Leaders should not rush to bridge the gap over Forth

He is absolutely correct. The Forth Replacement Crossing is a "replacement" when we do not yet have the proof that the existing bridge needs to be quickly "replaced".

When a member of the FRC team has in effect conceded to me that heavy vehicle restrictions may not be needed until after 2017, it is obvious that the prudent course of action by the Scottish Government is to delay signing any more contracts for this flawed project (including the M9 junction 1a upgrade) until we have that proof one way or another.

The next cable drying progress inspection ought to be done this summer. If that indicated several more years are available in which to re-examine cheaper and much better strategic transport alternatives, then the whole Scottish budget would benefit.

If not, then, at worst, measures such as a subsidised hovercraft and controlled convoys of heavy vehicles for one year at most would be a small price to pay for checking that we were not wasting 1.5 billion of capital spending budgets over the next few years.

This Transport Scotland juggernaut is out of control with an apparently unstoppable momentum. For the sake of a few months' potential delay the alternative of strengthening the existing bridge cables should be re-examined.

Tenders are in for the main bridge contract. Keith Brown should sit on them for a while.

John Duncan, Rose Street North Lane, Edinburgh

I ironed Cliff Richard's shirt!

I was very interested in your article on John Cole's long service at The Carlton Hotel (News, January 29).

I remember John very well as I started at The Carlton in 1958 as curtain seamstress. When Scottish Highlands bought over the hotel and incorporated Patrick Thomson's store to give us a 200-bedroom hotel, we then had on-site laundry facilities, when I became head linen keeper until I retired in 1998.

I too met some celebrities, Billy Connolly for one. I also had the pleasure of ironing Cliff Richard's shirt for his show that evening!

Margaret Wales, Heriothill Terrace, Edinburgh Room to help tourism firms

Since tourism is one of Edinburgh's main industries perhaps it is only fair that those who operate small businesses, whether guest houses, pubs or shops, should be given some form of assistance in a financial sense.

How this is done is open to debate, but perhaps something along the lines of reduced council tax might alleviate some of the financial strain that small businesses must experience.

Edinburgh is, after all, renowned for providing a unique and original tourist experience, but if things like globalisation and the giant hotel/supermarket chains are allowed to dominate, the demise of the small time operator might not be too far away.

Angus McGregor, Albion Road, Edinburgh

TV teams funding to be applauded

The announcement by Skills Minister Angela Constance that the Scottish Government is to commit 500,000 to nurture the television drama production teams of the future is a real vote of confidence in Scotland's creative industries.

The ambition of Creative Scotland to increase turnover from the creative industries by 100 million and to create more than 1500 jobs over the next three years is potentially the tip of a much larger iceberg.

The most recent analysis predicts that employment in the wider creative and cultural sector could expand by 40 per cent over the next seven years, generating as many as 18,000 jobs.

The public funding committed this week will be hugely helpful in nurturing new talent and building up the sector, while delivering knock-on benefits for the wider economy.

Jacqui Hepburn, director, Alliance of Sector Skills Councils in Scotland, Castle Street, Edinburgh