SO MUCH has been said about Weston, there certainly can t be too much left to say, but sometimes you just can't resist the urge to get it off your chest.

SO MUCH has been said about Weston, there certainly can't be too much left to say, but sometimes you just can't resist the urge to get it off your chest.

I think the gradual destruction of Weston began many years ago and only now, when we think about it all, we realise just how much damage has been done. These are a few things that stand out in my mind, most of them done against many people's wishes - not everyone of course.

Bus station - gone - we wanted to keep it.

Technical College - too high for coastline - it was still built.

Knightstone - didn't want it developed - it was.

Boating pool - wanted it restored - gone.

The Tropicana - we just want a pool - we can't have it.

The carrot - no-one wanted it - we still had it.

Dolphin Square - what's wrong with it - we like it.

The museum - starting on that now - leave it where it is.

The list is endless. All our art deco buildings are being destroyed to make way for what? Second-hand shops, phone shops, cheap clothing shops, office blocks and flats, rehabilitation houses, and fast food outlets.

What a shame we put up with it all. There's no decent parking, a dreadful one-way system, with all the buses line up behind each other in High Street and Regent Street, with no room for anyone to move. I wonder who designed that? Weston is fast becoming a drive through town - if they can find their way out of course.

Who can blame them? There is certainly not much to keep anyone here now.

I am a Westonian born and bred and my family also. I thoroughly enjoyed growing up here, there seemed to be endless things to do.

Many famous groups came to the Odeon and the Winter Gardens, dances on Saturday nights, swimming in the pool or Knightstone Baths. What has happened to it all? Even the High Street feels different now. It used to be a busy, bustling place to work with the buses going up and down, and the lovely atmosphere at Christmas time - I couldn't wait to get into work each day. It now feels slightly threatening, such a shame.

Don't get me wrong, I am all for progress if it actually improves things, but I can't think of any one thing that has enhanced our lovely unique town - I wish I could.

The coastline looks much different now, mainly concrete blocks with more to follow I imagine.

I do hope that our children and grandchildren will find something to keep them here and maybe one day hopefully, Weston could return to the thriving, interesting town that it used to be. I really do hope so, otherwise it's goodbye to Weston as we knew it.

B NEALE

Little George Street

Weston