Sir, I was delighted to see your article about the much lamented King’s Theatre, one of Dundee’s unsung gems.
In overall design and specific engineering innovation, it was always the rival of any other theatre in Scotland.
At its height, it was a pleasure both to attend professional performances there and to take part in performances as part of Dundee’s talented amateur musical societies’ scene.
It had the misfortune to come under financial pressure just before the real upsurge in musicals and other stage performances which today regularly take Dundonians to Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and even London.
Its other misfortune was to be located in a part of central Dundee with very poor parking facilities.
The creation of the new car parks, as part of the re-birth of Dundee’s centre, must surely persuade people to take a fresh look at the theatre’s refurbishment and establishment, as part of the bold new centre for the arts which Dundee will surely become.
While the Whitehall Theatre was a welcome effort to keep live shows going in Dundee, the building was always too small.
Architecturally, it is a poor shadow of the King’s Theatre, it also suffers from lack of parking and it is too far from the city centre and the many existing, or shortly to exist, new hotels.
Dundee has shown no lack of aspiration and courage in its vision for the future. Let us now make a revitalised King’s Theatre a vital element of this future.
Dr W H Macfarlane Smith. 42 Holly Road, Broughty Ferry, Dundee.
A lifetime of paying bills
Sir, I was brought up in a mining village which operated on a cash-only economy All shops displayed the notice: “Please do not ask for credit as refusal often offends.”
My parents, like everyone in the village, had a horror of debt because working class jobs were by their very nature insecure and personal survival depended on being canny.
Yet in recent decades I have watched with alarm as the old social mantras were trashed with credit cards and mortgages tossed like confetti at vulnerable groups.
The dream of a restful retirement is now a distant one for many Scots as the bills still arrive for a lifetime of buying things they didn’t need with money they didn’t have.
Of course they must accept their share of blame but they were hardly helped by political leaders who encouraged irresponsibility by claiming to have conquered boom and bust
Dr John Cameron. 10 Howard Place, St Andrews.
Measures need to be in place
Sir, I see that Dundee City Council have to pay a previous employee £100,000 for sexual harassment in her workplace at Baldragon Academy.
Of course it is not the council who will pay the money to this unfortunate woman but us council tax payers.
This is another case, one of many over the past few years involving this council.
Someone has to bear responsibilty for this botch-up but one wonders why it is happening so often.
Surely staff are given adequate training in dealing with other employees who are being harassed?
Measures must now be put in place at a senior level to ensure this never happens again.
Council tax payers are already going through the misery of austerity without this flagrant abuse of council tax monies.
Brian Millar. Blackness Avenue, Dundee.
A wonderful performance
Sir, Last Saturday I was privileged to enjoy a wonderful evening watching that very successful play Calendar Girls being performed by the Carnoustie Theatre Club at the Carnoustie High School Theatre.
I had seen the same show at the Caird Hall in November with a professional cast, including TV stars, and thought how great that was. However, the Carnoustie production was even better.
The original, true story was in Yorkshire and the Carnoustie Theatre Club stuck strictly to the original script and what was unbelievable was they all spoke with authentic Yorkshire accents.
I can’t praise them highly enough for their acting skills and superb production, but most of all for being just as brave to bare all for their art!
Well done Carnoustie Theatre Club, you made a lot of people very happy that night. I should mention that all the proceeds were in aid of the Leukaemia Research Fund.
George Gavine. The Veldt, Monikie.
Tolerance with integrity
Sir, In reply to Clare McGraw (June 7) I must say I wholeheartedly agree with what she states in her letter. My initial letter (June 4) was a reply in agreement with Alistair McBay (May 31) regarding religion and beliefs and the sometimes non-flexible stance of the Bible.
In the context of that reply and respecting this age of equality and diversity, I believe it was a fair comment on the specific points mentioned. Widening the range of thought on the matter raises other issues which Clare McGraw brings in to the discussion.
Tolerance is one thing, but tolerance with integrity is what we should really aspire to. As she rightly states, tolerance of belief is not good in itself and only those beliefs we believe to be good should be accepted. I can assure Ms McGraw I do not believe in tolerance for the sake of it and I do encourage people to have integrity. If only it could be achieved as easily as that.
Ron Aitken. 6 Francis Road, Perth.