Sir,

Your article, 'Barafundle is simply the best' - Observer, Friday, April 19, page 22 - states that the reason that this beach was voted the best in Wales was, and I quote 'One of the best things about it is that there is no car park, no café and no ice cream'.

Compare this with Broadhaven where National Trust - the owner here as at Barafundle - has converted a simple field car park into a commercial exercise with earth banks, padlocked gates, pay and display meter charging, an NT office drumming up trade, a multitude of various signs including 'Join the NT here', 'go and visit Stackpole Quay' and many others, view obstruction plan tables, and a fast food outlet with its consequential litter problem plus a refuse recycling facility. The total absence of all of which which make Barafundle so much appreciated by the visitors.

Perhaps, before it's too late, NT could apply the Barafundle principle to Broadhaven, and, whilst it's about that, to Freshwater West too - where it has consent for a fast food van, a surf school van, and, now that it has regained Gupton farm is thinking about a holiday camp site and a visitor attraction complete with water buffaloes.

Will NT never learn that the reason visitors visit our area is the reason that Barafundle has repeatedly topped the polls and that to commercialise the former Cawdor Stackpole Estate which was, when given to NT, one of totally unspoilt beaches, woodlands, headlands and lily pool - as it has been doing and is continuing so to do - is not a visitor winner. The locals say this. The visitors say this. NT refuses to listen.

John Jukes,

Bosherston.