Sir,
I feel I must write to put the record straight about Tenby Café Culture (Observer June 21), and the comments made by Mr. Thorne about a few shopkeepers in Tudor Square stopping the stalls this year.
I attended the Café Culture meetings this year, and it was never the intention to have the stalls in the square this time; they were supposed to be held at different locations around the town. It was the county council who, for various reasons, let the event down.
I would have thought that with his inside knowledge (Mr. Thorne being an ex-planning officer), it would have been elementary to check on how the road closure notice was going on. It was plain daft at best, incompetent at worst, not to do so.
Instead of cancelling the event until road closure permission was granted, someone decided without further consultation meetings to carry on with the event. At the next meeting, the vast majority of shopkeepers in Tudor Square objected (not a few as stated by Mr. Thorne).
The main reason for objection was loss of trade. Most shops lost between £500 to £1,000 last year.
It was a pity the weather was not at its best for the event. It wasn't the shopkeepers' fault, 'honest'.
C. Williams,
1 Shotton House,
Tudor Square,
Tenby.