Why Faithful City's tired, poor and dirty

Travelling to various parts of the country recently, it's becoming more evident to me that other cities and towns are light years ahead of Worcester when it comes to attracting tourists or day visitors of any description, whether this is down to government funding or not.

Stratford makes the most of Shakespeare. Do we do the same with Elgar? No, all he seems to do is sit at the end of the High Street with a traffic cone on his head.

Hats on the ground in Stratford appealing for donations are asking for a reward for the talent shown in street theatre, not begging.

It has a riverside to be proud of, as do Evesham or Pershore. We have a river but nothing beside it, apart from our wonderful Cathedral - and the council can't claim that!

Even the bowling greens are being maintained by the bowlers themselves. What's going on?

Derby has an old silk mill. Do they knock it down, as we in Worcester would - the latest being the Old Vinegar Works at Shrub Hill - or sell it to a developer? No. They put an industrial museum in it!

Another museum in Derby is full of children enjoying the facilities it provides, while we've closed our Museum of Local Life. They have as many, if not more, fast food outlets as we do, but not a scrap of litter.

Gloucester has just given the go-ahead for the next phase of the docks redevelopment, while the Diglis saga will role on for years over the issue of access.

Cheltenham is another example. Pedestrianisation doesn't mean lorries blocking streets, as happens in The Shambles and, to a certain extent, High Street.

All this, coupled with the fact that alcohol bans are enforced, means they don't seem to have the yobbish behaviour we stand for.

These are just a few examples of things that need addressing in Worcester instead of being pre-occupied with pandering to supermarket chains.

Let's start making the most of our assets, because I'm afraid Worcester is fast becoming a tired, dirty, poor relation.

M G Bishop,

Worcester.