Readers' letters: Mavisbank House must be saved

" Despite this setback it is important to secure the future of this most lovely of Palladian villas​​​​”
Mavisbank House has been refused National Lottery funding for a second timeMavisbank House has been refused National Lottery funding for a second time
Mavisbank House has been refused National Lottery funding for a second time

Mavisbank House must be saved

The Cairngorms have won a £12.5million grant from the Lottery Fund, but spare a thought for those who worked so hard on the bid to secure the future of William Adam’s Mavisbank House at Loanhead, a masterpiece of Scottish and British architecture.

The decline of Mavisbank over half a century has been agonising to watch and SAVE Britain's Heritage is proud to have pledged £500 to cover the costs of Scottish campaigners who won a reprieve in the Sherriff’s Court from immediate demolition in the late 1970s.

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Those valiantly promoting the Mavisbank Lottery bid, led by the Landmark Trust, secured an agreement to institute compulsory purchase proceedings on this agonisingly neglected house, crucially backed by both the local authority Midlothian Council and Historic Environment Scotland.

These proceedings are vital and must continue. Despite this setback it is as important as ever to secure the future of this most lovely of Palladian villas, complete with baroque flourishes so characteristic of William Adam, father of Robert and James, all among the very greatest talents of their age.

Marcus Binney, Executive President, SAVE Britain’s Heritage.

Wind turbines are costing us dear

SNP MP Alan Brown claimed in parliament that Scottish wind farms are penalised by high energy grid charges.

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Scottish Renewables, the trade body for Scotland's turbine owners, wants access for Scotland's wind electricity to be reduced from £21 per kW to £7 per kW, thus increasing the profits earned by the Scottish wind industry.

Electricity consumers would not benefit. When Scottish turbine owners applied for planning permission they knew they would be charged £21 per kW. When wind turbine electricity is not needed the owners are paid constraints payments.

Since 2010 nearly £1 billion in constraint payments has been paid to the owners of Scottish wind turbines and this cost has been added to all the electricity bills in the UK.

Would Alan Brown agree that this is unfair and should only be added to the electricity bills of those living in Scotland?

Clark Cross, Springfield Road, Linlithgow.

Angus misses target on English football

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I am not quite sure what Angus Robertson MSP had been drinking when he writes in his column “It is difficult to find a Scottish fan not impressed by England and their manager” (News, July 13).

Well, there is one right here and as the Proclaimers sing, there are five million waiting! Some examples of why we should all support Anyone But England:

Rio Ferdinand, when asked if England would rather play Italy or Spain in the final: “It does not matter, England will easily beat either”.

Ten thousand England fans in Leicester Square singing “Scotland, everywhere they go they get battered”.

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A manager asking two young players to take the last two penalties in the final with Sterling and Grealish watching on. If I was an England fan he should be sacked!

English fans attacking young Italian supporters and the police and smashing their way into Wembley.

All that does is guarantee no World Cup tournament coming home soon!

I am sorry but all the Scottish apologists wanting us to support England – no thanks.

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A far better idea is to run a competition for the best players during Euro 2020. I have already ordered polo shirts with my nominees of Rashford, Sancho and Sako!

David M Coutts, Pilton Crescent, Edinburgh.

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