I WAS most distressed by the sight of Port Street to the point that I felt compelled to write to the Evesham Journal.

Having grown up in the area, I was so upset seeing the street in such disrepair. So many shops boarded up - often in a most unsightly fashion.

The pavements were dirty. Rarely do I see such filth even in Hong Kong, especially not Australia.

I have always admired the quality of the fish and chips from the chippy opposite the Regal Cinema (Friar Tuck's?), but the area outside that shop was strewn with litter and half eaten fayre. It was disgusting.

I understand that a campaign is underway to save the Regal Cinema. It certainly looks decrepit at the moment and should either be spruced up or pulled down. The shops are generally drab and having just visited Wexford in Eire, this point was ever more brought home. In Wexford, and in all the small towns I visited, the shops were bright and colourful. The streets were clean.

Port Street could be such an attractive lead into Evesham from such popular spots as Broadway. Surely many first time visitors to the Evesham and the Vale must drive down the street. What a terrible first impression of Evesham they must get.

I appreciate that the recent flooding hurt some businesses and must have contributed significantly to the current sorry state of the street. Having said that, Port Street was going down-hill (excuse the pun) well before that unfortunate event.

The street has shape as it gently slopes down towards Workman Bridge. It leads to The Avon, clearly the most attractive part of the town. Port Street is in dire need of a shake. It needs a development plan, the injection of cash. It needs a character, maybe a theme to attract tourists and shoppers. At least it needs a coat of paint!

Anyway, I have said it now and expressed my disappointment with the state of the street. I really hope that the council can take a lead and make it a feature of which Bengeworth can be proud.

BERT CROSBY, Melbourne, Australia. (via e-mail).