Aberdeen City and shire were shown to wonderful effect as hosts of the final stage of this year’s Tour of Britain.
It’s telling the Esplanade was recently resurfaced and the race was directed away from the ruination of Union Street caused by over-dependency on the idiocy of internet shopping over the genuine warmth offered by real-world retail. Is the city council embarrassed by its failure to bring the once beautiful Union Street back with some beautiful shops?
It was equally telling that ITV4’s Matt Barbet referred to the city as “cultural capital”. and made not one mention of that soon-to-be-defunct has-been “one trick pony”, the oil industry. With last week’s Carbon Tracker report recommending that all fossil fuels must remain firmly unexploited if humanity and other species are to survive, Aberdeen’s still blighted by the buffoons who are all too keen to do the opposite by proclaiming it’s “absolute madness” if we don’t continue with the status quo.
Ian Beattie, Baker Street, Aberdeen
Covid still here
Scotland now has the highest infection of Covid in Europe. There are a few reasons for this. Restrictions being lifted and relaxed too early, people not adhering to the existing rules. Also, younger people and non-believers not being vaccinated and, finally, the general population being blase because they have had the vaccine and think they cannot catch it or pass it on. They are so, so wrong thinking this.
Don McKay
NI rise is fair
People are complaining about the 1.25% rise in National Insurance to pay for social care.
If you earn £10k you’ll pay £52 a year more. That’s two John Player Special fags a week. Those earning £20K will pay £130 (two bottles of wine a month) extra, and £30k earners £255 (five Subways a month).
Surely that’s worth it to ensure your granny, aunt or elderly neighbour get better looked after? And cutting down might improve your health and save your kids the future expense.
AS, Stonehaven.
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