WE read with interest over the last few weeks the comments from Mr Dodsworth and Mr Orange with regards to flying the flag for Malvern.

It is for these reasons that we took the step of reviving the flagpole in Church Street and would like to thank Travis Perkins, in Bond Street, for providing us with the paint.

We sympathise with Mr Orange, who has had a response from the district council planners suggesting his request for a flagpole would be harmful to the visual amenity of the area and would introduce an additional form of advertising that is harmful to the character of the area.

We have just returned from hotel inspection visits to Funchal, in Madeira.

The centre of Madeira is bedecked with banner advertising that looks colourful and enhances the city.

Many cities use these banner flags to encourage visitors to be aware of attractions and events.

We would love to see our flagpole and also perhaps the lamposts of Malvern used for this banner-type advertising.

We could advertise The Elgar Festival, Autumn in Malvern etc and perhaps our own business, but I doubt if the council would approve.

If Malvern is to survive as a thriving town and visitor attraction, then perhaps the town's councils should move into the new century.

Following the visit to Funchal, I would also like to see more events happening in the centre of Malvern to enhance Malvern in Bloom, such as a street flower festival. This could coincide with the Malvern Spring Gardening Show.

An annual competition to see who could provide the nicest pavement designs outside each shop in Church Street and Belle Vue Terrace, using flowers to make the designs, would I hope bring thousands of visitors to the centre of Malvern, and as far as I am aware, no other town in the county has such an event.

The flower festival in Funchal is the second most important festival in the yearly calendar. Why not here in Malvern?

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