COLIN SHEVILLS, a director of Balance, the North-East alcohol office, reckons: “We have an unhealthy relationship with alcohol in the North-East” (Echo, Oct 12).

I don’t know what Mr Shevills’ relationship is with alcohol but I certainly do not have an unhealthy relationship with it.

I do buy cheaper beer at supermarkets to be consumed at the rate of three 500ml bottles of fairly low alcohol by volume (always less than five per cent and often less then four per cent) once a week on a Saturday evening in my home, while watching TV or a DVD.

The reason I buy cheaper brands is that I am a pensioner and do not have an unlimited supply of cash to spend.

Although I wish it could be different I no longer frequent pubs and clubs for the same reason: they charge far more than I am able to afford on my pocket money.

Yes, I still receive pocket money, as I have done all my married life, and I am not about to dip into the rest of the housekeeping to subsidise my small pleasure. I never have.

I wonder is Mr Shevills constrained by the same financial restrictions as I am? No, I thought not.

If he were, then he might think differently about the cost of a Saturday night beer.

From what he implies in the article, if Mr Shevills has such a problem with alcohol, in my opinion he ought to be practising what he preaches and leaving alcohol alone altogether.

Ken Orton, Ferryhill Station.