I WELL remember the late Councillor Thelma Hammond, at the time of local government re-organisation in 1969, stating 'plums and salt don't mix'.

She was referring to the amalgamation of Droitwich with the fruit growing areas of the Vale of Evesham to form Wychavon District Council. I thought she was just a pessimist but events have proved her correct, when we consider the calamities which have befallen Droitwich since.

One after another our facilites have disappeared culminating in last week's disgraceful decision to abandon the lido while outside Droitwich, theatres, village halls and the like have sprung up supported by Wychavon money.

It is undoubtedly the case that Droitwich has been the major contributor to the finances of an extremely wealthy authority because Droitwich facilities buildings, housing land, industrial estates, shopping centres etc., have been sold to keep the rates down, but to our cost in the long term.

The tragedy is we have been brainwashed into believing the lido would cost a fortune to keep open.

This is only true if we first of all spend unnecessary millions on unwanted fringe activities such as ice skating rinks and sliding roofs, in the cause of making a profit. It is a fact that no swimming pool anywhere makes a profit nor do parks or other public facilities.

Should we therefore close the parks if they don't make a profit? Rather than the lido, the best tourist attaction in the town, which is an amenity the people of Droitwich wanted, enjoyed and were prepared to pay for.

John Wrenn

Droitwich Labour Party and

Wychavon district councillor