Andrew Keeley responds to reports about the rise of the luxury barbecue, offering a simple and affordable alternative. He describes using an upturned metal milk crate, a paving stone, four bricks, and an old grill rack to barbecue for family and friends. Only the charcoal costs anything, and he reports not a single burnt sausage. The setup is maintenance-free and stacks neatly behind the shed until the next heatwave.
Simplicity Over Luxury
Keeley's letter highlights a stark contrast to the £4,500 luxury barbecues featured in a recent article. His method proves that effective outdoor cooking doesn't require expensive equipment. The key is using basic, reusable items that are readily available.
Sanctions on Iran
Brendan O'Brien from London agrees with Simon Jenkins that ending sanctions on Iran would be a positive outcome of the war. He argues that opening Iran to the outside world is more likely to weaken the regime's control than continued bombing. He applies the same logic to Afghanistan.
Strait Answers
Mark de Brunner from Burn Bridge, North Yorkshire, ponders the conflicting US and Iranian claims about the Strait of Hormuz. He questions whether the strait exists in a state of quantum uncertainty or if Iran holds all the cards, as Donald Trump might understand.
Charabanc Comedy
Phil Bloomfield from Wotton-under-Edge, Gloucestershire, shares his grandmother's only joke. It involves a horse-drawn open charabanc in South Shields. A new passenger is asked by the driver, "Are you f'Harton?" The passenger replies, "Na, it wasn't me, it must've bin the horse!"
Short Yet Wapping
Phil Wainwright from London comments on the announcement that "The next station is Wapping," noting that apparently it has short platforms, so it can't be all that big.
