Your correspondent Anne Gibson (Money has become the only motive", Echo, October 6) is right to be depressed by the noises coming out of Weymouth and Portland Council about entirely predictable last-minute pressure from Howard Holdings to increase the scale of the Pavilion redevelopment.

But she is quite wrong to say that since the protest group faded away' there has been no talk' about the view of the Bay and the Nothe that is going to be lost forever, the demise of the Cactus Tea Rooms, or the grim prospect of a high-rise housing estate on the pier that will be unaffordable to locals and deserted in winter.

Quite apart from the regular flow of eloquent letters in the Echo on this very topic, protest activities have continued unabated.

Only a few days ago, several protesters spoke from the public gallery at a meeting of WPBC's Management Committee where, as reported in the Echo, there was due to be a statement by the Mayor which didn't materialise.

Ms Gibson should be encouraged to learn that protesters subsequently each received a personal email from the Mayor. He apologised for the absence of a statement and acknowledged that their inputs to the meeting were pertinent to that discussion' and not inappropriate as we are clearly at a critical stage in the negotiations'.

Furthermore, he claimed that Howard Holdings would be happy to receive comments on the proposals before they finally apply for planning'.

A second email from the Mayor clarified that despite council officers saying there would be no further opportunity for public comment, there would in fact be a display where comments will interest but not necessarily influence' the developer (no surprise there then!).

Is this the beginning, however late, of a dialogue with the real majority in Weymouth? Will the council now have the courage to take genuine public soundings?

Will everyone who has spent the past year grumbling about the iniquity of the redevelopment plans, including our MP Jim Knight, now please stand up and be counted?

Echo correspondent Derek Julian (Let's have a public vote on Pavilion proposals', Echo, October 6) has challenged the council to hold a referendum to settle this important issue once and for all...before we ruin one of the best views in the world'.

I agree. Let's finally convince the Council that the vast majority of Weymouth and Portland residents do not want a private housing estate on land that has been designated for tourism and leisure uses only' in the Local Plan.

Hilary Sternberg, Belle Vue Road, Rodwell, Weymouth.