Having worked in the travel industry (Agency & Tour Operating) for 20 years now, it is with great regret I see another tour operator has gone into administration.
While I have a great deal of sympathy for those affected, the problems that many are facing ultimately are of their own making.
The “know it all” culture of “I can book that online for £2 cheaper” or “thanks for spending so much of your time with me, I will just go home and book direct” attitude, rather than with a protected travel agent has contributed greatly to the fall of the travel industry.
These same people then expect instant help when things go wrong when they knew the risks of doing it themselves
In the current climate, the demise of further airlines and tour operators will no doubt become more common place, therefore, I offer one piece of advice — book with your local travel agent and at least you know your money will be protected should things go wrong, and possibly your dream holiday will not become just a dream. — Travel Industry Employee of Bonded Company.
Quick fix needed in Crescent Lane
The hole in Crescent Street.
I hope Tayside Contracts are coming back in the very near future to fill in the hole they dug up at the bottom of Crescent Street, Dundee.
It has been open for weeks and there are green cables showing.
If they get cut the area will be in darkness.
There is also a safety risk and I worry someone will get hurt. — Worried Resident.
Lynch Centre leak problem
As many Lynch Centre users no doubt know, there is a leak in one large indoor hall in the centre.
As we are in Scotland it is rather rainy sometimes. Now it is not rocket science, water gets in, floods part of the hall and results in the hall being understandably deemed not safe to play on.
It’s very annoying when you and 14 of your mates play there every Tuesday and Sunday night.
Now what is more annoying is this leak is not a recent problem, it has been like this for well over a year and a half.
This leak should have been fixed many council budgets ago, yet they wonder why our children are fatter than ever, they wonder why there are not many athletes coming from Scotland.
Please Dundee City Council, fix this roof.
Only in Dundee must one watch the weather report to see if we can play indoor football. — Barry “Zico” Chalmers.
[A Dundee City Council spokesman said, “Repairs have been carried out to the roof and further checks have been made since then so that we can look at a permanent solution.”]
Estelle success is a boy thing
I am sure I am not alone in thinking that the long length of time Estelle dominated the charts recently with her number one hit American Boy was extremely impressive.
Songs by women celebrating men are few and far between, but I can think of a few classic examples.
The most-exploited policy in pop’s history has been the reverse, i.e. songs praising girls sung by males, e.g. Jesamine by the Casuals in 1968 UK or 16-year-old Paul Anka’s debut composition Diana in 1958 USA.
However, there are rare instances of girl-praising-boy songwriters. Smokey Robinson wrote My Guy (1964) for Mary Wells. The Crystals (the male-complimentary “genre”) He’s A Rebel (1962) is perhaps my own personal favourite. Like these previous efforts, American Boy is set to be a classic. — J. I. Matthew.
Hard to make ends meet
In response to B. C., Monfieth’s letter, he states that Rory Malone complains that 2.5% is not a big enough pay increase to cover inflation.
There are social care workers who go to my mum’s four times a day and are forced to double shifts because the wage they earn is not enough to support themselves and their families.
The figure mooted is an insult, with most utility companies increasing gas and electric by 35% and other day to day increases.
It’s this type of increase that is forcing council workers to take strike action.
Surely the present government are forcing the strike action because of the state they have the economy in. — Andrew Armstrong, Hazelhead Drive, Dundee.
Not another cut
Perhaps B. C., Monifieth, could afford to live on a take-home pay of less than £250 per week. Perhaps he or she would be prepared to take another cut in wages.
The last 10 pay awards have been below inflation and some of those were two-year deals!! Not to mention single status where the lowest paid had to take another pay cut while the management’s pay went up.
Whose cost of living goes down? I could go on. — Council Employee.
Ninewells parking
The SNP Government appears all over the place in trying to convince us why it won’t do anything about removing the parking charges at Ninewells Hospital because (to quote Health Minister Nicola Sturgeon) “it would cost tens of millions”.
The facts about the real cost of buying out the PFI parking contract are rather different, given the lower figure previously quoted by NHS Tayside.
I think the SNP is simply trying to spin its way out of doing nothing to help Dundee as usual.
However, I find it unconvincing when Labour MP Jim McGovern says he has had a “phenomenal support” from the public to Labour calls about the charges.
I checked the on-line petition about this his Labour colleague set up and out of a city of 145,000 people, there are just 51 signatures, some anonymous, one from a Labour MSP and one calling himself “Labour PFI Hypocrites!”
The people of Dundee rightly want the parking charges removed but see through Labour campaigns. — Dundee Reader.
Surprise at private NHS move
I am surprised at the SNP Government’s proposals to give the private sector a greater say in the NHS.
I recall the SNP raised a massive stink when it was introduced in the 80s by Lady Thatcher’s Tories, and did so again when New Labour continued this “reform”, only now to be all in favour.
Evidence from south of the border shows the private sector’s short-term record points to marginal benefits to patients.
Over the longer term it has been shown to be nothing more than money-making exercises which result in a service that doesn’t take into account the needs of patients. — Politico.
Missing cat
Our cat has gone missing from Newton Farm, Wormit. He is pure white with one blue eye and one green eye. He is also deaf and a much loved family pet.
Please contact me on 07533776144 if you have any sightings or information. — Lorraine Dickson, Newton Farm, Newport-on-Tay.
Car boot sale
We at Forebank provide 24-hour nursing care and specialise in clients with dementia and alcohol-related brain injury.
We are holding a car boot sale on September 21, and would be grateful for any donations.
Donations can be handed in to Forebank Care Home, Forebank Road. All proceeds go to the Residents’ Comfort Fund. — Caroline Waterston, Activities Co-ordinater.
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