LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Have you seen the state of the place?

If it’s not burnt out buildings being allowed to stand seemingly forever without the council doing anything, it’s pavements being ripped up, uneven paving being tarmacked over and made even worse, metallic fencing all over the place narrowing the walkways — and for what?

Everyone is complaining about it.

The worst area by far is between the Old Town Hall and the interchange, which is almost impassable.

It appears that bits of work are being carried out at random, some uneven areas patched over with tarmac, some having no doubt expensive new paving unnecessarily installed, where the new seating will be placed to allow the beggars to hassle you in comfort.

It is appalling that we have so many people whose lives have got to the stage where they feel they have no other option but to plonk themselves down outside any shop you might actually want to use in the hope you feel guilty enough when leaving to hand over some spare change. Tesco (one at each entrance), B&M, Home Bargains, the shop next to the Advertiser, most cash points. You name it, they’ve got it covered.

No-one seems bothered though. Not the Government, not our Labour council. No wonder people are put off coming into town. But maybe that’s actually the idea. make the place so bad, footfall will plummet, the stores will move out and housing can be built. Saves dealing with the real issue by shifting the problem, literally, out of town.

Soon there will be no town to shift the problem away from.

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