Sir, – I was quite surprised to read about the decision to grant planning permission for a new cafe at Cruden Bay. I expect that councils will more often go with ventures that can bring new capital to the area, but hopefully only when there is sound reasoning accompanying the application.
Unfortunately, according to independent researchers at Climate Central, at least part of Harbour Street in Cruden Bay will be under water come 2030 – given the current efforts against climate change I would be planning for the worst.
The potential flooding can be delayed in some measure by human intervention, but I’m not sure artificial sand banks, for example, would cut it in this instance.
While I don’t have any real preference over a new cafe, I am surprised at the (clearly contentious) decision to damage a picturesque view for what looks likely to be only short-term gain.
Nelson Mundell, Mount Florida, Glasgow.
Crying in our beer while eating pizza
Sir, – The Sunday Times 100 fastest-growing private companies list shows that Scotland has only two, both in Edinburgh.
They are Ooni, a pizza oven maker at no 10, and Beer 52, craft beer subscriptions at no 69. Nicola Sturgeon should include a study of this information to support her claim that Scotland would be more prosperous after separation from the UK.
While we have many excellent companies, only 2% of the fastest-growing ones are in Scotland.
Sandy Neish, Cobbans Lane, Inverurie.
Pious green hopes won’t keep lights on
Sir, – Jeff Rogers in his attack on me makes it crystal clear that he does not want fracking for shale gas in the UK.
The Ukraine-Russia war could go on for years and the UK needs energy security – it has 1,300 trillion cubic feet of shale gas reserves and only 10% of this would meet demand for 40 years.
China has announced a giant shale gas discovery in the south-western Sichuan basin. Recent headlines for Mr Rogers to ponder are “Berlin fires up coal to cut reliance on Russian gas”, “India prioritises energy production over climate policies and will reopen nearly 200 mines”, “Germany to bring coal power stations out of retirement”.
And note the following Mr Rogers – “China will buy gas from Russia for the next 30 years”, and “Russia will supply India with 40 million tonnes of coal and China with 100 million tonnes”.
Sorry Mr Rogers but net-zero and climate change have been pushed aside and coal, fracking and fossil fuels will keep the lights on – not wind and sun and green pious hopes.
Clark Cross, Springfield Road, Linlithgow.
Spend the £20m on road improvements
Sir, – On June 30 at 1.30pm I drove along the A96 corridor from Forres which was reasonable traffic-wise. I got to the outskirts of Nairn and it was wall-to-wall traffic. It took some time to get to the excuse of a roundabout to take the turning down to the links.
This gave me time to think about the poor people that live along the A96 route through the town. The air quality must be bad, the noise all-encroaching, indeed not a nice area to live but what can they do about it? You would think that this situation would be an ideal project for the Greens (aka SNP2) to tackle.
They don’t like vehicles so they could close the road. Hurrah shout the residents, stop scream the road users, where can we go? Ah say the Greens, we will route you around Nairn on the small roads which of course brings an outpouring of rage from all the road users. I hate to admit the SNP initially had it right, a bypass would solve all the issues, but in their bid to stay in power they tied up with the Greens.
They, as we all know, prefer trees to people so that was the end of the long-promised road improvements. The grapevine now hints that there is not enough money in the kitty for the SNP’s grand schemes. Well, supporters of the SNP and Greens who live in Nairn, please remember that the £20 million of taxpayers’ money set aside for the ambitious second referendum would have paid for your bypass.
This would improve the quality of life for not just the people who are unfortunate enough to live along that route but with the easier access to beautiful links we would see an increase in people visiting the town which would increase the footfall on the high street with potential benefit for all.
Finlay G Mackintosh, Forres.
Staying or leaving is simple question
Sir, – Nicola Sturgeon hails a “surge in support for independence” based on a Panelbase poll giving a 48% Yes result.
Of course it is now accepted that asking the question as Yes-No gives an advantage to the Yes side which is made to appear more positive.
When the question is asked as Remain in the UK-Leave the UK there is a substantial majority for Remain. If Ms Sturgeon really believes there is a genuine surge in support for a split, she will have no problem agreeing to asking the question in a more neutral way.
Keith Shortreed, Cottown of Gight, Methlick
Dons had their own home-grown stars
Sir, – With Dons manager Jim Goodwin quoted as saying “the club’s search for new talent has now gone global” in an attempt to bring back respectability to a club that has in past years dined at Europe’s highest table, my thoughts returned to the photo of the great Aberdeen side of 1955 portrayed in the Past Times section of The P&J.
The faces of my heroes from teenage years, never forgotten but now refreshed. No foreign stars in the ranks of the league champions, the furthest from his roots being flying left winger Jackie Hather, tempted to Pittodrie from the coal mines of Durham.
Returning to the photo, there in the front row between the rugged features of Alex Young and the maestro George Hamilton sits my idol Harry Yorston, a local lad growing up a stone’s throw from the ground, and now according to the knowledgeable voices beneath the bunnets making their way down Merkland Road on Saturday afternoon, he could be better than Gentleman George.
Surely not that good, I thought in disbelief. But to my mind he was, his partnership on the right wing with another home-grown sensation, Graham Leggat terrorising opposition defences.
Ivan W Reid, Kirkburn, Laurencekirk.
Give trams a return ticket
Sir, – I have been for the arguments about Union Street for some time now. Mostly all opponents seem to be missing the point.
What is wrong with a light railway system or tramway being built in a circular route from Union Square bus station and the railway station taking in Union Street, eventually sending out spokes to park and ride nodes around the city?
Of course, the system would need to be electrically driven and cheaper than driving into the city centre and parking, and have no more than a 10-minute wait on any route.
This would greatly reduce pollution, which should be the driving force behind any transport system.
David Bashforth.
Back to the drawing board
Sir, – Further to DW’s letter, yes we have turned from Granite City to Glass City.
If you look at Duncan Rice library building, it looks like a cube awaiting wrapping cellophane to be removed. Marischal Square is full of glass cube buildings.
I am no architect but even I could “draw” one of these cubes. Look opposite you will see great designs on college/ church. These are sadly lacking in new-builds.
Back to the “drawing boards” for new architects.
Michael North, Lang Stracht, Summershill
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