... Although I am a staunch Scotswoman, I always feel that London is my second home. The courtesy and atten tion given to me by the leading hotels is really excellent. I was much impressed by the de corations in Oxford Street and Regent Street. Surprising as it may seem, we have no similar decorations in the main shop ping areas in Edinburgh; and I was amazed by the crowds of early-morning ...

... Shoot me at dawn. Extend ing the ideas put forward in the trenchant pieces by Robin Douglas-Home and Angela Ince, might I suggest that the estimable Barbara asks col league Roy Jenkins to comple ment the solid blue Dixon- figures at strategic crossings, principally engaged in re straining traffic, with pairs of motor-cycle cops in the tradi tion of the police de la route armed with whistles ...

... Sir, Is it not possible to choose more voung aud attractive; couples for your weddings page For a paper of your standing must have a considerable number of photographs to choose from Surely there is some youth and beauty left in this country, still Sometimes this nuptial page leads one to despair of it. Lewes, Sussex. R. PAYNE. Come, come, Reader Payne, beauty lies within the eye of the ...

... So we are getting our own back on the Frogs at last! Your correspondent Monsieur de Font-Reau, says he was made to take off his overcoat in a London restaurant and given bad, expensive apple- tart to eat. Good! A small revenge for the bad manners of French restaura teurs and the frightful stuff they serve up to us at pirate prices. I am not talking of the slugs and toads which seem to form the ...

... On Hugh Blackwell's excellent and amusing article on Batter- sea Fun Fair, may I make one small correction. He says Battersea Fun Fair has had a turbulent history and has been actively opposed by Chel sea Borough Council. In all fairness I feel I should state that the opposition came, not from that responsible civic authority, but from an organisation sponsored by a non-authoritative ...

... About a year ago I thought up the idea of Radio 390, a station playing mainly sweet music to provide a friendly background for housewives on their own all day. has become a major problem and is not to be dismissed as a symptom of neurotics. Many of those who write to me do get out and about, and mix with others, but they are still lonely, particularly those who live on their own. Could your ...

... Parking wardens whose in telligence, like most people who wear uniforms in civil life, cannot accept anything but the rules, are rampantly picking off motorists who park their cars under pressure and stress. The other day I was 10 minutes late to my meter from my office and yet I was given a ticket. By a woman too. Dressed like a man in those awful uniforms she hovered around my car until the ...

... A traditional English queue was totally nonplussed in a Fleet Street sandwich bar last week. The queue formed, un questioning, behind a girl, who several minutes later calmly announced to the row of hungry faces I'm not the queue. I'm just waiting for somebody. Their ensuring be wilderment was a delight to watch. Josephine Cunning ham, London, SW3. ...

... I would suggest that, it Mr Block finds he suffers unjustly from an overdose of bad manners, inflicted upon him by shop assistants, taxi drivers etc, he examines the way he treats these people. In my ex perience, it is the customer who jumps queues in shops, who provokes the assistant. It is the fare who chooses to alight at traffic lights and can not find his money, who pro vokes the taxi ...

... Recently, myself and other members of the National Association of the League of Hospital Friends decided that it was about time that we, as a group, became more united. We have 80 leagues without a single unifying symbol, not even a slogan. In October we are rectifying this situation by holding a poster competi tion, open to all schools and art schools and all ages, in places where there is a ...

... With the holiday season fast upon us, we are depending on London Life for really sound advice on hangover cures. A favourite barman has just recommended to me as the perfect morning-after drink freshly squeezed orange juice mixed with a split of cham pagne. Other friends swear by cold beer, preferably an expensive imported Dort- munder or Lowenbrau. I've often found an initial bis muth draught ...

... After enjoying Dane's programme night after night on Radio Caroline, I was in trigued to see his column in your magazine. What interes ted me even more was to discover that pirates are in telligent as well as entertain ing; or maybe Mr Dane is the one exception. Nevertheless, his reviews provide interest ing information for people both inside the pop world and out. The choice of records ...