The 70th Anniversary Elgar Concerts have been well publicised and it is nice to see that the concerts have been a sell-out, but what of other events in Malvern to celebrate the festival?

Great Malvern Association of Traders have put together a series of events in association with Anthony Collis, from Malvern Hills District Council, but the publicity for these events has come far too late to attract locals and visitors.

To survive as a town centre, these events need earlier planning and better and earlier publicity. We also need more events to attract visitors. Much has been said about our main attraction, the hills and talk of a cable car, a caf etc. These are not daft ideas and my own idea probably would seem as daft to some, but workable and a great town centre attraction that wouldn't look out of place.

My idea would be to use Priory Park as a launching pad for The Malvern Elgar Balloon, a balloon that would be capable of taking up to 30 People 500 feet into the skies high above Malvern. It would not just bring visitors into the centre of Malvern, but would also be giving them some of the most outstanding views available.

The balloon can be used day and night. I am sure that sponsorship opportunities could abound to get this project off the ground (no pun intended). Hopefully having such an attraction, would also bring new investment and new types of business into the town centre

The Bournemouth Eye is a successful operation that Malvern could be looking at.

The Bournemouth Eye is a spherical helium-filled balloon with an enclosed gondola that carries 25-30 passengers. Tethered by a high tensile steel cable, the balloon lifts to a height of 500 feet while providing a panoramic view of the English Channel and surrounding area (over 20 miles) from the highest public observation point in Bournemouth.

Lee Harrison, Select World Travel Ltd, Clarburgh House, Church Street, Malvern.