We have been visiting the Dartmouth area and regatta for holidays for over 25 years.

This year was a total disaster. Not only the inconsiderate lucky wealthy few who think rules don’t apply to them, stopping the Friday air display but everything about the regatta is going quickly down hill.

While I appreciate that a regatta is primarily a water- borne event, I understood that its revenue helps keep the town’s business going throughout the winter – as most of the town seems to shut down now until Christmas – but the air displays bring in the brass which keeps the town going.

This year, the shopping village, more like shopping street, was terrible – not suprising given the cost of the stalls!

And who pays? The customer in the end.

The street market could have been described as food market – again to the detriment of the local businesses.

Disabled parking on Coronation Park? Tough, there’s now a pop-up cinema, so use park and ride at a cost of £15 per day.

Some of us can’t use a bus unless they stand still and allow me to get to a seat and settle down, then start off slowly. Then be there at the exact time I need to leave – yes, I am disabled. Is it to much to ask to consider the less able of us? Isn’t our money good enough?

We have always spent at least three days at the regatta, from breakfast through to dinner each day, buying food and drinks for a family of four adults. No longer, so the town loses around £300 from us.

Multiply this times the thousands no longer attending and what are we seeing? The end of this formerly wonderful event.

Don’t get me started either on the state of the once wonderful public gardens, now full of weeds – disgusting.

And the shops? How many ‘arty farty’ prints can you buy?

Oh well, there is still Kingsbridge.

Getting the Chronicle most weeks, all I read is petty disputes on the council.

Come on, those of you lucky enough to live in what was formerly the most beautiful place on Earth, get your fingers out or the town will die

Janice Payne

Doe Lea, Chesterfield