Having read your recent article concerning the slow start to the tourism season is down to the poor weather, etc, I feel Weymouth has bigger issues here to address. 

I visited the town recently, having just had a week-long break in the Channel islands and called in to do some shopping after leaving the ferry in Poole. 

The first thing I noted was the extortionate cost of car parking, why does it have to be so expensive? 

Where I live, our town centre parking in council pay and displays are 80p per hour rising to £1.20 for two hours and so on and free after three and Sundays. 

The town centre is disgusting, litter, drains blocked, empty shop fronts, drunken drop outs with their dogs, smell of weed being used, smell of urine in shop doorways, yobs walking along drinking premium lager, loud and abusive teenagers and it goes on and on, most of which I read about quite frequently in your newspaper about the ongoing crime etc. 

This is not the sort of place I feel comfortable bringing my family for a holiday anymore which is a real shame as my family has been coming to Weymouth for holidays since the 1970s, but I have seen it declining in the last 10 years or so. 

It used to be a lovely place to come and visit but not anymore. And lastly, having just spent nearly £200 in the shops today, we inadvertently overstayed our welcome in the Cozens Quay car park by nine minutes and got £25 fixed penalty, and why was we late, because on the way back to the car my wife needed to use the toilet and the nearest one was that ludicrous shambles of a set up in the Pavilion car park. 

As she has arthritic knees she is unable to walk very fast. 

It was a Sunday and there was no more than five cars in the car park.

On one occasion last year, I parked in the car park further along the harbour opposite Debenhams, I walked to my car to see a warden noting my number plate, when I mentioned my car had a valid ticket his response was as it was a short stay he notes down number plates to ensure the owner doesn't return within an hour or in his words "I'll do ya", what a lovely chap.

So that's it for me, after 40 years of visiting the town, sometimes five or six times a year, Weymouth & Portland BC will not be taking anymore money out of my pockets. Never.

Rob Attwood
Eastcombe
Stroud
Gloucestershire