It is happening all over Scotland because the gadgie element won’t take the jobs.

Most local people would not have to pay for training as stated by Looking For Work.

I had no experience of bus driving, but Travel Dundee took me on and put me through all my licensing, medicals, theory and driving test.

I am now earning good wages and am looking for a house to buy. This year I will take my family on a two-week holiday to the USA.

Anyone genuinely looking for work nowadays doesn’t have to try too hard. — Happy Driver.

Dundee City Council’s development quality committee said the land was unsuitable for housing, partly because it was probably contaminated from its earlier use as the Tay Oil Cake Works. The builders have now exercised their right of appeal to the Scottish Executive’s planning inquiry unit.

My queries are — What was the purpose of an oil cake works? When did it function? Where did the oil come from? Who used the cakes? — Curious.

[We drew a blank in our own files and could not trace anything about these oil cake works in reference books. However, we contacted Councillor John Corrigan, who supplies articles on old Dundee for our Friday Weekend supplement, and he came up trumps.

Mr Corrigan told us that the substance that was processed in the former dog food factory was linseed oil. Linseed is the seed of the flax plant and the cake is what is left when the oil is removed. It is used as cattle fodder which is also known as cattle cake. Another product made at the factory would have been linseed meal, which is simply ground linseed.

Mr Corrigan then contacted Mr Richard Cullen of the council’s archives, who supplied him with a history of Wilson’s, which started in 1861.

They originally occupied premises in East Dock Street and in the early years were listed as Wilson & Scott, linseed crushers. By 1874, the Scott side has been removed from the business and they become Wilson & Sons, linseed cake and oil and cotton cake manufacturers.

The business moved to a converted flax mill (the former Lower Dens Mill) at Blackscroft in 1877. This became known as Caledonian Oil Mills. By the early 1950s, Wilson & Sons are listed simply as seed crushers, by 1970 as manufacturers of animal feeding and around 1980 as dog meal manufacturers.

Caledonian Oil Mills was demolished in 1982 when the business moved to premises at 324 Broughty Ferry Road.

Mr Corrigan also tells us that the reasons for refusal for flats, and while possible contamination of the site was mentioned, were noise from port industry, the railway and the water pumps in the nearby vicinity. That, together with a presumption against flats, meant that the application was turned down.]

When I was young, a jumper with a collar and worn with a tartan tie was considered the height of fashion. There were no such people, who are now called gadgies. Everyone was poor.

People are too concerned these days with fashion. I wore wellies, even in high summer, as a child and never thought anything of it. Socks were also considered a luxury.

I won a certificate for drawing from the old Hawkhill School. The teacher said I should be at art college. Instead, to help bring in some money, I started work as a message laddie for Dundee Co-Operative Society at the age of 12.

Folk should be more than happy with what they have nowadays and stop being so concerned about fashion. — Eck French, Perth Road, Dundee.