Thanks for making Zoo affordable for as many people as possible - Susan Dalgety

Not everyone agrees with locking wild animals such as tigers, elephants, even penguins in a zoo.

Campaigners against zoos argue that captivity is cruel as it suppresses an animal's natural instincts. Those in favour of zoos say that a good one offers animals a degree of protection and quality of life they would not get in the wild.

Zoos, their supporters also argue, have a very useful role to play in protecting animals from extinction and they provide a valuable educational resource for children and young people.

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Whatever your view, Edinburgh Zoo is definitely one of the best zoos in the world. The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) which runs it has played a key role in protecting wildlife, from Scotland's colony of wildcats to giraffes in Uganda .

It is also a place where generations of Scots have created many happy memories. I took my sons there when they were toddlers. I even accompanied the eldest on a school trip there. Helping herd 30 excited ten-year-olds around the Zoo is a memory that will remain with me forever.

Taking Edinburgh's penguins for a walk would probably have been easier. And a few hours at the Zoo is one of my grandchildren's favourite things to do during the long summer holidays.

It is also a very expensive day out, so I am delighted that RZSS have decided to make its Universal Credit discount ticket scheme, which was trialled this summer, a permanent fixture.

Already, 23,000 people have taken advantage of the cut-price tickets, and I am confident that in the coming months and years, thousands more will be able to enjoy everything Edinburgh Zoo has to offer, thanks to RZSS's generosity.

Raising a family these days is a very expensive business and for many parents, a family day out at Edinburgh Zoo was simply out of their reach.

Hardly surprising, as the entrance fee for two adults and two children is nearly £90, a not inconsiderable sum of money. RZSS must be congratulated for its decision to make the Zoo affordable for as many people as possible.

But a word of warning if you're planning to take advantage of the discount scheme. Take a picnic with you. The Penguin café isn't cheap!