YOUR article (“Museums crisis as Glasgow Life faces £38m black hole”, July 27), concerning the funding crisis faced by Glasgow Life, rightly focuses upon the activities of the major museums and professional musical organisations.
However you make no mention of the contribution made by amateur groups, and the real harm that this pandemic has caused to both their members and to the cultural life of Glasgow.
Choirs and orchestras hire halls and rehearsal spaces, employ staff such as conductors and accompanists, and hire venues to give public performances.
All these fees are no longer available to these people and as such is a major contribution to the problem. It is imperative for all concerned that, subject of course to keeping all as as safe as possible, we get these groups back rehearsing and supporting the wonderful life of our city in as safe a manner as possible
Dr. Crispin Best,
Committee member, The Bearsden Choir,
Bearsden.
Forever amber
IAN Harrison’s letter on Monday (“Pollution pitfalls”) picks up on many realistic issues relating to some of Glasgow City Council’s post-pandemic proposals for city traffic.
You published a letter of mine last year relating to my stop-start experience travelling on a westbound bus along Waterloo Street in Glasgow.
I now realise that I have had a similar experience when driving up Hope Street towards Bath Street. Hope Street is a very busy bus route further complicated by bus stops on the hill.
It comes as no surprise to me that it is one of the most polluted streets in the city.
The question in my letter was, why are traffic lights not sequenced to reduce stop-start problems and hence reduce pollution? Being an up incline at the section of Hope Street in question is an even more obvious case for specifically sequenced traffic lights to reduce unnecessary pollution. The positioning of bus-stops on the hill also contributes to the problem.
Glasgow is a city of hills, relating to the geological history of the area stretching from the West End to the East End, but the short stretch of Hope Street leading up to Bath Street is possible the most obvious one with clear scope for improvement.
Duncan Miller,
Lenzie.
Costa or Covid?
WHAT is the great British (and Scottish) public’s priority? Recovery from the Covid nightmare, or holidays on the Costa? They were well warned. I despair!
Robert Love,
Glasgow.
Affluence of incohol
WITH mixologists in the bad books, (“Tears for Beers”, July 25; “Ill-mannered barmaid”, letters, July 28), it’s perhaps timely to lighten the mood and attest their ministrations with:
“Starkle, starkle, little
twink. Who the hell you are, I think.
“I’m not under the affluence of incohol. Though some thinkle pepe I am”.
For many years I have attributed this to the American cartoonist, writer, and celebrated wit, James Thurber (1894 - 1961), but have been unable to verify this on Google, which credits various versions to the mysterious “Anon”.
R Russell Smith, Kilbirnie.
RAB McNeill has my sympathies for the indifferent service he received in the pub. For me, that first pint with friends on a relatively nice summer’s day was fantastic.
It’s one of life’s simpler pleasures but I have missed it so much.
J Stark, Glasgow.
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