Bill Bryson, author of Notes from a Small Island visited Weymouth in the early 90s and commented that he liked the town a good deal more than he expected to, and that it tried to maintain an air of Georgian elegance. He is known for his caustic, and true, observations of modern excrescences; I would love to hear what he would say now of our once-elegant Georgian seafront.

The laser lightposts look hideous during daylight, but at night appear to have landed out of a sci-fi film and all there is to see from the garish structures are thin strings of green light reaching into the bay. Even my daughter, who saw these for the first time, and is just about young enough to think modernisation of The Esplanade to be cool, was amazed by the vulgarity of the lasers compared with the pretty coloured light bulbs. I gather the green string looks good from the sea, but as most of us are on land, that seems irrelevant.

The viewing tower, which reminds one of those tall water towers seen in France, isn’t much better.

The flowery roundabouts have disappeared under unintelligent traffic lights.

Ferrybridge, described recently as similar to the laid-back areas in Key West, will probably be ruined by a monstrous development with no pub.

And Markham will have rows of Betterment houses which will apparently ‘enhance the environment and recreational space’. Can we have Bill Bryson on the council please?

Alex Bardswell Westhill Road Weymouth