Re.

your question: Is the Calton Glasgow's answer to London's trendy Shoreditch? (June 30)

I was down at the Barras yesterday and also at Glasgow Cross.

I would love to talk up the city, especially the East End, but I do not see any improvements, apart from the grassing over of Schipka Pass.

The only improvements I saw to the shops is that the empty ones have been boarded up.

Reading your article, it says only 38 shops have been upgraded in time for the Games, but how many of them are open? The Barras is an empty shell with barely half of the stalls open, and is a no-go area at night.

Local councillor Yvonne Kucuk should walk from Glasgow Cross to Parkhead Cross and see what the ordinary public see; run down buildings, empty land and empty shops.

Robert Smith Posted online

Parking fears

A lot of newsprint and ink has been wasted by the council taking out adverts telling motorists where they can and cannot park during the Games.

At a meeting in early May at Ibrox Stadium, we were told that the police would be round the doors in June taking names for permits for those of us living in the restricted zones.

So far, nothing, despite emails to Get Ready Glasgow.

What happens council, do we all get towed away?

D Robertson Ibrox

Doesn't add up

WITH all the talk of foodbanks and the clamour from wealthy unionist MPs for us to stay as part of the UK, I have a question: Is Scotland the only country in the world to have got poorer following the discovery of vast oil riches?

Every week we seem to read about huge house price rises in London, yet my home, north of Glasgow, is now worth less than I paid for seven years ago. In that time, prices have gone through the roof and yet my salary has increased by less than 2%.

Perhaps one of the London economists could explain why this has happened.

Alex Fraser Via e-mail