"Dear Sir"

From Alma Williams (NfCG Past President)

I note your comments concerning the "Canberra Consumer" in the last issue of Consumer News. It was I who sent Stella Walsh my copy. I have been receiving the magazine from Australia since the early 1960s when I was busy founding the Watford Group and the Australians founding a similar sort of Group in Canberra. I have twice visited them, once when I was NfCG President. It is interesting that a relatively local voluntary group continues to survive in the midst of national and federal organisations, still with the same problems as we have - like money and the need to attract younger members.

Editor's Comment - that explains the mystery as opposition to large holiday tour operators to where the "Canberra Consumer" came from. A making surcharges for payment by credit card, copy of Consumer News has been sent to Canberra.

From Mary Storer,Secretary of Tyneside and DistrictConsumer Group:

"A bouquet is in order" A new Travel Inn and its adjacent Beefeater Restaurant has recently opened near Newcastle Airport. A friend took her aunt, who is registered blind, to have a meal there and was amazed and impressed when the waitress immediately offered her aunt the menu in Braille. Aunt was, needless to say, equally impressed and delighted to be able to 'read' the menu herself, for once.

We wrote to the manager, Andy Rogers, congratulating him on his initiative and asking him if other Beefeater restaurants across the UK provided such a welcome. He replied thanking us for the bouquet we had offered and said how welcome it was to receive a letter that was of a positive nature. He told us that every Beefeater restaurant and pub throughout the country should have Braille menus and ones in various languages. Have readers experienced a similar friendly service anywhere else or is it unique to the Beefeater chain?

From M.J.Brown, who is a guest house owner in Windermere.

I read an article in the Daily Mail about your opposition to large holiday tour operators making surcharges for payment by credit card, especially as most of them only mention it in the small print. In "the Lake District" it is common practice for hotels, guest houses and bed and breakfast establishments to charge up to 4% extra for use of credit cards. The majority do not mention this in their advertising literature, only having it on a sign in reception to inform visitors about the surcharge. Those visitors who make an advanced reservation and intend paying by credit card do not find out about the surcharge until they arrive.

As a guest house owner, and consumer, I feel that dual pricing is wrong. However, where it does exist, it should be indicated in all advertising. I have written to both the Cumbria Tourist Board and the South Lakeland District Council requesting that they include these surcharges in their holiday guides; both organisations have refused to do this. I believe that if they did, then a lot of establishments would drop the surcharge, as not doing so would encourage those wishing to pay by credit card to choose an establishment not making a surcharge.

I hope that you may decide to write to the above organisations to encourage them to act in favour of the consumer so that dual pricingcan be eliminated.

This letters page is for you to make use of, to ask questions, relate victories and even ask for help. Our readership encompasses a wide range of experience In consumer affairs and there should be someone out there who can offer advice.

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