We need to build more starter houses if we don’t want young people to be left out

Margaret Thatcher began selling local government housing stock. At the same time, banks and building societies made lending easier by linking it to the income of both spouses. With more money available, developers built larger houses, for example with en-suite bedrooms. Our ambitions grew as long-term debt increased, but unfortunately the days of near-zero interest rates are over.

Residential development currently comprises only a small percentage of economic or affordable housing. Surely national and local planners must insist on a much higher proportion of starter homes as a priority?
JB Drummond, Kilmarock.

Basic question for the Kirk
THE Church of Scotland does not ask the most basic question about Christian life (“Minister in throned to leave Kirk over cuts plan for deprived areas,” The Herald, April 4). It’s “Why isn’t the living Lord of the Church, Jesus Christ, calling enough people into His ministry?”

The answer lies in the Church of Scotland’s institutional hostility to the personal evangelical faith that breeds vocations to ministry.
Rev. Dr. Robert Anderson, Dundonald.

Why are our potholes so bad?
WHY do politicians and others always talk about the need to fix potholes (“Roads have ‘more hole than Swiss cheese'”, The Herald, 4 are clearly far less fit for purpose and so much worse in terms of effective lifespan than other countries with similar climate, weather, traffic volume and vehicle types?
John Birkett, st andrews.

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Applause for the pavilion
THE Pavilion, Glasgow’s famous theater at the top of Renfield Street, is now hopefully in the safe hands of vibrant Trafalgar Entertainment (“Showtime: Bright future vow for Pavilion and its loyal audiences,” The Herald, 3 April ).

It has long been considered the last theater to cater to the more understated and down-to-earth humor associated with Glasgow. It’s also considered the natural home of pantomime, with all the ingredients that Glasgow adds to this popular seasonal genre.

Unfortunately, there are few native artists to fill the theatre, such as Tommy Morgan, Lex McLean and Glen Daly to name just three, who left audiences delighted with their performances and kept coming back for more.

Time for a change of ownership had been considered for a number of years to bring the venue into the modern world, which Trafalgar is certainly hoping for.
We can only wish him well in his venture and hope that the theater does not lose the popular touch that is pushing its audiences to its doors.

It would be sad if the venue ended up having to be sold to become city center apartments with little more than a name to remind us that a giant of Glasgow’s entertainment industry once stood there. Our city center cannot afford to lose such a significant attraction and we therefore wish Trafalgar every success in its quest to acquire its first venue in Scotland.
Dennis Bruce, Bishopbriggs.

Letters: Look inside the new £45million Paisley Museum first

Paisley Millgirl Mating Call
WHAT great news for Paisley, and indeed elsewhere, is being reported on Scotland’s biggest heritage project with the £45m refurbishment of the Paisley Museum, which reopens next year (“New pressure for Paisley as £45m museum makeover unveiled “, The Herald, April 3).

As part of urban renewal, Paisley Town Hall is set to return to public use after a major refurbishment. A new High Street Learning and Cultural Center and the refurbished Paisley Arts Center will also open. Thomas Coats Observatory, Scotland’s oldest public observatory, is said to play its part. It is indeed an impressive list of public works and exhibitions.

Reference was made to Paisley’s industrial past and its importance in the textile industry worldwide. For many years the scarf was the main product of the city. The scarf trade had a number of by-products that were important to the city’s development, such as; B. yarn and starch. Cotton thread eventually replaced silk and linen thread and was used around the world as manufactured by Clarks and Coats. When weaving a shawl, a starch paste was used to strengthen the warp: the starch was made by Brown & Polson, who later developed cornmeal.

Benjamin Disraeli once remarked that anyone wishing to understand how national political opinion vacillated “should keep an eye on Paisley”. Mark Smith took this idea a bit further by asking: What about Paisley Woman (“If SNP wants to turn things around, ‘Paisley Woman’ is key”, The Herald, April 3)?

He claims the SNP will ignore Paisley Woman at their peril. In this assertion he could be right. Paisley women are not to be trifled with. In fact, when thread mills were the city’s main industry, there were thousands of mill girls, and apparently they had their own uniquely romantic reputation – “I’ll get you”.

On Paisley – onwards and upwards.
Ian W Thomson, lenzie.

Gaelic in the Wind
MAUREEN McGarry O’Hanlon’s letter (March 29) confirms what I was told about the name of a farm on a windswept hill in Wigtonshire, Thundergay. A retired museum manager said this was an anglicisation of “Tondergay”, which in turn was a corruption of the Gaelic “A***s to the Wind”, which referred to cattle behaviour. The older generation put it that way.

Wigton was far from it all in those days, but that is probably why Gaelic lingered in little niches in the glens long after Scots was the language of law, kirk and schools.
Alison McAdam, Dundee.