Regarding “Drastic action is needed to bring people in.”
This reflects the “thinking” of those referred to as “city planners” who wish to run buses through the Castlegate in an attempt to “bring people in”.
After years of neglect and watching small businesses closing down, including the post office, we are left with empty premises, even the former Barnardos charity shop. Almost 50% of the Castlegate is taken up by the VSA organisation who in my opinion contribute zero to the long-term regeneration of this area.
The Castlegate cries out for affordable rented accommodation, into which these premises can be converted, with life returning to this neglected area. Buses are not the answer, they belong on a Union Street free of pedestrianisation.
James Sinclair, Castle Street, Aberdeen
Why bash SNP?
The “SNP bad” brigade have certainly been out in force this week, from columnist Frank Gilfeather to letter writers JH and the prolific Mr Grattan.
I wonder why the old saying “if the SNP found the secret of eternal life these people would complain that they were doing undertakers out of a job” springs to mind?
Are they totally unaware of the effects of the Covid pandemic, years of Westminster-imposed austerity and the disaster that is Brexit?
A. Robertson, Alford
Punish drug use
I guess many people will be in favour of the Lord Advocate’s “progressive” decision to issue recorded police warnings for possession of class A drugs.
Others, like myself, will see this as a foolish move which will only increase the number of people taking drugs, embolden drug barons, tie the hands of law enforcement officers and, ultimately, add to Scotland’s appalling drug death total.
This isn’t a bold move, it’s a pathetic surrender which does nothing to combat Scotland’s drug epidemic. Yet given the Scottish Government’s soft-touch attitude to justice, did we expect anything else?
JM
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