Letters: It's right to make a song and dance about Jazz Fest

In the last two years it has not been possible to present our Jazz On A Summer's Day event at the Ross Theatre in Princes Street Gardens.

Last year it was a Festival Fringe venue and this year we have been unable to cover the costs.

We have continued with the Mardi Gras at the Grassmarket and last Saturday approximately 10,000 people enjoyed the great free event, and on Sunday we had free jazz again in the Grassmarket attended by an estimated 2500 to 3000 people.

The Grassmarket streetscape and street furniture has been upgraded to allow for the open air venue to be used all the year round.

This has reduced the space available to us, but the quality of the musicians and production is as high as before.

We also have again this year our free gospel concert at Saint Cuthbert's Church on Sunday July 31 at 6pm, thanks to the generosity of Sir Tom Farmer.

The question of the Ross Theatre and Princes Street Gardens' future is the responsibility of Edinburgh City Council and not the Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival, but we would be delighted if it was available to us in the future, and we are able to bring back Jazz On A Summer's Day.

This year our Festival programme includes 90 performances at 11 venues -the biggest jazz event in the UK.

Not bad for a wee city like Edinburgh.

Brian Fallon, chair, Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival

People have the wrong priorities

PEOPLE seem to have more sympathy and emotional trauma about the death of a drink and drug-using pop singer than the horrific events in Norway, where 76 youngsters were massacred. Has the world gone mad? Have people no sense of values or priorities?

A shrine of flowers to a nation in mourning is right and proper. To a self-destructive pop singer it is ludicrous.

Sylvia M DeLuca, Baberton Park, Juniper Green, Edinburgh

Negativity from Labour for polls

AS an SNP member I am used to the cut and thrust of political campaigning, but the latest Labour leaflet for the forthcoming council by-election in Edinburgh Central surely goes beyond the pale.

Its claim that the by-election is due to 'the controversial resignation of an SNP councillor who has fled the country' is not just misleading but downright offensive. The truth is that former councillor David Beckett was awarded a scholarship at America's prestigious Harvard University, an opportunity too good to turn down.Has Labour learned nothing from the results of its negative campaigning, which has left it with a skeleton presence in the Lothians after the recent Holyrood elections?

Gavin Fleming, Grassmarket, Edinburgh

Neglectful man should be banned

I WAS disgusted to read that there had been a decision to return two ponies and a donkey to a former circus employee who was convicted of neglect (News, July 26).

Julian Morrison, 68, who owns a steading at Gorebridge, had four Shetland ponies and a donkey removed from his stables after these poor animals were found living in unfit conditions. Two ponies sadly had to be put down.

It is grossly wrong that Mr Morrison was told the remaining animals could be returned to him. He should never be allowed to keep another animal in his lifetime.

June Fleming, Hercus Loan, Musselburgh

Booking place for the big wedding

THE wedding of Zara Phillips and Mike Tindall will be an opportunity for us Scots to see the Royal Family, especially the new Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. I for one am heading there on Saturday morning, early.

Angela Downie, Marlborough Street, Portobello