AS I walked up our very sad-looking town high street this morning, I couldn’t help recalling how the high street once looked and thrived.

As I have spent my whole life here I, and many others too, have watched in despair as this destruction takes place, all in the name of ‘progress’. What a load of absolute rubbish that is.

We used to have lots of shops of different types, none were empty or boarded up as they are now.

Every week another shop or two disappears from our town. Now the powers that be try to tell us that our little train in the park is earmarked for the next casualty of this process because of ‘health and safety’.

Four generations of my family and other families have enjoyed this little train, with no harmful effects whatsoever.

So what about the motorcycles and fireworks etc on the quay?

Many more causes for health and safety there to be aware of, I would think. As is also closing down all the public conveniences in the town, thus creating health and safety issues in abundance as we all cross our legs and suffer whilst standing for hours by train gates without a hope of having relief.

Now the hospital is under threat as we have to suffer the effects of having to go miles away and in pain. Not good enough at all.

Poole deserves far better as it was a beautiful town and far more history is attached to it than even Bournemouth or Christchurch could ever hope to dream of.

Councillors and property developers etc take note – we don’t want a concrete jungle. We want a town to be proud of.

PJ STEPHENS

New Orchard, Poole

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