READING Wendy Peters column on Sunday, I totally agree with her, on checking supermarket bills. We have always checked our bills before leaving the store (especially the big ones), and found discrepancies. So check them out. On the subject of prices, they are spiralling here in restaurants, bars and of course everyday shopping for food. The prices do not go up in odd cents, one example of a price hike we found was in a local restaurant a fixed price evening menu went from 13 euros to 16 euros, we do not go there anymore. I know these people have to earn a living but moderation please, but they lose business. I speak to a lot of local business owners (Spanish and English), they tell me nobody is spending money, one comment was they are skint'. We have had family over, most comments were , the same prices to eat out as England and not worth taking back duty-frees anymore. One sector that must be feeling it.
Having had a connections with Majorca for over 20 years. I have watched the island over develop (same problem on the mainland) too many apartments, villas, hotels and bars plus who needs all these new food fusion restaurants, that keep opening. I feel this is destroying the typical Majorcan cuisine. Progress or greed? Now comes a recession,(although the government will not admit it) a strong Euro and everybody suffers. Until the Euro gets weaker, we cannot expect tourists outside that zone to come in numbers. But stilll the holiday companies and tourist agencies talk a good game. Lets wake up to reality!!
Yours faithfully,
A. Caffyn, Santa Ponsa
Dear Sir,
I have to confess that as I grow older I grow more certain of the knowledge that treating knife-wielding thugs gently will not work.
Unpleasant though it may be, bringing back the birch would, in my view, be the cheapest and most effective remedy. Forcing politicians to resign isn't the answer but making them face up to the grim realities is essential. National Service of some kind, not necessarily military, would do no harm.
It might give today's disaffected youth a greater sense of belonging to the rest of the community and give them skills which could help drag them out of their pits of despair.
Barry Emmott
Middlesex