AS someone who is a member of the Spa at Trump Turnberry I can see how much Donald Trump has done for the area. When he took over the hotel and golf course it was needing money spent and this he has done.

All the present publicity he has been getting could do with some deeper thoughts. Has he divulged any info to enemies of the United States? I have not seen that stated anywhere. The mishandling of classified material is something that is happening all the time and is a minor administrative offence. The only real offence is passing information to other countries. Anyone who has had access to highly classified material could do this without taking the actual documents away from the secure area. Most highly secret or Top Secret documents have each copy numbered (or they did in my day) but that did not stop copying or memorising.

I cannot understand why all these documents were needed down in Florida nor why they were not returned, but presumably that will come out if the case ever comes to trial.

It is about time that the demonising of Mr Trump is stopped. Even in your article about student accommodation today ("The £300m student accommodation linked to tax havens", The Herald, June 14) a mention of him is managed. Give the man a chance. He has done well by Scotland.

Jim McAdam, Maidens.

Shame on M&S for cafe closures

WE have all long admired the services M&S has provided down through the years. Sadly, though, it seems to be betraying its customer values by letting profits come before people.

All over the UK, it is closing down its cafes to find places for more stock which will bring in more money to the company.

Many elderly and not-so-elderly people have enjoyed a break in those cafes after doing their weekly shop but now they will be deprived of that pleasure.

To lose that social delight is a concern for them, while the continuation of cafe services would make just a little dent in the profits envisaged for the additional shelves of goods taking over the spaces vacated by those cafes.

I would love to see the company reconsidering this change which detracts from the customers' experience of what they have always taken to be a family-oriented firm. M&S has underestimated the importance attached to customers' use of the cafes.

Denis Bruce, Bishopbriggs.


📝 Sign up for our Letter of the Day newsletter and receive our Letters Editor's choice every weekday at 8pm.

Get insight from fellow readers and join in on what has Scotland talking. Exclusive responses to our writers and spirited debate on a whole host of issues will be sent directly to your inbox.

👉 Click here to sign up


Open up Glasgow for cyclists

RICHARD Muir's article ("Saddling up for a major boost to Glasgow", The Herald, June 14) should also be used to encourage a major boost for everyday cycling in the city. Glasgow's admirable organisation of previous cycling championships and Commonwealth Games road races, run within the bounds of the city, must have encouraged the UCI to base its unprecedented cycling jamboree here.

The appetite for normal cyclists and families to ride on car-free roads and enjoy our magnificent city was shown by the turn-outs for the highly organised Sky and HSBC events, and also during Covid.

Organisation for the elite UCI cyclist racing means that roads for the course are fenced off. The race is about speed, with the spectators kept behind barriers.

What would be fantastic is if everyone could also experience our magnificent cityscape, cycling on these closed roads. As well as a great spectacle in itself, it would give a fresh showcase of our grand city, to worldwide visitors and locals alike. These would also bring more business to a wider spread of venues, while adding value to the cost of closing the roads in the first place.

The minimal requirement to this positive event would be publicity to say when there was no racing on the course and that it was accessible for all to ride. Notices could clarify individual responsibility and care needed from every rider, which normally applies when sharing the road space anyway.

What a fabulous opportunity this major festival of cycling offers for all types of riding and Glasgow itself.

Peter Hayman, Member of Cycling UK and GoBike, Glasgow.

Read more: Unions were responsible for the demise of shipbuilding

Burning issue

ELIZABETH Marshall (Letters, June 13) asks why Glasgow City Council is apparently ignoring the fire risk posed by electric vehicles. I suggest the answer is that the very rare event of a fire occurring within one building presents a substantially lower risk to humanity than global warming of an entire planet.

Scott Simpson, Glasgow.

The difference with Paisley YOU have certainly been doing your part in keeping an eye on Paisley with your coverage of the plans for "Paisley Museum Reimagined" and the proposals to develop a "cultural thread" between the museum and other projects in close proximity to it ("First glimpse of new-look museum to reimagine town history", The Herald, June 13).

All of these projects when completed will add to an impressive list of buildings in Paisley of historic, architectural and cultural interest, such as Paisley Abbey, the Town Hall, Coats Memorial Church, the former John Neilson School and the Thomas Coats Observatory.

Paisley always managed to remain near Glasgow rather than in it, thus maintaining its own identity. The new projects under way will do much to confirm that this will continue.

Ian W Thomson, Lenzie.

How best to show sympathy?

I NOTE that SNP members of the Scottish Parliament as a mark of sympathy sent Ms Sturgeon a bunch of flowers after her arrest ("SNP MSPs to buy Nicola Sturgeon flowers following arrest", heraldscotland, June 13). I do not remember a similar gesture for Peter Murrell or Colin Beattie. Is this because she is a lady and flowers might not be appropriate for the aforesaid gentlemen? If so, what would be a suitable mark of sympathy for them?

Richard Wiggins, Prestwick.

Little introduction necessary

ROBIN Dow's use of "encomia" (Letters, June 14), statements of high praise for a person or object, reminds me that a politician about to make a speech is often introduced by someone using encomia, listing the speaker's achievements and intellectual qualities.

The standards of most of the current breed of politicians suggest that such encomia will be brief.

David Miller, Milngavie.

Wind of change

I NOTE that a wind farm will now be supplying power for the production of Irn-Bru. Changed days indeed. I stopped drinking Irn-Bru primarily because it was producing too much wind.

Robert Menzies, Falkirk.