I READ with interest your article in this week's Post (February 5) concerning the completion of the Bude Tourist Information Centre. Congratulations to all those involved in the project, let's hope we see plenty of visitors to our town this year accessing the new centre.

Given the economic climate, I would imagine that those involved in the tourist industry at all levels are going to have to pull out all the stops this year to attract those visitors and it's not a time for resting on laurels.

Having said that, whilst on a visit to another town and shopping in a branch of a company who until recently had been trading here in Bude I enquired as to why they had ceased to do so? There were several reasons including making the company smaller with less retail outlets, but one that stuck in my mind was that they the company felt "Bude was dying on it's feet" as a holiday town and they decided to sell what was left of their lease.

It saddened me to hear those comments but I also began to think of what Bude was like when I came here to live over five years' ago and sadly have to say I had to agree with some of what was said.

When I first came here there was a vibrant town with a great selection of often family owned and run shops selling almost everything one needed. Sadly, as these shops have ceased to trade we seem to have become saturated with more and more Estate Agents, Café's, Restaurants who often as not close within the first twelve months and Surf Shops.

Also cited was the example of the lack of any real effort such as at Christmas here in Bude to draw people in and I know many Bude residents who would endorse that comment! If anyone one wants to make a comparison I suggest they visit Camelford or Holsworthy over the Christmas and see what can be done.

Do we really want to become a satellite of Newquay and Perranporth and rely on a transient surfing fraternity or do we strive to maintain that uniqueness and yes, dare I say it, charm that has drawn so many people to return to Bude time and again?

Bude.