THE venomous and highly personal attack on Tony Brown’s criticism of the Christmas market (in Bournemouth) shouldn’t come as a surprise. In daring to speak the truth Mr Brown has clearly hit a nerve by highlighting the failure of both the council and Chamber of Commerce to create a place where people want to shop. What is clear is that the current Council and Chamber of Commerce management of the town centre is failing to address the shopping area's decline. If both the council and chamber are serious about reviving the town centre as a shopping centre of choice they must learn to listen and engage in an adult conversation with those who dare to challenge, especially when their challenger has more experience of the retail sector than they do.

More importantly, the council’s attack on Mr Brown highlights its inability to deal professionally with those who challenge their policies and performance . This approach raises the question of how the council will respond to the greater powers for local people to hold their local authorities to account outlined in the Localism Bill announced by the government this week.

Russell Mercer, Branksome Wood Road, Bournemouth