

Published on Friday 10 October 2008 10:26

WE should have seen the financial crisis coming. It's been nearly 50 years since the demise of the old pawn shops as we once knew them, but now I've noticed; they're back with a vengeance.

No longer are they the wee premises hidden up some tenement close, that you sneaked into on a Monday morning with the old man's suit, ashamed of letting your neighbours know of your financial difficulties.

Now they are dressed up to look like fashionable jewellers and others look like general goods stores selling everything from electrical goods to mobile phones.

We also have the return of the nickel and dime stores made famous by the Woolworth family in the 1920s/30s. The present day equivalents are Poundstrecher, Poundland and Wilkinson. There are also a number of outlets that cater for people unable to cash a cheque at a bank so they go there, but are charged a handsome commission for the service.

A sure sign of hard times indeed. Is the old song of the 1929 depression "Buddy can you spare a dime" about to be in the Top Ten pop charts? Are we about to witness bungee jumping without the rope from Centre Point in London or other skyscrapers?

Frank Ferri, Newhaven Main Street, Edinburgh

Money is being put before children

I WOULD like to raise my concerns about the proposed closure of Westburn Primary (News, October 4).

Edinburgh City Council has provided the parents with incorrect information in the consultation paper. I have attended both public consultation meetings and have been disgusted by the responses of Gillian Tee, Councillor Marilyne MacLaren and their colleagues.

They have not put the best interests of the children first whatsoever, the crux of their argument is money.

They plan to bulldoze a school which has had 700,000 spent on it recently to upgrade it. The school is considered by the council to be of satisfactory condition, yet they expect us to send our children to Sighthill and Murrayburn which they rank as poor.

They also argue that attainment is a key reason behind the planned closure. They fail to pick up on the fact that they are not analysing the full picture in regard to attainment. Attainment is only reported for primaries three, four, six and seven. They have taken no heed of the great achievements of the children in the other years, many of them attained higher levels than those stipulated in national guidelines.

I urge any parents, residents of the area or pupils affiliated with Westburn to make their views heard by writing to Gillian Tee, Director of Children & Families) or by sending an email to [e-mail]

Lisa Law, concerned parent, Sighthill Crescent, Edinburgh

One project at a time makes sense

LEITH Links residents want to add their voices to the general dismay over the ill conceived roadworks which are resulting in resulting in general mayhem.

Our community is being badly hit by a combination of tramworks, utilities renewal and what appears to be random road repairs. The pavements are dangerous, access to shops is practically impossible and as for driving anywhere –forget it!

Why can't we have some joined-up planning? There can be no reasonable explanation for the dreadful state of Leith and the rest of Edinburgh. So please, finish one project before starting the next.

Linda Tarbuck, Chair, Leith Links Residents' Association

It's not too late to backtrack on trams

GARY SMITH is quite correct in saying (Letters, October 3) that Edinburgh voters are to blame for their failure to object in advance against the proposals to inflict trams once again upon their city.

Now the full horror of the scheme is becoming apparent to all of us. Day by day roads in the central area are closed to buses and cars, while the trade of business in the area languishes.

It is time to reflect once more upon the appalling damage which is being inflicted on us for the gratification of self-important councillors.

It is not too late to cancel the whole project. The compensation which would be payable to contractors hoping to profit from the scheme would be considerably less than the 500 million which it would cost to proceed further.

Patrick Simpson, St Bernard's Crescent, Edinburgh

Streets ahead after a German lesson

SPELLING Hanover (Street) with an extra 'n' may be a gaffe in Edinburgh terms (Trams fail spelling test, October 8), but it's what 80 million Germans, including Hannover-born ex-Chancellor Gerhard Schrder, do all the time! Maybe there is a secret linguist working for TIE?

Harry D Watson, Braehead Grove, Edinburgh

Staggering buses is best way ahead

WHEN I had to walk from the Commonwealth Pool to Minto Street to get a bus I did nothing but moan. Now I get fit walking, plus I can get off the bus for a bit of shopping at Cameron Toll Shopping Centre then go for a good selection of buses.

Before, I didn't go to the centre because I had to rely on the pathetic 42 or the 21. Why doesn't the bus firm stagger the 30, 14 and 2?

Eileen Gibson, Niddrie Marischal Gardens, Edinburgh