February 3: Caird Hall ticket sales reduced to level of an amateur pantomime
- Published in the Courier : 03.02.12
- Published online : 03.02.12 @ 09.13am
Sir, - This morning I tried to book tickets for the lecture by the Dalai Lama at the Caird Hall in June — a rare chance to see a truly great man.
Knowing they would be popular I started ringing early and also tried the online booking service. I rang at great length five times, being repeatedly told I was in a queue, and was simply cut off the first four.
The fifth time I got a message saying telephone bookings were not being taken.
The online service at first said it was down due to planned maintenance — rather daft when tickets were going on sale when there was bound to be high demand.
The message then changed to say that there was a queue due to the number of people trying to book. Tthen, lo and behold, it announced they were sold out and suggested I might like another show.
Perhaps they felt the witless Jimmy Carr might be an appropriate alternative to His Holiness?
A major venue should be capable of dealing with ticket sales without being reduced to an amateur pantomime.
It is especially poor that people who rang and rang, and used the internet, seem to have lost out even though we did all we could to book early.
I emailed to express some disappointment, but no reply, and the administration number was constantly engaged.
Unimpressive on any level.
Matthew Shelley.
Balvaig Cottage,
Strathyre.
This 'proposed' change already in place
Sir, - I read in The Courier about the consultation document from Transport Scotland saying that there may be a loss of the direct Aberdeen to London service.
I travel to Cambridge three times a year and until last summer was able to board a train in Dundee with no changes until Peterborough for Cambridge.
Now I have to change at Edinburgh on the outward and return journey which means I now have to change train twice in order to arrive in Cambridge yet Peterborough is on the direct London line.
The reason I was given was 'timetable changes'. I was told that to get a through train I would have to start my journey at 4pm.
So it seems to me that for the past year anyone travelling past Edinburgh who does not get on in Aberdeen or London has to change train at Edinburgh — therefore this change is not "proposed" but is already taking place.
Frances Wood.
34 Gardner Street,
Dundee.
What an insult to the Muppets
Sir, - In reply to criticism from Alex Salmond, lingerie tycoon Michelle Mone said: "Would love to see these SNP muppets run a business". What an insult to the Muppets!
Clark Cross.
38 Springfield Road,
Linlithgow.
A defeatist attitude
Sir, - Ian Wheeler's letter, "What if things don't work out?" (Courier, January 30) strikes me as slightly sad and defeatist.
If nations throughout the world had adopted the "What if?" option, then our planet would have continued with a very small number of nations milking the rest dry.
Of course there are risks for any nation opting for self-government, but after weighing up the pros and cons there have been few self-respecting countries which have looked 10 or even 50 years ahead and decided against running their own affairs.
Even with the decline of the oil industry, but with the prospect of copious amounts of renewable energy, Scotland is a comparatively rich country, and it will be the responsibility of the Scottish people to ensure that "the Great Idea", as Ian Wheeler puts it, does work.
John Crichton.
6 Northampton Place,
Forfar.
Where is the honour?
Sir, - Am I alone in feeling uneasy about the removal of the knighthood from Fred Goodwin?
On the one hand I do not believe that anyone should receive an honour for doing their job. Honours should go to ordinary people who do extraordinary things. Carers and volunteers; the heartbeat of our society.
This appears not to be the case, however, and we find an endless list of people being honoured in recognition of their professional lives.
On the other hand, how many of us took our money out of the Royal Bank of Scotland, or cashed in RBS shares, when Fred, or Mr, Goodwin was in charge and riding on the supposed crest of a wave?
Probably very few of us. Where is there honour?
Malcolm Rooney.
20 Strathmore Avenue,
Kirriemuir.
Latin delight
Sir, - As a former teacher of Latin I was delighted to read of the popularity of the subject at Kirkcaldy High School (Courier, January 31), where Jennifer Shearer is inspiring her pupils.
The subject is also thriving at Madras College in St Andrews. However, I would not fault Gordon Brown's translation of his school motto ('Usque Conabor'); while the verb 'conari' may be translated as 'to strive', the meaning 'to try' is far more usual.
(Mrs) H. Lawrenson.
51 Bay Road,
Wormit.
That welcome
Sir, - After reading about the Transport Minister's announcement and whistlestop visit to the A9 exhibition in Perth I felt obliged to write.
I think had Mr Keith Brown visited the same exhibition in Birnam he would not have met with such a seemingly rapturous welcome. I would like to see a more balanced approach to reporting in future.
Martina Wolfe.
Birnam.
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