Sir, My wife spent a frustrating 20 minutes looking for a car parking space today at Raigmore Hospital in order to visit her 87-year-old mother who was rushed in with a heart problem.

Sir, I am a bus driver's wife and feel the need to put my perspective on last week's bus strike.

Sir, I am a lawn tennis historian looking for a way of getting information on a former Inverness firm.

Sir, Some Caithness councillors have declared they are having Gaelic "rammed down their throats" over the question of Gaelic/English road signs and that Gaelic was never the language of Caithness — theirs being more akin to Norse. As Caithness is due to host the Mod in 2010 maybe that is not what people wish to hear.

Sir, Regarding Lorraine Mann's article (Courier 7.11.08), I usually agree with some points that she raises in her column. At other times I am prepared to read, and disagree with her.

Sir, Many of your readers will have noted that Nicol Manson opposes the River Ness flood defence system proposal because it might depreciate the value of his affluently-located riverside properties (Courier, 11.11.08).

Sir, I take exception to the remarks of SNP councillors over the Gaelic signs issue.

Sir, On reading Hugh Ross's piece (Courier 4th November) regarding the limitations of numbers permitted to perform in the public spaces in the Eastgate Centre, I was filled with foreboding.

Sir, The Inverness Courier is quite right to highlight the seriousness of the financial challenge facing NHS Highland (October 31).

Sir, It has just been proven to me that in times of trouble people can be very kind. Last week I fell and broke my arm in the centre of Inverness and nobody "walked past on the other side". Total strangers, including one young man who was an absolute star, came to my aid.

Sir, I saw an article in the Courier about delays at Fort Augustus lock gates during a Caledonian Canal holiday. This year I was on a boat that arrived at the lock gates in the evening.

Sir, I'm a 72 year old carer struggling to look after my wife at home and I get 68p a week for keeping her out of expensive council care.

Sir, In this modern day we see articles about sectarianism in SPL football and how bad it is. I am an ICT season ticket holder and listen to the ground tannoy barking out rules and responsibilities for behaviour at the ground.

Sir, Do not be surprised by the closure of four newsagents in Inverness over the past few weeks. Instead, consider that if you purchased this newspaper in Tesco, Morrison's, Marks and Spencer or even Lidl, then YOU are partly to blame. You may even have been partly responsible for the closure of every independent fruit and veg shop in Inverness.

Sir, I wonder just where democracy fits into the present Gaelic picture as asserted by Donald Morris, the chairman of Fòram Gàidhlig Inbhir Nis (The Courier, 7th October).

Sir, I was one of the four Highland councillors who voted against granting outline consent for a food kiosk on Ness Walk, close to St Andrew's Cathedral, in September 2002.

Sir, SNP councillor David Fallows claims local MP Danny Alexander is wrong to say an independent Scotland could not have saved HBOS and the Royal Bank of Scotland.

Sir, In response to the letter on car parking at Inverness Airport (Courier 24/10/08), readers should be assured that the arrangements are as follows:

Sir, Re your headline "SNP accused of unsavoury side" (Courier 24/10/08). It was gratifying to hear that Councillor John Holden stated he had huge amounts of respect for John Finnie, who had always been very supportive.

Sir, For the first time in Scotland, we are told, onshore wind farms are now generating more electricity than all of the country's hydro schemes put together.

Sir, Yet again you choose to publish a set of outrageous claims by Brian MacGregor relating to the police investigation surrounding the planning issues relating to the Highland Housing Fair.

Sir, May I make an appeal to every family who has had a child injured or tragically killed leaving school transport to have the courage to contact me.

Sir, Danny Alexander leaves me aghast with his breathtakingly simplistic and naive eight-point plan to help ride the credit crunch.

Sir, Ceud mile failte — really? A hundred thousand welcomes? Not it seems for the Polish dance group who were invited to Inverness to take part in Polish culture week.

Sir, William Morrison's criticism of Christina M. Palmer's letter re Hugh Nichol (Courier), only reflects the virus of vertigo which has infected the thinking of local politics and of Inverness City Centre Mismanagement.

Sir, I write regarding my recent experience at Inverness Airport.

Sir, It gave me much satisfaction to read the letter sent by Amanda Learmonth.

Sir, Recently, Mr Alston who is involved in Highland Council's finances claims that it could not afford the expense of providing free school dinners for all children between the ages of five and seven years of age.

Sir, I have read the recent articles in respect of prettifying the Old Town with interest and it strikes me that one very important point is missed.

Sir, With regards to the new timetables in Inverness, the sooner the bus company start running the service to suit the passenger the better.

Sir, Because of the total mismanagement of every country by their politicians, we are now all being forced to pay for the mistakes of bankers, who are apparently as blind and useless as politicians.

