Zoo is hard to bear

IT is difficult to understand the logic of some of the decisions undertaken by Edinburgh Zoo. Whilst they have decided not to house elephants on the grounds that it is cruel to restrict such a wild beast to the confines of a city zoo, they are contemplating housing more polar bears, animals with the same instinct to roam.

It seems they have learned nothing from the neurotic behaviour of Mercedes, the zoo's one remaining polar bear.

G Anderson, Elliothill Street, Dunfermline

No smoke without ire

I GAVE up cigarettes several years ago through my own choice and desire. However, I have recently returned to smoking in its most virulent anti-social forms, ie a pipe and cigars, as an antidote to the politically correct, namby-pamby cabals of MSPs and bottled-water-drinking, mobile-phone-using, cycling lycra louts that now appear to permeate every corner and crevice of our society.

N Nisbet, Moat House, Edinburgh

Let life return to town

FOR heaven's sake, would those professionals, sitting at their desks 'driving' matchbox cars along paper roads, get out and see what a pig's ear they've made of Edinburgh's road system! Swallow your pride, open up closed roads, let traffic flow and give us back our city. Methinks the latest U-turn has more to do with parking revenues going down, rather than any thought for the rest of us. But at least it's a start. So go on, ditch the other idiotic ideas and let life return to Edinburgh.

Patricia Duncan, Learmonth Gardens, Edinburgh

Get us back to normal

I AM in total agreement with Roddy Martine's article ("I'm selling up to escape the Idi-ots killing our city centre", News, October 13). The place is total chaos. But on seeing Edinburgh's disgrace, the Scottish Parliament, nothing surprises me. Now I waken up every morning wondering which route I am going to take to work. Give Edinburgh back it's normality!

M Anderson, Elliot Street, Edinburgh

Don't freeze them out

THE ice-cream vans on Princes Street ("Vendors slam city chief 'snobs'", News, October 14) are important to children all year round, and I am sure are remembered with affection by youngsters around the world. Our city is a place to be lived in, and enjoyed for all it offers - its historic buildings, its art galleries and its ice-cream vans. The owners of these vans have served this city well for a very long time, and should be left to continue doing so in the future. Ask the kids.

Ian Finlayson, Montpelier Terrace, Edinburgh