I've sent the following to each of the three recipients. As a native Scot my wording needs to have a slightly different take from what others are sending, but should make the point. I've sent as three individual e-mails since if sent to multiple recipients in an organsation these are often delted by spam filters.

Dear (name),

On the occasion of a get together in Dumfries for a Burns Supper weekend in late January, two Englishmen and an American were present in the tourist office in Dumfries, all wearing kilts for the occasion, when one of the English men asked Mr. Matthews whether many men wore kilts in Dumfries. Mr. Matthews replied that the only people who wore kilts in Dumfries were outspoken Americans, including a local guest house proprietor. This comment was not only derogatory of the guest house proprietor referred to, with whom the three gentlemen happened to be staying, but was grossly insulting of the American visitor who was present in the tourist office at the time with the two Englishmen.

Mr. Matthews comments, apart from being insulting to the American tourist present, were grossly untrue. I am a Scot living in Hawick in the south of Scotland and wear a kilt almost daily, including when I visit Dumfries, and I resent Mr. Matthews' assumption that because I choose to go kilted this implies that I am a loud mouthed American..

I understand that a written apology was sought from Mr. Matthews on behalf of the American visitor. As none has been forthcoming, the incident has received a certain amount of adverse publicity from the American visitor. Mr. Matthews failure to respond to the complaint letter means we have not heard his side of the story and compounds his arrogance.

As a Scot I do not wish this rude and arrogant image being presented to visitors by people purporting to be our representatives by holding down a front line job in a tourist office in a main centre such as Dumfries.

At very least, the impression I get is that Mr. Matthews needs to be given some training on tact and diplomacy. At worst you may need to consider whether he remains competent to hold down a front line post dealing with the public..

Yours faithfully,

Alexander J. Cunningham