THE BBC has stirred a hornets' nest with its decision to reverse the manifesto pledge and abandon free television licences for the over-75s ("400,000 back call to keep free TV licences for over-75s", The Herald, June 13, and Letters, June 12 & 13).
It leaves me wondering how many more promises to the pensioners will be broken to help pay for the tax cuts promised by Boris Johnson.
But I digress. These days there are so many ways to watch televisual content accessed via multiple providers, perhaps the time has come for the licence fee to be abolished.
The BBC can’t possibly be in a position to enforce payment across the board, whilst those of us with a registered domestic television set are required by law to fork out for some of the poor content coming over its airwaves.
Francis Deigman, Erskine.
Beechgrove lament
A DISGRACEFUL affair is unfolding ("Angry viewers protest after BBC prunes The Beechgrove Garden" The Herald, June 13) and Letters, The Herald, June 11 & 13) concerning the above gardening programme. Its return in April heralded continuation despite the retirement of Jim McColl but the subsequent offerings I found somewhat poor and, quite frankly, almost half-hearted all of this, and more, highlighted by Stewart Campbell (June 13).
The dropping of the word "Garden" was obviously a portent of what was to come. I felt sorry for Carole Baxter having to finish off, apologetically, lamely stating they would return in late July. My immediate reaction and the body language evident of the other presenters was in all likelihood good-bye and thank you for watching over the years.
John Macnab, Falkirk.
Bring back Chad
RECENT references to Kilroy (Letters, June 6, 10 & 12) remind me that he was often accompanied by his friend Chad. Chad is the funny little man with the long drooping nose who peered over walls on which was written such legends as "Wot no bananas?", thus reflecting such wartime shortages. If he were here today he would please some with "Wot no Brexit?" or others with "Wot no IndyRef 2?". However, I hear he is currently in Mexico peering over the wall into the United States having written messages such as "Wot no immigrants?" and "Wot no Climate Change?".
I've sent him an urgent message saying we need him back in Scotland to proclaim "Wot no Beechgrove Garden?".
Jim Sheehan,
Bridge of Allan.
No ladies…
WITH reference to Rachel Martin's comments on toiler door graffiti (Letters, June 13), in Beith there was a metal fabrication works where the ladies and gents toilets were painted gloss black to try and stop graffiti. This preventative action unfortunately coincided with the introduction of Tipp-Ex, so the comments stood out even more than before. Being a plumber I had access to both male and female establishments and noted that the ladies had far more adventurous comments than the gents.
George Dale, Beith.
Mair the merrier
RE the recent correspondence on shop slogans: the family name provided a neat slogan for a business in Buckie – "Eat Mair Fish".
Jimmie Macgregor, Glasgow G20.
LOOSELY based on your letters re shop/business slogans, I liked the one displayed by a garage in Kilsyth – "Free air and water -- while stocks last".
Derek B Petrie, Milngavie.
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