With regard to your story My oven is my best and oldest friend: Abu Dhabi's traditional bakeries are falling on hard times (May 8), bakeries need customers. In this case, the old customers have moved away.
The new customers don’t want giant puffy breads made of refined flour. So either the bakery has to move to where its old customers are, or it has to try to change its recipe to suit the needs of new neighbours. There is no other way to keep the business going.
Sohan Dsouza, Dubai
Artificial nature offers no fun
I refer to the article Cool customers chill out in snow rooms (April 7). This isn't nature, so it's unlikely to provide the joy of natural snow. It makes me sad that people have to pay to enjoy this, when they can do it for free. Although there's no snow in the UAE, there are many other ways to enjoy nature.
Soad Elashrfi, Dubai
It’s a great idea in a country where the temperature can rise to 50°C in summer.
Natasha Clemmensen, Dubai
Why blame the gym owner?
With reference to the story Dubai woman in online spat with gym owner who called her fat (May 8), it's interesting that Labiba Laith makes a claim that Symmetry Gym only wants to help obese people. But in reality, if we actually were able to look at the demographic of Symmetry's clients, we would find that many are in fact obese, or started out obese (if we are talking about obese in the clinical sense of the word, which we should since it has a specific definition).
Overweight and obese people are exactly the type of clients that Symmetry excels at helping change their lives.
I see the rest of the arguments against the gym co-owner Amir Siddiqui.
Mr Siddiqui does not fit the common definition of nice or politically correct. But people still flock to his gym to work with him and his trainers, because they are the best at what they do in Dubai. Further, if you actually talk to Symmetry members or read the reviews (of actual gym members) you will understand how great an environment Symmetry actually is.
Andrew Griffin, Dubai
My husband and I have been with Symmetry for five months. In that time my husband has cut his body fat in half and I am wearing a clothing size I haven’t seen since I was 14. Further, Symmetry has helped me rehabilitate my back after one of Dubai’s spine surgeons told me I should spend the rest of my life sedentary.
We have both dropped a lot of fat but, even better, we are stronger than ever and feel amazing. The entire staff at Symmetry has always been incredibly encouraging and helpful, and deliver honest and knowledgable advice. I look forward to my workouts for the first time in my life and I always leave Symmetry in a good mood.
I can’t recommend this gym enough. By the way, their fees are less than I was quoted by other trainers in Dubai and I feel that I am getting an even better deal because of the added value that the other clients and all of the coaches provide. Joining Symmetry is hands down the best decision we have made in a long time.
Tiffany Larson Froggatt, Dubai
Europe can’t take migrant pressure
The plight of those claiming to be refugees is a humanitarian problem that has to be solved by everyone (Eritrea highlights flaws in Europe's migrant policy, May 8).
It should not be seen as the sole responsibility of Europe. The pressures on housing, jobs, education, health care and community relations are unsustainable causing social tensions, which will only escalate and which in time will lead to even greater demands to “close the door”.