Sir, Every day it is becoming increasingly clear that we need to take children into speaking Gaelic before they reach the age of three years — that is if we really are serious in wanting intergenerational transmission to become the norm.

Sir, I refer to the letter regarding Gaelic signs by Donald Morrison, chairperson of something Gaelic who states that bilingual signs will give an economic boost to an area where they are placed.

Sir, It seems very unjust that because Councillor John Holden is subject to a police investigation that hundreds of people have lost their Sunday morning entertainment, and many their source of income.

Sir, The first meeting of the new Friends of the Earth Scotland Inverness & Ross group has taken place.

Sir, The scheme of the IOTA (Inverness Old Town Art) team to add a creative image to the decrepit (Wailing Wall?) skirting the Crown Road below Stephen's Brae, is a good one, and might discourage Crown Road from being renamed Vomit Valley.

Sir, I write after being deeply saddened by the front page news (Courier 7.10.08) regarding Councillor John Holden and the investigations he is currently under for alleged fraud.

Sir, In response to D. MacDonald’s letter regarding bus safety (Courier 30.9.08), I wish to highlight a problem that we have been suffering in Inshes Wood for some time with the buses.

Sir, I am writing with regard to the takeover of The Halifax Bank of Scotland. I am astonished to discover that such a high percentage of the banks’ commercial interest is linked to the private property market.

Sir, I would have thought that shops in Inverness, and anywhere else for that matter, would be glad of all the customers they could get. Hugh Nicol, the chairman of Inverness City Centre management, seems to have a death wish idea for the city centre shops. He wants cars to be limited to 10mph and most of the area pedestrianised. Mr Nicol says: “It is people who shop, not cars.”

Sir, It is always tempting to try and simplify complex and intractable problems by resorting to slogans. The recent calls to pedestrianise the city centre and thereby solve its problems are a case in point.

Sir, We are concerned that some councillors in Inverness are once again resisting bilingual signs in Gaelic and English.

Sir, Contrary to your article which reported that the Food and Drink Leadership Forum contains no representatives from the Highlands and Islands ("Claims of snub for Highland food", Courier 23.9.08), I can confirm that the forum does include among its members Ken Mackenzie who lives in Inverness, grew up in Drummadrochit near Inverness and studied at Inverness Royal Academy.

Sir, D. Walker, "A need for parent and child parking spaces" (Courier 16.9.08), in levelling unfair criticism at the Rose Street Car Park and Highland Council, and stating that he/she will no longer frequent it but would rather patronise "the Falcon Gallery car park and the Eastgate", might be well intentioned, but is in fact lacking in clear and concise judgement.

Sir, Re architect Andrew Bruce challenging city planners to "reclaim the streets for pedestrians" (Courier, 23.9.08).

Sir, I always look somewhat suspiciously at any dramatic change in policy of any political party to see whether this is a genuine move in view of changed domestic circumstances or some political manoeuvre to try and reverse their falling popularity.

Sir, As many people will now be aware, Inverness Leisure experienced a fire in one of its plant rooms earlier this month resulting in many of our customers being evacuated from the facilities.

Sir, With reference to your article about changes to bus routes, I had a frightening experience today connected to these changes. I live in the Crown area and regularly use Victoria Drive, where drivers have to be extremely careful because of its proximity to Millburn Academy.

Sir, I am writing to complain about the delay in repairing the fire damage done to the swimming pools at the Inverness leisure centre. The information from the leisure centre about the timing of the repairs has either been non existent or disingenuous.

Sir, So the BID company wants to promote the city and make it a more attractive place for businesses.

Sir, Yet again, the development of the Maple Court Hotel raises its ugly head.

Sir, I would like to provide some information about the "excavations" in Inglis Street in Inverness in light of the letter (Courier, 16.9.08) from D. Mackay.

Sir, In our past history we have invaded and colonised countries, imposing our lifestyle, democracy and accountability standards.

Sir, Re Leonella Longmore's article on Milan/Inverness, and your editorial in the 16th September edition; I would fully agree with the aspirational comments and suggestions she makes on pedestrianisation, the need to reclaim streets for people and be bold, imaginative, exciting and forward thinking in making the most of the fine "Old Town" spaces of the city.

Sir, We have had to put up with an awful lot of inconvenience due to the never-ending road works and for some embellishments, like the "heaps of stones", as I heard people call them, in Church Street.

Sir, I would just like to pass on my thanks to the staff at Inverness Aquadome for the way they handled the evacuation of all the folks using the pool/sports centre on Saturday when a fire broke out.

Sir, With the election of Jimmy Gray as the new provost of Inverness and a new controlling majority on the council apparently making some sensible noises, including putting off the proposed museum which no doubt would have finished up grossly over-budget like Eden Court and all the new schools.

