Letters: Tat's enough ... junk from stores is getting in the way

Most people who have been abroad have seen the types of shops in most tourist areas, and they are varied except in Edinburgh, which seems to be trying to get a monopoly on the cheapest type of tat that it can get.

There are normally jewellery shops and stores selling a mixture of low and higher quality goods. So why is our city being promoted to sell what can only be classed as junk?

The story goes on to tell us how many of these shops have appeared on the Royal Mile, and I am quite sure most people could not care less what they are selling from their premises as long as they can walk up and down the street unhindered.

It is the continual use of the pavements as an extension to the shop's interior that seems to anger most people.

Sometimes residents and tourists are having to walk on to the road to bypass the amounts of junk being placed out on the pavements, and it would appear that our council has shown little or no control or is unwilling to tell these shopkeepers that they rented the shop to sell their goods and not the pavements of our city.

If shops on the Royal Mile are allowed to put their goods out on the pavements, why are shops on Princes Street, the Bridges and Leith Walk not allowed to do the same?

Has our council given up on keeping these narrow pavements clear so that pedestrians can walk on them without having to weave and dodge some of these goods and A-boards?

It may be that there is an overkill of these types of shops on the Royal Mile, and if there is they will not last long. But is it not time for our council to start telling these shopkeepers that the pavements are there to be used by the pedestrians?

Andrew Murphy, Royal Mile, Edinburgh

Wild about the art display at Garden

I WOULD like to thank whoever was responsible for the wild animal pictures recently on show at the St Andrew Square Garden.

The Garden is a real success and obviously gives people much pleasure. My wife and I often have coffee there and the pictures were a bonus. Look forward to further exhibitions.

Norman Ross, Edinburgh

Government is being vindictive

WHILST welcoming the ConDem decision to scrap the ID card scheme, what about the plight of the 15,000 misguided early adopters who parted with 30 for cards now to be invalidated without refund?

It would cost little or nothing for these cards to run to the end of their original validity and the government is being pettily vindictive in not allowing this.

John Hein, Liberal Party National Executive, Montgomery Street, Edinburgh

Thanks for help during marathon

I WOULD like to express my sincere gratitude to the residents of Edinburgh who live along the route of Sunday's marathon and came out in force with sweets, hoses and buckets of water to help us runners.

It really makes a huge difference. Without them, I think many of us would have taken much longer to finish the race and possibly would not have finished at all.

Thank you and please be there in future years when the weather is hot again, you truly are appreciated.

Dr David McKechan, Weymouth, Dorset

Dickensian act in the 21st century

I WONDER what your other readers think about the treatment of the two boys who were recently convicted of attempted rape.

I personally think it was a trial more suited to a Dickensian court room than one of the 21st century.

These children have also been put on the sex offenders register ... unbelievable that we have witnessed this in our time.

Elaine Pomeransky, Restalrig Gardens, Edinburgh