I would like gmail but no apps?

Me neither. I would just get an alternative email account with a small provider or buy your own domain. That way you get full control over your email and don't have to worry about everything being cataloged and stored.

Google do seem to punish users for not using Google Plus these days. Like if you try to make a Google Play Store review it will try to publish it under your real name for all your close friends and family to see.

Here is the official information, they have help text so just Google for the answer:

--Deleting my Google+ profile--

Open Google+. Place your cursor in the top-left corner for the Google+ main menu.

Click Settings.

At the bottom of the screen, find the heading Disable Google+. Under the heading, at the end of the phrase "Delete your entire Google profile here", click "here".

So just get a Gmail account. I have Gmail and, other than Google, which I use often, I'm not forced to use anything I don't want to use. I'm not forced to use Google as my search engine either, but I prefer it. I don't have a Gmail app. I set up my phone so that the email function that came with it uses my Gmail account.