Interactive: Green spaces in the Capital are not for Fringe's benefit

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Evening News, 108 Holyrood Road, Edinburgh, EH8 8AS

IN JOHN Gibson's column, he hit the nail on the head when he asked if sticking a tent over the Ross Bandstand in Princes Street Gardens would be for commercial gain (News, 14 April). It cannot be called anything else but commercial if people are being charged money to go in to it.

The previous council did exactly the same thing. They stuck a tent up in the Gardens and told us it was a good idea. It looked awful and it was in the wrong location. It sat there like a beached whale and did nothing for Edinburgh and its reputation until it was removed.

It now looks like the current council is going to make the same mistakes.

No wonder the Friends of the Meadows get so wound up by the Fringe, which seems to be encroaching on every green space that we have.

Our parks and green space were never created for business people to come and use for commercial venture or gain.

Most Edinburgh people couldn't give a damn about the Fringe, which is expanding to the point where it is starting to affect the way of life in this city.

Andrew Murphy, Royal Mile, Edinburgh

Refrain in Spain sounds the same

LIKE most folks who walk the city streets on a regular basis, I have mixed feelings about the beggars – somewhere between pity and sheer "scunner"!

However, many of us certainly rated one exception – the old (Romanian?) granny with the head scarf who played the accordion near Waverley Bridge all winter. She always smiled, played well and kind of cheered you up.

Last week my wife and I were walking in downtown Malaga and there she was – same head scarf, same coat! I went up to her and said "Edinburgo" and she beamed, nodded and replied: "Edinburgo, si!"' The "globalisation" of begging and busking?

While we were there we had a ride on the new Seville tram – and guess what, it was super. It really complemented the beautiful historic streets.

So cheer up Edinburgh, now you're part of the expanding global begging/busking business and to top it all, you'll soon have a quality modern tram to brighten up your streets.

David Wood, Back Station Road, Linlithgow, West Lothian

Blame the litter louts, not foxes

I READ with interest your article on foxes digging up bones in Edinburgh graveyards (News, 13 April). Instead of inciting intolerance towards wildlife (and animals in general) you should be targeting the real villains of the realm, namely the litter louts and fast food establishments which encourage scavenging (not always by foxes).

Foxes are becoming more common in cities because of all the rubbish which we the human population leave lying around.

Jennifer Robertson, Norman Rise, Dedridge, Livingston

Derogation's what we need for fuel

WITH fuel prices going through the roof, we are in the rather bizarre position of having a Labour Chancellor supporting lower fuel taxes for other countries in the European Union, but not here in Scotland.

Corsica, for example, enjoys a derogation in which it pays lower fuel taxes than France, a situation agreed to by Mr Darling.

So, while Mr Darling is happy to give his backing to lower fuel prices for Corsicans, he is unwilling to do the same for rural Scotland, where a car is a necessity not a luxury, and motorists often have to pay between 10p and 15p more per litre of petrol than those in other parts of the country.

Alex Orr, Bryson Road, Edinburgh

Do decent thing with wallet, please

I HOPE the scumbag (you know who you are) who stole my red leather wallet from my shopping bag on Saturday enjoyed spending my pension.

You obviously don't have a conscience, but if you have an ounce of decency in you at least return my wallet as it has items of sentimental value in it – the most important being a picture of my late father.

Hand it in to the police or return it to the location where you stole it. Thanks!

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