Sir, I received an application to register my vote. On it was the heading "Nationality" and within the space below, the letters "UK", giving us no choice to express ourselves as Scottish, English, Welsh or other.

Sir, I have been making a concerted effort recently to use Rose Street Car Park and the "Old Town" shops in Inverness, but feel frustrated at the small, tight parking spaces in the car park, and the lack of sufficient parent and child spaces.

Sir, I logged onto your website to post my vote on the subject of car parking charges at Raigmore Hospital and was dismayed at how the question had been phrased.

Sir, I would like to add to the list of excavations proliferating in the Highland Capital which Mr Bannerman wrote about (Courier 5.9.08).

Sir, In your "Showing initiative" article (Courier 2.9.08) you stated that VisitScotland was not present at an event in China's Shenyang.

Sir, It is ironic that whilst a "secret deal" has been going on between the Scottish Government to use £50 million of public funds to secure two Titian paintings from the Duke of Sutherland's collection, that our political representatives cannot get a brass farthing out of them to fund the dualling of the A9.

Sir, I'm delighted you've covered the story about the suspended junior doctor at Raigmore Hospital.

Sir, I did not believe the rumours about the junior doctor's suspension until Prof Paice confirmed them by answering The Inverness Courier's journalist.

Sir, Who said: "We live in well designed, sustainable places where we are able to access the amenities and services we need"?For those who don't know, it was the SNP, as part of its much vaunted Single Outcome Agreement with local authorities.

Sir, In Tuesday's Courier you carried an article regarding the parking problems for people working in the Longman. I was astonished that not once in the article was it mentioned the complete lack of public transport serving this large area which must employ a considerable number of the city's workers.

Sir, There is a very simple answer to parking problems in the Longman — the car park at the football stadium lies empty most of the time and considering the project was given a huge amount of common good funding it wouldn't be unreasonable to use it.

Sir, The latest round of proposed post office closures is clearly a bitter blow for the communities concerned, and it is particularly disturbing that these closures will impact hardest on the most vulnerable.

Sir, I was fortunate to bump into Donnie Kerr, the remaining councillor for Inverness Central not contacted in the last 20 months over the Bruce Gardens perimeter fence saga.

Sir, With two major international championships set to visit these shores over the next six years, perhaps now is the time for Inverness Sports Council to lobby both the IOC and the Commonwealth Games Federation for the inclusion of an additional sport which will certainly give this city the best of chances, not only of GB and Scottish team selection but of an almost certain monopoly of the gold medals.

Sir, I was on holiday at Aviemore recently when I was unfortunate to fall while out walking in Insh Marshes. The point of this letter is to say what wonderful treatment I was given, firstly by the ambulance crew and followed by the care and attention given to me on Ward 3C at Raigmore Hospital in Inverness.

Sir, Seventy years ago, I can recall open air curling being played at Aberlour, over 62 years ago, I recall myself Dutch-Runner speed skates skating on the grand canal reaching the close by lake in Klagenfurt, Austria, 55 years ago ice-hockey skating at the ice-rink in Streatham, London, and today I read in the Helen Paterson article "...hopes for Ice centre" that was established in backward Inverness only 40 years ago.

Sir, I would like to express my displeasure concerning the road signs directing visitors towards Castle Stuart. These are a disgrace! There are numerous large road signs across the district which accurately shepherd people towards the "castle".

Sir, There is hardly day goes by that does not see young people chastised by the media, and yet the immensely positive contribution the vast majority of young people make to their communities is simply glossed over.

Sir, Nearly everyone knows someone who has ME. They may even know someone who is so badly affected by the illness that they have lost their job and have to live on benefits. Believe me, for them this is not a career choice. Without exception, people with ME are desperate to get well and live normal lives.

Sir, Inverness book lovers will be delighted to hear we are to have the book festival we deserve at Eden Court in October and I was impressed with the event's overview and look forward to the chance to see and hear so many talented Scottish writers. However, I was disappointed to see the almost slighting write-up James Kelman received in The Inverness Courier.

Sir, I would like to reassure your correspondent (Courier 8.8.08) that some very important research into MS is taking place in Scotland, most of it funded by the Multiple Sclerosis Society Scotland.

Sir, The chairwoman of Dalneigh Residents Association is mistaken that the only issue raised with Highland Council by the OAP complex in Bruce Gardens is "a boy playing football by himself" without damaging property and gardens who is now on "best behaviour." Ahem!

Sir, I am compelled to write to you to say I am appalled at the vitriolic attack on Councillor Roddy Balfour by Angus McKillop (Courier 15.8.08).

