SIR — While it is most regrettable that Mrs Owen (Your Letters December 4) should have had such a distressing, but isolated, experience in Minehead a couple of weeks ago, one might think it an excessive reaction to cancel plans for the next 25 or so years.

After all, they have been visiting for years and, recently, proposing to buy a property, presumably without any upset.

Unfortunately, “adult weekends” at Butlins can and often do provide a catalyst for unpleasant behaviour from some of the visitors, but it is no real reason to castigate the whole town and, by implication, the resident population.

The problem is, by definition, confined to a limited number of occasions in the winter, and generally only then on Saturday evenings.

Mr Owen is wrong to say such unsociable behaviour is accepted as the norm - rather it is sadly recognised as another example of declining standards.

Sensible minds manage to avoid the unacceptable face of youthful exuberance.

To most of us living in Minehead, perhaps particularly incomers, it is a lovely welcoming town, fortunate to be situated in a wonderful area of sea, moor, and countryside, with a remarkably friendly population, and offering so many opportunities for entertainment, sport, learning, and other leisure activities.

Mr and Mrs Owen may have missed a trick here, for there are few better places to live than West Somerset, and Minehead in particular.

Paul and Jenny Hart,

Parkhouse Road,

Minehead.