Fair city claim

I LIKED Peter Ross's excellent article on the city of Perth (Insight, 17 January).

However, I'm not sure Perth lost its city status in 1975 – that was only the date that the town councils of large and small burghs were abolished. Perth was a "large burgh". By common consent, and as cited in books for centuries, the following are cities: Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Dundee, Kirkwall, Elgin, Brechin, Perth, Dunblane, St Andrews and Dunfermline. Plus Inverness and Stirling, the more recent additions.

So there is no need for Perth to apply to be a city – it already is one.

Ron Smith, Linlithgow