Sir, – As you have reported, there is a proposal before the Forestry Commission to approve the planting of forest on the battlefield of Sheriffmuir, simply for profit.
There have been protests from across the world, including from the Jacobite historians of Russia, who know well this historic site and its importance, not just in Scottish history, but also in the history of Britain.
They remember that the commander of the clans at Sheriffmuir was General Alexander Gordon of Auchintoul, who had returned from military service with Peter the Great, and that both armies included some of the most remarkable men of the age, like George Drummond, later seven times Lord Provost of Edinburgh and the force behind the creation of the New Town.
There was also James Keith, younger brother of the Earl Marischal, who went on from Sheriffmuir to command the armies of Russia, and later became Field Marshal to Frederick the Great. The poems of the greatest of all the Gaelic poets, Alasdair mac Mhaighstir Alasdair, who fought in the battle, and the later stirring poem of Robert Burns are part of the of rich heritage of poetry, song and stories from Sheriffmuir.
The battlefield remains the burial ground for those who died there. Many will also recall that 2017 is the Year of History, Heritage and Archaeology, with events throughout the country and that a principal event will be the exhibition on the Jacobites at the National Museum of Scotland.
All this will bring even more visitors to Scotland and many will come out to the battlefield of Sheriffmuir.
Those who would wish to see this site preserved should contact the Forestry Commission by today by emailing panda.cons@forestry.gsi.gov.uk.
Virginia Wills.
Glentye,
Sheriffmuir.
Unjustified extravagance
Sir, – It is a disgrace the amount quoted for the renovation of Buckingham Palace given these times of austerity and NHS cutbacks.
Millions of people are homeless and elderly folk in particular are frightened to put their heating on because of the cost of gas and electricity.
I am tired of people saying tourism brings lots of money into the economy but what is this spent on? As far as I can see it is not on health services or finding homes for homeless people
I am sure there is plenty unused space in the palace that could house some of these people.
There is obviously money there that is spent on the Government’s pet projects. It seems obvious to me that as long as the Queen and her hangers on are all right, then that is what matters.
Sam Graves.
10 Strathisla Road,
West Ferry.
Laziness killing our high streets
Sir, – I have enjoyed Michael Alexander’s articles on town centres.
The real problem is that we have too many shops and town centres suffer from out-of-date designed shops and poor parking.
Since the never-ending rise in consumer credit came to a sudden halt in the crash, customers now have to live within their means rather than just putting it on the plastic.
Also, around 20% of retail sales in the country are now online, so there are fewer customers on the pavements and less spending in the shops.
Out-of-town shopping centres have unlimited free parking and large shops with easy access.
Town centres have generally less parking which you have to pay for and shops that, in many cases, were originally built for other uses. Some have steps into the shops and narrow entrances.
People are basically lazy and want to park close to where they shop. They do not want to park, and pay and then walk to reach the shops.
Martin Dibley.
56 High Street,
Anstruther.
Debt threat at Christmas
Sir, – This week I had a knock on my door from a representative of a well-known doorstep loan company telling me I qualified for a £200 cash loan repayable weekly over a year.
I quickly refused their services and sent them on their way.
However, when checking with the company to make sure it was a genuine caller, I found out that agents, just before Christmas, target areas where there are large proportions of social housing tenants likely to be on low incomes.
It very much concerns me that people feel under great pressure to buy the latest gadgets and gifts for their relatives and friends and get themselves into debt in the process while forgetting that the most important thing in life this Christmas and every other is the love of family and friends.
Having been in considerable debt previously and managed after a long struggle to get debt free, I would urge people to consider seriously the consequences of taking out a high-interest loan and consider saving with a credit union throughout the year.
Getting into debt for Christmas is simply not worth it. And I feel that these companies offering their services to people on low incomes are being very unfair and encouraging people into a spiral of debt.
Gordon Kennedy.
117 Simpson Square,
Perth.
A spirit of resilience
Sir, – I couldn’t help notice among the usual diet of doom and gloom, you carried articles (December 13) about gin production. One reported the creation of a tea-flavoured gin and the other was that production of gin in Scotland is about to eclipse whisky.
We also have the impending opening of the fabulous new Lindores Abbey Distillery which has an eye on the mushrooming gin market in Scotland and beyond. I can’t help but think that when the world is in crisis, keep calm and drink gin seems like good advice.
David Cruickshanks.
4 Weavers Crescent,
Kirkcaldy.
Let Brexit reality become clear
Sir, – While the last thing that the majority of people in Scotland want just now is a second independence referendum, even some figures in the SNP argue if there is to be another one it should at least be left for a number of years until after the terms of Brexit deal are known.
Indeed, Alex Neil suggests another referendum should not happen until after the 2020 General Election.
Such thoughts are brushed away by the current SNP hierarchy, because the whole point of seeking to engineer a referendum off the back of the Brexit result is to base this on the simplest of assertions, depending on faith rather than facts.
This case suggests that anything the UK proposes must be bad, while leaving the UK will ensure a route to EU membership, no matter if, when and at what cost that might be.
The last thing the SNP leadership wants is for the people of Scotland to reflect on the eventual reality of Brexit.
Keith Howell.
White Moss,
West Linton.
Scotland is subsidised
Sir, – A number of correspondents have declared that Scotland’s funding is being held back by the parsimonious attitude of Westminster or that we are only getting some of our own money back.
Nothing could be further from the truth. Last year we got 19% more per head of population than did England.
This is an aspect of independence which the SNP does not wish to consider or discuss.
AA Bullions.
6 Glencairn Crescent,
Leven.