I HAVE to disagree with your correspondent Tina Cooke regarding the “delights” of Chelmsford.

Councillors here are also obsessed with filling empty spaces with yet more restaurants.

I’m wondering how many more Italian outlets we can take!

With the recent departure of Chiquito’s even the chains are at risk.

As for empty spaces, there are now a fair number of vacant shops in both precincts disguised by metres of brightly painted plywood.

Colchester, my home for 30 years, should be grateful for still having pleasant lanes such as Sir Isaac’s Walk, Eld Lane and Trinity Street with all their delightful independent tea rooms and shops.

Chelmsford started to lose theirs in the Sixties and now is stuck with the usual bland outlets seen in most towns.

There have been recent comments that we’re beginning to resemble Basildon.

David Ricks Waltham Glen, Chelmsford

  • Merger has been on the cards since day one

So the cat’s out of the bag and Colchester General Hospital has admitted that a merger with Ipswich is likely.

This has been on the cards since the current manager of Colchester hospital was Nick Hulme, of Ipswich, whose own hospital is a PFI (privately owned and underfunded) enterprise.

This merger will of course aid the money men behind the PFI premises and cost Colchester (it probably already does).

This merger has been Nick Hulme’s target from day one.

Perhaps Will Quince will tell us what benefit Colchester will accrue? There are already plans afoot to build a new larger hospital in Ipswich - at Colchester’s cost?

Let’s have the truth and stop this merger.

Bob Dove Launceston Close, Colchester

I AM researching the history of Colchester’s secondary schools, and seek the assistance of the first pupils of what was then Monkwick Secondary Modern School and which today is known as Thomas Lord Audley.

School Minutes state that the school opened on September 8 1959 at Grey Friars (eastern end of High Street, now an hotel) with 288 pupils in school years of three age groups: first year aged 11, second year aged 12, and third year aged 13.

The school moved to its new premises on Monkwick Estate in 1960.

I would be pleased to hear from pupils who were admitted into the second and third years at Grey Friars.

I am trying to find out which schools these pupils attended prior to joining Monkwick Secondary Modern School.

Sir Bob Russell Magdalen Hall Wimpole Road, Colchester

  • Embarrass youngsters into cutting out antics

REGARDING the Government scheme looking at Colchester’s night time economy, should it be a case of “money first”.

The scheme is good but, to make true changes, it will take more than that.

Education is the key, to make youngsters aware how silly they look in a drunken state.

What damage are they doing to the reputation of a town?

How embarrassing are they looking, stumbling down High Street, throwing up, urinating, littering, shouting and even fighting.

It is costing the NHS, which is struggling, and the taxpayer a lot of money for all help and facilities to be established and run.

They are choosing of their free will to fall into a state of utter embarrassment whereas others, vulnerable people, didn’t chose but are in need due to personal circumstances.

Regarding the link to crime and cocaine, you need a lot of money to tend to your “needs”.

Authorities are handling intoxicated people and drug users too softly.

Is it the fact the money youngsters are spending contributes to society? If yes, that is despicable.

Youngsters are the future of a society. Some of them are nothing but an embarrassment.

Are high streets are full of police turning a blind eye to people being drunk and violent.

Britain, wake up. Colchester, wake up! Parents, schools, authorities: teach your youngsters to behave according to a civil society and their rules.

The well intended scheme only will work hand in hand with education.

Silvia Rahmani Greenstead, Colchester

  • It is time to stand up to ‘progress’

I STRONGLY support the comments expressed by Stephanie Murran regarding plans to build homes on Middlewick Ranges.

It was my good fortune to live very close to the Wick as a child in the Forties and Fifties.

I was an Old Heath boy and the Wick was an adventure playground - a unique and a treasured asset.

Youngsters knew just about every tree on that land from Old Heath to Donyland and from Blackheath Rowhedge.

We spent so many hours there exploring with no restriction, other than when firing was going on and the ranger on his bike was keeping an eye on things.

I remember the lizard pond and seeing newts and lizards, climbing trees and walking the length of Birch Brook.

We knew the size and markings of all the bird eggs because collecting bird eggs was not against the law.

Catching a rabbit from time to time made a good wartime meal.

So many other adventures the youngsters of today will not have if the Wick is lost to developers.

I fear the very character of Colchester and north Essex are being attacked by the town planners and developers who continue to take pride in keeping Colchester on the top of the “league of fast expanding towns” with no regard for the lives of residents here and now.

We cannot go back to the times when I went to work at my first job with H.E Williams, selling and repairing farm tractors and farm machinery in the High Street, but this so-called progress has to stop before it is too late. So come on good folk of Colchester, stand up against this so called progress. Enough is enough.

John Munson Swallow Field, Earls Colne

  • Thanks for helping daughter after fall

On Friday, January 13, my daughter, Hannah had a very nasty fall on ice.

I would like to say a big thank you to all the passers by who stopped to help her.

Hannah is recovering gradually.

Dawn, who helped Hannah to get to her place of work and then called an ambulance, and Sarah Bright, you are Hannah’s best friend indeed.

To all the kind people, names not all known, thank you.

Trudi Carter Rectory Close, Colchester

  • Amazing support for Samaritans

A MASSIVE thank you to Alan Wareham and the Campaign for Real Ale for their wonderful support in making Colchester and Tendring Samaritans their chosen charity for their two beer and cider festivals for this year.

Chairman Alan and his fellow members made us so welcome last week.

It was a very enjoyable experience.

Also, our grateful thanks to Clacton Tesco for allowing us to collect in its foyer recently The support out there for the Samaritans is amazing.

Karen Thompson Fundraising co-ordinator Colchester and Tendring Samaritans

  • Shops should alter opening hours

Schools, shops and offices are all open at 9am.

I suggest shops should open at 9.30 and close at 6pm.

This should relieve some of the traffic congestion morning and evening and could be rolled out across the country.

Mrs H. Cooper Grimston Way, Walton