BRIAN YOLE, of Skippers and the Singing Kettle, Dartmouth, writes:

Is it just me, or have traders in Dartmouth – apart from the pubs – become used to the drop in trade during the annual Port of Dartmouth Royal Regatta?

Year after year nothing gets done about the amount of food stalls operating during this period, when we have enough food outlets in the town already, probably outnumbering galleries and boutiques by now.

Perhaps it is time for us all to band together to stand up to the regatta committee, which does not want to listen, as I have personally found out. It just asks: ‘Why don’t you rent a stall?’ Why should I when I already have premises in the town, for which I pay extortionate rent and high business rates as well as trying to keep staff employed throughout the winter months?

All that seems to be happening is the stalls come into town and take any profits back out when they leave, when money should stay in the town.

Surely it is time for the regatta committee to re-evaluate the whole thing, especially with 2020’s 400th anniversary of the Mayflower looming.

Regatta committee, please ­listen to what the town wants. Perhaps invite the town traders to a meeting. You might learn something… but you probably won’t do anything.