WHEN I first started going to the 'dancing' they did not serve alcohol, however that did not deter the older ladies who congregated in the ladies toilets and swigged the booze they brought in with them, as soon as a cat's chorus of "your free to go darling" was sung the ladies were drunk and ready to come out of the cubicles and head for the dance floor.

Later on girls of my own age started sneaking in quarter or half bottles in to the dance halls in their handbags after a while the chucker outs were searching the girls handbags as they entered for the illicit booze.

But now the halls are licensed and I feel sorry for the people who run the Arches and the hundreds of young folk being denied a great night out due to the actions of a few foolish people.

I just cannot see how the owners can be expected to police the customers.

I think the powers that be should reconsider their decision otherwise the young folk will soon have nowhere to go in Glasgow. Give the kids a break.

Rosemary Keery, via email

THE new South Glasgow University Hospital is super. I was admitted last week was seen quickly by great staff from tea lady to top doctor and nurses were brilliant. The private room was better than some hotels that I have stayed in. The hospital deserves top marks.

Alan Fairbrother, Glasgow, posted online

WELL done to the winners of the Evening Times Streets Ahead Awards. It is good to see so many people doing things to help improve their communities.

With so many people leading busy lives, it is really refreshing to see residents taking time out to make a real difference. They are exactly the type of people who should be rewarded and I applaud the Evening Times for running the awards event.

R McGarr, West End

I WAS reading in last night's Evening Times about vandals letting off fire hydrants. I know it is nothing new, but you would have thought people would have got fed up with this by now. Maybe we need more education on this and perhaps the point will get across to fire hydrant offenders that this is a dangerous thing to do.

Think of the firefighters who are needlessly called out to these incidents when they could be deployed to real emergencies.

A Letich, Kinning Park