It's becoming a ghost town

From the archive, first published Thursday 27th Oct 2005.

SO it looks as if there will be another shortfall in the finances of Swindon Borough this year. I have been here for eight years and each year we pay more for less services.

We will lose money if they go ahead to destroy Coate Country Park. I have spent a great deal of time at Coate and at the clock in Regent Street and at least 25 per cent of people who visit Coate do not live in Swindon and spend money here. Some people combine a shopping trip with a visit to Coate.

These people have made it clear that if these absurd plans go ahead they will not come to Coate.

One surprise is that a number of people travelling north, south, east or west either on holiday or business spend a day at the Holiday Inn to visit Coate, so if these unsustainable plans go ahead they will lose money.

Also how much money has been spent on this Gateway project that no one wants except for the developers?

This money should be spent on getting the many empty offices and factories back into use as these can be converted into low cost domestic dwellings and small business units.

I have been informed that this cannot be done as there is no budget for it.

So cancel the Gateway project as these new offices and factories will not be let. Already Swindon has a ghost town image and the Gateway project will add to this image.

B BURROWS

Fairlawn

Swindon

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