Sir, While sympathetic to the emotive subject of attacks on the police, I had to laugh at the suggestion the police should be able to see the medical records of someone who assaulted a police officer.

Sir, I have just left The Dell, Kingussie, where I had paid £5 to watch a Cup Final between Fort William and Kilmallie. I stayed for half of the first half and left for the simple reason there was no way you could watch the game.

Sir, I must congratulate Andy Dixon on his very balanced and informative article on the dangers police officers face but must respond to the fears raised within your otherwise fair editorial on the same subject (Courier 8.8.08).

Sir, It looks as if Highland Hospice is about to embark on a gigantic fund-raising exercise either to finance an expansion or to plan complete removal to a new site.

Sir, I was delighted to read Ron Wynton’s letter regarding driving standards on the A9 (Courier 12.8.08). To a great extent it mirrors comments made by myself a couple of years ago in the letters column.

Sir, I refer to the letter from the MS sufferer (Courier 8.8.08). I agree that this is a dreadful illness and strongly feel that more could be done to help those affected by it.

Sir, What a relief that Jimmy Gray has become the Provost of Inverness. A man I'm sure is more than up to the job. The loser in this two-horse race, Councillor Roderick Balfour, put himself up for the job and, despite all his campaigning, failed even to get a seconder. You think this would give him the message.

Sir, In the centre of Culloden there are 10 retail food outlets. You can purchase takeaway food and drink from nine of them. Yes, nine! For the disbelievers they are: pub, mini-market, filling station, bakery, cafe, chippie, Indian, Chinese and pizza place. Is it any wonder the place is litter strewn.

Sir, I enjoyed your article regarding Forces veterans seeking backing for a pensions campaign (Courier 1.8.08). However, I consider there were two very important aspects of this situation that require further explanation.

Sir, I am writing in reply to the letter entitled "Not enough being done for MS sufferers" which appeared in your publication of Friday 8th August, and feel I have to address the comments made.

Sir, Our city centre hass a tatty appearance — weeds on buildings, broken pavements, disgraceful roundabouts.

Sir, I read with interest your interview with the Alex Salmond, and specifically his comments on the A9 and the Edinburgh trams project (Courier 5.8.08).

Sir, Your correspondent Lorraine Mann has called for dualling of the A9. (Courier 1.8.08). Dualling is not the complete answer, however, but could it be that the friend she highlighted in her column gets too close to the slower vehicle in front; this considerably reduces her visibility and gives her no room to accelerate until she has moved out alongside.

Sir, It is an interesting concept that Deveron Homes, having failed dismally to win over the local Sandown residents for their planned gross overdevelopment of the Sandown Farm area, which is totally contrary to the Local Plan 2003, has now embarked on a flanking move to spin their version of their plans by inviting both local and national press to a "behind closed doors" briefing which also included Highland councillors, but deliberately excluded our equally and legally elected community councillors.

Sir, Yet again it has been seen and heard of tragic accidents on the A9, yet again we hear the same tune — get the road upgraded.

Sir, It is with interest that I read that Robertsons are willing and able to rescue the badly fire damaged Craig Dunain building (Courier 1.8.08). The question now is why are the developers of Viewhill House not able or willing to do the same.

Sir, Further to previous letters about the Asda planning application for Slackbuie, can I please remind some people that planning officials have to make recommendations based on Planning Law and take into account the Adopted Local Plan for the area, not get involved in retail battles.

Sir, Alex Salmond is at it again. His claims that most people are satisfied with what they have seen from the SNP's executive. That, of course, would be true if all you speak to are SNP members or avid supporters.

Sir, So, at last, the government is being held to account for selling our personal details but the true situation is far, far worse.

Sir, The Government in Edinburgh is planning to make all the single carriageway road from Perth to Inverness (on the A9) into "2+1" lanes, stating that they have then made improvements; this must not be accepted.

Sir, My heart sank when I read that Councillor Roddy Balfour is considering standing as Provost of Inverness. Here is the man who launched a bitter attack against the fantastic Eden Court renovation project claiming that it was all a waste of money.

Sir, I refer to the rare cavalry sword which was auctioned at Bonham's last week for £5000.

Sir, Can there really be any other candidate for the prestigious appointment of Provost than Roddy Balfour?

Sir, I was interested in your article on the Onion Johnnies.

Sir, A combination of things, namely the streetworks in the Old Town, the many tourists who take photographs of the buildings in the city and the repainting of bollards in the High Street, has prompted me to ponder...

Sir, Your editorial (Courier 22.7.08) sets out various reasons why Tesco has brought down the fuel prices in Inverness to match its Elgin store.

Sir, I have to challenge the assertion by Action for Planning Transparency (APT) (Courier 18.7.08) that the proposed development of the A96 corridor