I AM appalled at the proposed desecration of Ledbury's beautiful Market House, which is the much admired centrepiece of our town.

This is a Listed medieval building and to install a modern lift would be totally out of character. Is the same thing to be proposed for the Painted Room also?

I understand that the EU Directive to provide disabled access to public places is not mandatory and specifically states that such action is required "only where it is reasonable to do so". In no way could this vandalism be considered reasonable.

Has Ledbury Town Council ever conducted a detailed survey to determine how often, and how many disabled persons have been unable to attend the relatively few functions in the Market House?

While I fully agree that disabled persons should be afforded every possible assistance, they are reasonable people and would agree with me that there are many more important things around the town that need urgent attention for daily usage in safety.

Just one example is the pavement from the Top Cross along the west side of the Southend to Mabels Furlong, which is in a parlous condition and I know of several able-bodied persons who have been injured by falling on this uneven surface.

On the east side, up the hill from the vets, the pavement is also potholed and dangerous for walking and I have seen one elderly man fall full length off the high kerb into the busy road.

That part of the road also urgently needs red tarmac areas with 30 signs thereon, since much of the traffic there considers that 50mph is acceptable.

I know the argument that implementing improvements to these are in the remit of the county authority, which does not seem to know of the existence of Ledbury, but I submit it should be the duty of our local council to exert strong pressure to ensure some action, rather than wasting our exorbitant Council Tax on unjustified projects for the ruin of our heritage.

JAMES L TICKNER, Jubilee Close, Ledbury.