I rarely go to my local cinema since Everyman refurbished it (Report, 5 August). The removal of conventional seating in favour of settees reduced capacity and put up prices. Worse, it is not possible to book a single ticket for the two- and three-seater settees, so lone filmgoers are restricted to sitting in the few rows of single seats right at the front, close to the screen. In any case, if I want to watch films in the company of people sprawled on settees, eating and drinking, I stay at home and invite the family round for a DVD.
Karen Barratt
Winchester, Hampshire
• Jason Burke (Report, 2 August) does not mention what is probably Kenya’s most outstanding contribution to athletics. In 1968, a novice from that country, Amos Biwott, won the Olympic steeplechase. Since then, apart from two occasions when the country boycotted the Games, the event has been won by Kenyans. This is a remarkable performance, unequalled in the history of the Games in track and field competition.
Geoff Fenwick
Southport, Merseyside
• As an adopted Londoner, I am not at all reassured by the decision to introduce heavily armed police to London streets (Report, 5 August). Rather than preventing attacks, this is just as likely to trigger the paranoia of the “lone wolf”, while the real terrorists must rejoice in their triumph over London’s long tradition of unarmed police. The best way of protecting the city surely is to invest massively in mental health services, improved education and serious plans for community engagement.
Judith Chernaik
London
• In Wolverhampton there is a plaque to the Rev Kenneth Hunt (Letters, 30 July), Wolverhampton Wanderers and England footballer and Olympic gold medallist, which was erected in 2004. (The plaque does not mention it but he also played for the mighty Crystal Palace.)
Michael Cunningham
Wolverhampton
• The mention of mugwump (Letters, 5 August) brought to mind the group of that name from the early 1960s, which included, among others, John Sebastian, Cass Elliot and Denny Doherty.
Maureen Lanigan
Glasgow
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