Sir, At a recent excellent seminar on the future of Perth City Hall, organised by Dundee and other Scottish architects, we learned about constructive prospects for Perth City Hall’s revival, as an indoor market, a luxury hotel, or a combination of these with additions for social, cultural and educational functions, as well as substantial permanent job creation.
Because of its very sound, stone-built construction, broadly similar with fine buildings worldwide, architectural experts outwith Perth find Perth and Kinross Council’s plan for demolition and replacement by a roofless square an incomprehensible prospective disaster.
Not only the Fair City centre’s shops, but also its urban social life faces being gravely threatened. Redevelopment of the city hall offers a wonderful opportunity for urban revival, not available from an open square. The gathering earlier this year in front of the Concert Hall to greet
St Johnstone FC’s Scottish Cup triumph demonstrated a cost-free central area for such a public occasion, against the £4 million cost of a civic square, following a protracted demolition, risking devastation of central businesses.
Perth Concert and City Halls’ functions are, of course, complementary, enforced closure of the latter for several years having been a very costly mistake. The architect-chairman, Mr Neil Baxter, proposed a scheme for the P&K Council to put up £1 million, thereby saving £3 million and getting the city hall’s revival resoundingly “back on the road”.
Strangely, although all were invited, not one councillor (or a representative) attended the seminar.
Isabel & Charles Wardrop. 111 Viewlands Road West, Perth.
Make sure they pay
Sir, I sympathise with Derek S Paton in his problems with speeding vehicles along Johnston Avenue, Dundee, but his letter highlights the paradox in speed limit policies all over the UK.
The council has installed 20mph flashing light signs to safeguard the children at the entrance to two schools on the avenue, but Mr Paton complains that many drivers ignore them and drive through at 40mph.
“The authorities have all but given up,” he claims.
On the other hand, he approves strongly of the increasingly widespread imposition of 20mph limits in city centres such as Edinburgh. If prominent flashing signs outside the entrance to two schools do not deter speedsters, how will regular unlit signs improve matters?
In my long experience of driving on British and Continental roads, I have found that drivers who stick strictly to the speed limits are the exception rather than the rule.
Speed bumps, narrowed roads, pavement build-outs, and 20mph limit signs do not deter speedsters. What does deter them is simply being caught and punished. For instance, when a marked police car appears on a motorway, I suddenly find that all vehicles around me slow down to my cruise-control speed of 70mph. The reason is obvious.
The solution to speeding is not to penalise good drivers with more restrictions and obstructions, but to put our police back on the beat and on patrol and, when drivers are fined, to make sure they cough up the money.
George K McMillan. 5 Mount Tabor Avenue, Perth.
Public pay for jail riot mess
Sir, It was rather sad to learn that rioting prisoners in Aberdeen’s new prison caused £250,000 worth of damage during a 14-hour riot.
Obviously, it is the public who will have to pay for the damage and the restoration of home comforts.
Changed days from the sort of regime that used to be and that we saw humorously portrayed in the TV sit-com Porridge, with wardens like Fulton Mackay!
John McDonald. 14 Rosebery Court, Kirkcaldy.
Grateful that driver stopped
Sir, Our pet cat was hit by a car recently when he darted out onto the road. Cats, unfortunately, do not have the road sense that dogs do. The gentleman who was driving the car stopped and came to our door to see if we knew whose cat it was.
I ran to the scene and found him unconscious but still breathing, so I scooped him up and rushed him to the vet, totally ignoring the poor man who was clearly upset by what had happened. Thanks to the speed I got him to the vet, our cat is still living. Time will tell if he makes a full recovery or not.
Many people may have just driven on after hitting a cat. I do not know the man, but I have to say if he had not stopped, and had the courage to knock on our door, our little chap would surely have died. I would like to invite the gentleman involved to call again so we can thank him properly.
(Captain) Ian F. McRae. 17 Broomwell Gardens, Monikie.
Thanks for thelovely display
Sir, I would like to say a big thank you to whoever is responsible for the beautiful display on Dudhope roundabout. Every day when I go past on my way to and from work, it makes me smile and puts me in a good mood for the day. In the evening it smells wonderful too. Thank you for inspired planting and keep up the good work.
Cathy Jackson (Prof). West Mains House, Dundee.