Should visitors take off their shoes?

WERE she to visit my house, Virginia Ironside would be encouraged to leave. My one request of friends who come here is that they don’t wear their outdoor shoes inside (Mail). Apart from that, they can do pretty much what they want. Has Ms Ironside never walked along a snow-covered path dodging the footprints of an early morning walker who has stepped in dog poo? It travels on the feet for yards, clearly visible in the snow. I’m not germ-phobic. I just want to be able to sit on my living room floor comfortable in the knowledge that no one has tracked into my home what is out on today’s pavements. I don’t have small children or grandchildren but most of my friends do. Many of those friends have the same request when I visit their homes, and I happily oblige. I consider it to be respecting other people’s homes and values. Why would anyone criticise or disrespect my values in my home? I congratulate all the young people out there with this ‘obsession’. And it isn’t the host’s fault if Virginia’s dress looks dowdy without her shoes on. I’m amazed that Virginia gets invited anywhere.

LYNNE DENCH, Chelmsford, Essex. We VISITeD my cousin one Christmas eve. She had just moved to a house where the front door was at street level and the back entrance was down one level. We weren’t allowed through the front door because of the new carpets and had a struggle to get my poor elderly mother to the back door in the dark. Then there was a flight of steps. We got her inside only to be faced with a flight of stairs to the sitting room. After all this, we were asked to take our shoes off — even Mum who had difficulty with this. I’m elderly myself now, and anyone is welcome in my home, complete with shoes.

AUDRIE BURTON, Bromsgrove, Worcs.