However, is this the same Charles McKean, who in 1985 stated in his book “Dundee An Illustrated Introduction” that Tayside House (pictured above, beyond the leisure centre) is “a tall, elegant block of offices” and that the leisure centre (now Olympia) is “a good building of its type being enclosed, square, low lying on an oasis of motorway and trees providing the twentieth century version of the Roman bread and circuses, planned to be the first phase of a much larger Coliseum”?

Given these comments, I do not think that Professor McKean should be asked to offer any further “advice”.

I suggest the council’s education department organise a competition for primary school pupils and ask them to produce designs for the Waterfront. The outcome couldn’t be as bad as the experts’ ideas. — Q. S., Dundee.

[Professor Charles McKean said, “By the standards of the early 1980s, Tayside House was one of the more elegant office towers in the country. The interior of the swimming pool (the only thing commended) is as good as was then available. There were many very much worse of both.

“Cheap ideas about schoolchildren doing designs are no substitute for aspiring to the best — as this city and this site deserves.

“We endured similar jibes during the gestation of the DCA and our public exhibition of its competition entries. Yet look how it has contributed to Dundee’s growing self-confidence.

“We cannot allow the tremendous opportunity of the Waterfront to continue to be second best, as it has been to date.”]

I have to say I was shocked that the increase for an hour’s stay was 150% — from 40p to £1. I don’t accept that you’re now allowed up to two hours for your £1 — the fact remains that if I’m there for an hour, I’m paying 150% more than I was.

In fact, I can hardly believe that whoever runs this car park can be allowed to inflict such a huge price hike. There should be some watchdog to prevent such things happening. — Dundee Driver.

His or her assertion that the SNP is an effective voice in local politics seems to have passed by the Dundee public. Is this really the same party that emerged victorious over a failed Labour administration with one extra seat and 23 extra votes?

If the local elections were not painful enough for Nationalist eyes, the bigger picture is worse — the loss of a Westminster and eight Holyrood seats plus a fall in 200,000 votes in both parliaments. — J. B. M.

THE REASONS for the Nationalists’ dismal performance in May’s elections are clear, even if Kenneth Guild would prefer not to acknowledge them.

His attempt to place clear water between Nationalists and the Scottish Socialists and the Greens is understandable, because both these parties now pose a big threat to the SNP.

Scottish Socialist Party leader Tommy Sheridan’s appearance at the launch of a left-wing independent convention during the SNP’s Inverness get-together will only fuel speculation of a pro-independence alliance between these fellow travellers. — C. E. C.

The money to be paid each week was — rent £1/1/2d (£1.06p), rates 16/9d (84p), garden ground 9d (4p) and stair light 6d (2p), making a total £1/19/2d (£1.96p). This set us wondering what a typical wage in a mill or as a labourer was then? — S.

[We have no records of these wages, but a farm worker earned £11/11d (£11.55p). Perhaps our readers can help.]

I AM told entertainment group the Lochee Tenors is retiring at the end of the year. I, and others, hope they carry on as they have been a shining light to us old yins. They will be getting our vote as Citizens of the Year, all five of them. — Mrs M. Smith, St Mary’s, Dundee.

The last time I was there and saw them was about 10 years ago. I told my friends about them but I don’t think they believe me. — Flymckay.

[The birds were not actually on the farm, but kept nearby. The person who owned them no longer has them.]