Save our town

We must all have been going around with stardust in our eyes and missing all the crowds surging in the busy shops, hardly being able to cope with all the customers, so very, very busy.

How wonderful to see our town council chiefs outside the front of the town hall having their photos taken – a happy, smiling group, of merry women and a couple of councillors, standing there with not a care in the world, oblivious to the woes of the local community.

It's so reassuring to know straight from the horse's mouth that Corsham town is thriving.

Would the people responsible for this good news be good enough to tell us what plans and incentives they have to regenerate business in Corsham?

Seemingly a good many residents of Corsham have aired their concerns about the closure of so many shops in the Martingate Centre and in the high street.

About seven or eight shops have or are closed. People are wondering what is going to become of their town.

Obviously the rents are too high, regardless of what Mr Bill Hall has stated – that he wants to help businesses in Corsham to survive. How about, as a gesture of goodwill, letting the shops rent-free for a year and then a modest rent after the first year? What do you say to that, Mr Hall?

Bringing more young people into the town is not the answer. What about doing more for our senior citizens, disabled and infirm? Without these people the young folk wouldn't be here.

Where is the Chamber of Commerce? They seem to be keeping a low profile. How about a bit more help and support to promote our Tourist Information Centre?

It's about time our local town council gave some useful help and moral support to this important historic part of Corsham. The volunteers do such a good job, always ready to help.

Do the people of Corsham think the council's crackpot scheme to alert visitors to the shops in the High Street, i.e. better signs on Pickwick Road, is going to make any difference? It's farcical – directing visitors to empty shops. What a laugh.

Isn't it about time car parking charges were abolished? This is part of the problem.

It has definitely killed off trade in the town.

Personally, I think the council chiefs and their colleagues in question are living in cloud cuckoo land. They haven't got any idea what to do about the mounting problems.

If there is so much going on behind the scenes about the new published results of the public realm, why can't we, the residents of Corsham, be told? Why such a secret?

A request to you Mr Bill Hall, seeing as you are a shrewd businessman, you must have quite a lot of contacts in the professional world. How about finding an Italian professional who specialises in gelato (ice-cream) making.

Someone who would take on one of the empty shops and turn it into an ice cream parlour. The Italians are wold famous for their gelato. Think of all the mums and dads and children longingly watching and tasting the famous ice creams. It would be quite an education for the young folk and all generations to see and learn how gelato is made and all the history attached to this recipe.

It could bring in quite a lot of tourists, day trippers or school outings from all over the county.

It would be wonderful if a professional Italian could take on this project. If this project became a reality, one might then persuade Mary Berry to open the ice cream parlour. Seeing as this lady was born in Bath, she would be familiar with all the local areas, and surrounding beauty spots. One might hope it would bring in a good many people to see such a popular celebrity and a very versatile lady. Here's hoping for some response to Corsham's plight.

Doreen R Stevenson, Hatton Way, Corsham