It is unfair to describe Hellifield Peel Castle as a disaster (Grand disasters: when buildings go bad, G2, 4 March). In contrast to the bleak concrete boxes of many Grand Designs, Francis Shaw had the vision to rescue a collapsing scheduled monument. He and his heroic builders (who lived and worked on site through the winter) restored and brought the building back to life, respecting its history as well as making a modern contribution. What is wrong with it paying its way as a B&B?
Marcia Wheeler
London
• Wednesday 6 March was British Professional Women UK’s Equal Pay Day. The date of the Equal Pay Day changes every year because it represents the number of extra days in that year that women would have to work to achieve equal average earnings with men. Surely it is time we consigned this anomaly to the history books. This and other equality issues will be debated at our national conference on 5 April in Peterborough.
Elizabeth Jowett
Vice president, BPW UK
• I thought it was because I have lived nearly 40 years in England that I was struggling with the early dialogue in the new series of Derry Girls. Now, thanks to Susan McKay (Confessions of a Derry girl: for me it’s the only show in town, 7 March), I know the awful truth: it’s because I am from Tyrone.
Maggie Johnston
St Albans, Hertfordshire
• So sleep knits up the ravell’d sleeve of care (Sleep helps to repair damaged DNA in neurons, scientists find, 6 March). Who’d have thought it?
Tessa Hall
Woodstock, Oxfordshire
• We have two lavatories, known to the family collectively as “the uppies and the downies” (Letters, 7 March).
Joyce Blackledge
Formby, Merseyside
• The Guardian letters page is marking International Women’s Day by publishing only letters from women – see them all at gu.com/letters and at the following links:
Women worldwide must be heard and respected
Rape victims can’t trust the justice system
Does taking Friday afternoon off school do children any harm?
School pupils can make their climate change strike hurt
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