Letters: It is vital that access to cash is retained

Despite this legislation it appeared that Sweden was continuing its inexorable slide into becoming a cashless society. However, unanticipated events in Eastern Europe in the past two years may well have applied the brakes to this. There are now genuine concerns within Sweden that should a future conflict arise with Russia (overt or otherwise) then cyber-attacks would disrupt electronic transactions at every level of society and potentially render electronic transactions and payments impossible.

The Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB) now recommends in its booklet "If Crisis or War Comes" that everyone in Sweden has an emergency prep-box containing cash in small denominations to cover themselves if credit and debit cards stop working.

Clearly, talk of the demise of cash will remain premature as long as the world remains an uncertain place.

Michael Sheridan, Newton of Balcanquhal, Perthshire.

Read more: Can't the SNP see there are more important issues than gender?

Glasgow street in shocking shape

I RECENTLY watched the 1987 film Robocop, which depicts a city in a dystopian state sometime in the 21st century. The city is portrayed as crime-ridden, economically depressed, and overrun with corruption and social decay. Its visual aesthetic is marked by gritty, industrial settings, and decaying infrastructure.

This cinematic portrayal eerily resembles the current state of Union Street in Glasgow on a typical Friday evening. The condition of the street is appalling and utterly shocking for a city centre in any developed country. It is difficult to comprehend how anyone employed by Glasgow City Council could consider this situation acceptable.

While I acknowledge the existence of long-term plans for revitalising the city centre, there is an urgent need for immediate action. A coordinated effort involving Network Rail, British Transport Police, Police Scotland, and the local authority is essential.

Simple, cost-effective measures could significantly improve the situation. These include removing graffiti, ensuring regular cleaning and emptying of bins, pressure-washing pavements, and maintaining street furniture. Such tasks should be well within the capabilities of Glasgow City Council, yet they seem to be neglected. Additionally, increasing the visibility of police officers in the area would not only enhance public safety but also help deter criminal activities.

The problems plaguing Union Street have persisted for years, yet instead of witnessing improvements, the situation appears to be deteriorating. Decisive and direct leadership from Glasgow City Council is imperative to address the long-term challenges facing the city centre. However, for areas like Union Street, an aggressive and immediate response is critically necessary.

Stuart Hindmarsh, Cambuslang.

Poor show from TV Licensing

MY brother-in-law, a 78-year-old resident in a care home in Glasgow, has just received a letter from the TV Licensing Board headed "Something has changed in your building". Addressed to him personally, it explained that he was now liable to pay the full fee of £179. When I investigated, I discovered that the manager of the building is responsible for TV Licensing, and may charge a fee of £7.50 per resident's house. This has been the accepted practice.

To send this letter caused my brother-in-law, and no doubt others, great concern, faced with finding such a substantial sum. Many residents are unable to access the computer helpline; the worry caused by such a demand to vulnerable people is dangerous, especially when the letter concludes with a warning that the recipient may be party to a crime.

I strongly urge the discontinuing of this practice.

Lucy Watt, Greenock.

Councils will be cracking down on pavement parking (Image: Agency)

Half measures might work

I NOTE the correspondence, both against and justifying, pavement parking (Letters, January 11 & 12). It may be of interest to learn that some narrow, local streets off Cowley Road in Oxford when we visited there were clearly marked on both sides to indicate “half parking” on the pavements was the norm. This enabled single-file street traffic only.

The markings were the usual car-sized rectangles defined by interrupted white lines but straddling the road and pavement.

Jon Cossar, Edinburgh.

Read more: Get tough on the pavement parkers

Tipping point

DAVID Miller's letter (January 12) where he recalls the experience of a late friend with a rather "sniffy" wine waiter, reminds me of my experience with a black cab driver in Glasgow many years ago. On entering the cab outside Central Station and stating that my destination was Milngavie I was greeted by a gruffly-delivered reply: "Do you know there is a boundary charge?".

Disappointed by the curt nature of his reply I ventured: "Do you know that there is no tip?".

I was asked to leave his cab which involved some flowery language to the effect that the cabbie did not like my attitude. I then selected the next cab in line.

David G Will, Milngavie.

• IN David Miller’s follow-up to Robin Dow’s opinion (Letters, January 11) on the practice of deferring to wine waiters he tells of a late friend who summoned the wine waiter to pour for him and his companion the small amount remaining in a bottle of red, only to be met with an impertinent response.

This embarrassing moment might have been avoided had he simply poured out “the dregs” himself, as I’m sure many of us would have done.

David Clark, Tarbolton.

Drinking it in

DAVID Miller's wine waiter story reminds me of a meal at a country restaurant in the 1970s. My wife was asked what she was having to start.

"A prawn cocktail please," was the answer. "Right, hold on while I get the wine waiter," said the waitress.

Malcolm Parkin, Kinross.