I MADE a rare journey to Bournemouth town centre and what a disappointment it must be to visitors to our area with very little of quality to the discerning.

I used to enjoy the annual exhibition of art in Westover Gardens but there were hardly any exhibitors this year and without wishing to dismiss such artists, what was on display was not of great merit. Surely there are many talented artists who would want to exhibit their works, if only the council took an interest?

Whilst I believe there are quite enough coffee bars in Bournemouth, their proliferation and the inability to get a normal cup of coffee at a reasonable price being a cause for me to move to Poole, those that we have to suffer should at least be strongly encouraged by the powers that be to make some contribution to arts in the town. I believe some time ago an effort was made for an arts festival but this is alas no more due, I think, to the demands of rank commercialism by any prospective sponsor.

On a final point, we were told that dance would be encouraged at the Pavilion. So far very little and at what cost?

WILLIAM TIPTON, Esplanade, Canford Cliffs, Poole