Sir,
After reading Mr. May's comments in the article on the front page of last week's Observer, I really felt that I had to get in touch with you.
It may be boring to Mr. May to read the letters from people that are disgusted with the way that Tenby is rapidly slipping downhill, but he should take note, that if things carry on in this way, he will lose what trade he has and no amount of 'New Concepts' - as per his own advertisement in later pages will lure people back to a place with a reputation like the one that Tenby is rapidly acquiring.
It should give him pause for thought that even the Town Council is so concerned with the problems caused by these people, that debating the problem is now top of the agenda at the next meeting. After all it is not only the noise and disturbance, it is the increased necessity for the cleaning of the mess left behind, which leads to rats if unattended to, and the need for an increased police presence on our streets, all of which will have to be paid out of Council Funding, which unfortunately for us is a finite resource.
I can't see anyone in the town being pleased with the prospect of a huge increase in the Council Tax which will have been brought about by pandering to this element of society.
As far as his comment about this 'culture' being a national phenomenon, I'm afraid I also have to disagree with him there, from enquiries among my friends and relatives scattered about the United Kingdom, they certainly are not experiencing the same problems that we are, or if they are, not in such concentrated amounts as to make the town so unpleasant for other people they have leave, stating that they will not be returning in the foreseeable future.
This has been happening far too often of late, almost every week we have a letter or an article, about the problem, which just goes to show that both the Police, who are doing an excellent job under difficult circumstances, and the Publicans of the town are going to have to work very closely.
As Mr. May says, he isn't responsible for the behaviour of people after they leave his premises, but wouldn't it be more responsible, and an act of good citizenship on the part of him, and the other licensed premises of the town, for all of them to keep a close eye on their patrons, and by exercising not only their social skills, but also their rights as publicans, prevent these people from leaving their premises in the state of intoxication that too often leads to these problems.
No-one begrudges people a good night out, but I'm afraid that a lot of the time someone's idea of a good night out, is just that bit too far for comfort, and I fail to see why the good night out of the few, should spoil everything for the rest of the community.
Mrs. L. D. Rees,
46 Newell Hill,
Tenby.