Letters: Council should sweeten the Festival deal for residents

The city is always mobbed, and in certain areas locals are unable to go about their business without being stopped by tourists walking at a snail’s pace and then changing direction without a care for anyone else.

And it always seems to be wet and muggy weather.

I know people will say it raises the Capital’s profile and brings in bucketloads of tourist revenue.

That’s fine for hotels, restaurants, bars and shops, and taxi drivers and others who can make a profit from the tourist trade – but what do the rest of us get out of it?

Well, I think that in exchange for giving up our home to the world every August, Edinburgh council tax payers should be given free tickets to shows.

In fact, it would be better still to add free tickets for the Hogmanay bash.

Then it would feel less like someone had come into your house to throw a party you weren’t invited to.

A Barker, Albion Road, Edinburgh

Nationalists just want to be equal

DONALD Jack (Letters, August 21) refers to the period from 1939 to 1945 when Commonwealth countries came to Britain’s aid.

During the Great War these countries were referred to as colonials from the empire. They had dominion status but were not independent.

By the Second World War, they were sovereign state nations equal with the UK but Scotland was just a region in the UK with not even dominion status.

We nationalists just want equality with England.

And that’s how it should be.

Colin Smail, Viewforth Gardens, Edinburgh

Cyclists must have handle on safety

Like the majority of the population I am pleased that the successes, particularly from the cyclists during the Olympics, may prove a lasting inspiration to many.

I do, however, hope that those who now take up cycling and those who have been cyclists for many years prepare well for the road not only wearing the proper protective apparel but also ensuring their cycles are fitted with front and back lights, particularly as we are approaching the autumn.

Tom Gray, Leith

Salmond is full of hot air over wind

Are there no depths to which Alex Salmond will not sink so that he can strut the world stage with cries of “I have the best renewable targets in the world and I have saved the planet”?

SNP ministers are planning to undermine community opposition to wind farms by having teachers tell schoolchildren that turbines benefit the environment.

They also want renewable power companies and their propaganda machine, Scottish Renewables, to embark on a public relations exercise. This smacks of indoctrination.

Clark Cross, Springfield Road, Linlithgow