Letters: Different law applies for giant supermarket chains

They quickly overcame the supposed restrictions on multi-pack buying by reducing the price of individual packs and bottles. Asda, clearly not happy with the restrictions on the areas for displaying alcohol, applied to have this extended and, of course, was allowed to change the rules. This will clearly open the floodgates for the other big stores.

Then, as you reported (News, August 11), Tesco won its appeal against the punishment it was given for failing a test purchase on a technicality, this being a 16-year-old being referred to as a child instead of a young person.

What an absolute farce. The fact remains they broke the law and should, like any small shop or public house would have to, face the penalty. To add insult to injury, Midlothian Licensing Board, which, from my experience, is more than fair to licensees in the area, is to pick up the tab for the legal expenses.

Is it not time that the supermarkets were stripped of some of their power and made to adhere to the law like the rest of us? Rest assured, if I were to serve a 16-year-old in my premises, regardless of how they were referred to in the charge, I would have to face the music. Tesco, which is forever promoting itself as a responsible retailer, should hang its head in shame.

Sheila Fraser, Beveridge Close, Dalkeith

Eternal shame of the tram project

There is a well known working adage – “no job is for life”. I take it this does not apply to those involved in the trams project.

Talk about spinning things out. If they continue to move earth about at the Carrick Knowe/Stenhouse interchange (that’s all they are doing, by the way), it must surely turn to dust very soon.

Brian Johnstone, South Gyle

Tartan tat stores should check out

I THINK the tacky tartan shops in the High Street are an insult to Scotland.

There seem to be more and more selling cheap rubbish, but what was more disgusting was a full-sized stuffed lion outside one of said shops, wearing a tartan outfit complete with shoes. Absolutely awful.

I don’t know what the tourists think. Something should be done about this.

For the capital of Scotland it is an embarrassment.

Helen Porter, Edinburgh

Edinburgh must be the winner

PLEASE have the Olympics homecoming celebration in Edinburgh. The Commonwealth Games in Glasgow are irrelevant to the 2012 Olympics, and our top medal winner is from Edinburgh.

A Jack, Edinburgh

Will Scots end up Brown and out?

We have heard it from “the Oracle”.

Gordon Brown says taxes would have to go up in an independent Scotland.

This from the man who invented “stealth” taxes and inflicted more than 50 of them on an unsuspecting nation.

This from the man who promised an end to “boom and bust” and presided over his government’s failure to regulate the banks.

This from the man who dispensed with the 10 per cent band of income tax, thereby increasing the tax burden of every single worker in Britain.

Could it be that what he really means is that independence would cost him his job?

Joseph G Miller, Gardeners Street, Dunfermline Apply yourself, Prime Minister

Commenting on the success of Team GB, David Cameron said: “If you apply yourself enough you can do it”.

He should now apply himself and do the following.

Ditch the Liberals, sort out the economy, unemployment, fuel poverty, immigration, health tourism, foreign criminals, get police back on the streets, stop foreigners milking our welfare and housing, ensure benefits given for only two children and one wife.

That should be enough for the first month.

Scrap the subsidies for wind turbines and use the savings to stimulate our manufacturing and the general economy.

That would be “applying yourself”.

Clark Cross, Springfield Road, Linlithgow