OUR town used to be beautiful. Now, with all the empty shops, homeless people use the porches as their homes, with shopping trolleys full of their belongings.

It’s no wonder that yet another big store may be closing. My granddaughter said she felt quite vulnerable when she walked down from Beales to the Square.

The rot started when the council decided to put in parking meters. People go to Castlepoint where parking is free.

Our council has lost money on flops such as the reef at Boscombe but they certainly made the wrong decision putting in parking meters. The town is a disgrace.

My grown-up children and my grandchildren say it’s horrible now and they avoid the town.

MRS DOROTHY M BARTON

Glenmoor Close, Ensbury Park