Tim Bradley (Letters, 1 October) and Adam Halawi (Letters, 7 October) are comparing apples and pears. Most heat pumps in the UK are used to heat water for radiators or underfloor heating. Tim’s heat pump is heating air that is being ducted throughout his Swedish property. Assuming his ducting was already in place, all that would have needed changing was the heat source. But Adam’s radiators will need replacing with larger units due to the lower operating temperature, and I suspect his insulation will need upgrading.
David Anson
Sheffield
Your report (Squeezed out: last accordion maker in France to close shop after 105 years, 5 October) reminded me of the definition of a gentleman: one who can play the accordion, but doesn’t.
Dr Richard Carter
Putney, London
Zoe Williams thinks that Labour politicians should wear a uniform to stop fashion sleaze (7 October). She is being ironic, I hope, as the 20th-century history of political uniforms didn’t go well.
John Davies
Lancaster
The Housemartins, Everything But the Girl, Mick Ronson, the Bootleg Beatles, Blur and Oasis were all mentioned in your sports pages in Tuesday’s print edition. Is this proof that sport is the new rock’n’roll?
Neil Cole
Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire
Re bitterns (Letters, 7 October), our Irish musical heritage includes a song lamenting the death of a bittern, still sung today: An Bunnan Buidhe (The Yellow Bittern).
Jim Morrison
New Barnet, London
