CATRIONA Stewart ("The world of work must change to suit employees", The Herald, June 2) writes enthusiastically in favour of a four-day working week. She states: "Surely people having more leisure time will lead to an increased spending in restaurants and coffee shops."
I suppose that with an extra free day, then some people might spend more time in restaurants and coffee shops, but I would be surprised if they spent much more money, given that an awful lot of people complain about struggling to make ends meet. Personally, I resent the implication that I was put on this earth simply to enrich the proprietors of coffee shops and restaurants.
During this lockdown period, I have experienced working from home, and have been pleasantly surprised, although I would not wish to do it on a permanent basis. However, my enthusiasm might reduce if local authority finance officials were to stroke their chins, and think "Working from home, eh ... I wonder if we could impose business rates on top of council tax?"
Christopher W Ide, Waterfoot.
Heated argument
THANK you to George Webb ("Holyrood energy plans could hit rural homeowners", Agenda, The Herald, June 2) for highlighting yet another increased cost for Scotland’s off-grid homes if the Scottish Government goes ahead with a mandatory C rating Energy Performance Certificate before a sale is allowed.
It has not got anywhere with persuading the UK Government through Ofgem to remove the electricity surcharge levied on the north-western half of Scotland (including the cities of Dundee and Aberdeen). Will it be able to persuade the UK Government to change the EPC calculation formula so that rural homes are not penalised?
It seems that a lot more administrative “energy” needs to be applied.
R J Ardern, Inverness.
In percentage terms
THERE is something clearly missing in David Miller's understanding of percentages and polls (Letters, June 3) – he's adding percentages that cannot be added together.
Let me help:
If a poll of 100 respondents showed 71 believing there was a breach of lockdown and 59 believing Cummings should be sacked, that means 29 believed there was no breach and 41 believed he should not be dismissed, therefore 12 of the 71 who believed there was a breach nonetheless did not believe he should be dismissed, leaving 59 who did.
If this is still not clear to Mr Miller, perhaps he should revisit Venn diagrams, assuming his school covered them.
Peter Curran, Kirkliston.
The wrong fight
HATS off to Mark Boyle (Letters, June 3). Whilst I appreciate that the LGBTQ+ community has many battles to fight (and good luck to it), protesting about the rainbow for the NHS seems petty at this time of crisis. Perhaps "keeping their powder dry" would have been a far wiser option.
Cathy Baird, Dunipace.
Head up, Hamish
GOOD to see that Hamish has resisted all former blandishments to isolate himself (Boz Crossword, The Herald, June 2) There is nothing for him to feel "shamed" about.
Thelma Edwards, Kelso.
Buddy beautiful
BRIAN Beacom ("Freedom from corona jail could be too much for some", The Herald, June 3) notes: "We are 'advised, not to travel further than Paisley." Quite why anyone in their right mind would ever consider it necessary or desirable to travel anywhere other than Paisley is well beyond me.
Alastair Patrick, Paisley.
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