FOLLOWING on from A Porter’s letter (HAS, Oct 30) I’d like to say that, as an Englishman, I appreciate the bagpipes as a musical instrument.

There’s no doubt that the sound can be very moving and emotional.

However, I also believe that playing the bagpipes is very much a case of “right place, right time”.

As a work colleague reminded me, the Scottish definition of a gentleman is someone who can play the bagpipes, but chooses not to.

Paul Dobson, Bishop Auckland.