Jonathan Denby cannot be allowed to get away with insulting British students and their parents as he so clearly does in his Podium article (Gazette, August 6, 'Chinese visitors must be given a warm welcome').

With regard to his sweeping statement that British students “spend their student days boozing, clubbing and socialising”, I must insist on an apology from him for all the British students and their parents who know this is nothing more than flagrant exaggeration.

His reflections on wanton British student life certainly don’t concur with my experiences as a former university lecturer.

In recent years both my son and daughter have worked incredibly hard to obtain their 2.1 and 1st Class degrees in Accountancy & Finance at Manchester University, afterwards going on to even harder studies to pass their CAs with two of London’s leading Accountancy firms. They are not unusual and many other British students have worked and are working just as hard - and harder. They have to, to survive today!

Furthermore many British students have not had the advantages of having had the helping hand of wealthy parents or the privilege of a grammar or public school education. The achievements of those who have not, or who have battled with disability or learning difficulties, deserve the highest praise.

Like so many other British parents supporting our British students, we parents have had to make many sacrifices to see our children through the difficult financial and emotional strains of their degree studies and the uncertainty of getting a good job afterwards in this the longest and deepest recession on record.

Yes, Chinese students may be very wealthy and extremely privileged but many tend not to spend a lot of money, preferring for example to lug their heavy suitcases from the railway station rather than paying for a taxi though it may be a very long haul and it’s raining heavily.

Many also prefer a cheap “meal deal” from the local Co-op rather than spending money dining out.

I have spoken to many Chinese visitors and, contrary to Mr Denby’s opinion, a high proportion are indeed quite happy doing the normal visitor things such as “gazing at scenery”, “sitting on a boat” or taking a guided bus tour.

So while we would have no hesitation extending the warmest welcome to Chinese student visitors to this area, we would also equally advocate welcoming home-grown British students.

Ross Nicolson

Windermere