SIR — Re the incidents of vandalism reported in your October 19 issue, it appears disingenuous or paranoid for people to insinuate that Watchet's future regeneration is threatened by a string of events which amount to a handful of boys running around throwing stones, two boys throwing poop scoop bags about the place and a completely unverifiable insinuation that 'youths' attempted a break-in at the marina offices and WCs.
Dean and Dyball, the marina construction company, should remember that what is now Watchet's marina has for ages been a harbour where the young showed off their courage and spend some pent-up energy by jumping off the pipes and swimming in the muddy water, while adults turned a blind eye.
They should take into account that the young may have some initial difficulty in coming to terms with their recent exclusion and the new greater importance attached to the private property held behind the marina fences.
The harbour is Watchet's social focal point where old and young alike promenade and gather, but where adults may amuse themselves counting the few boats in the marina. The young have a continuing need to burn off their exuberance with even fewer facilities to do so.
Running around, climbing walls, and throwing stones occasionally is what the young, through history, have done and still do.
It is not a deliberate ploy to target the marina, though they could be telling us that they are tired of being ignored and neglected by civic leaders intent on protecting their vested interests.
When I and those critical civic leaders were young and contemplated a bit of mischief, the bobby on the beat would check our behaviour.
Dean and Dyball knows the world has changed and they cannot rely on those bobbies anymore. So, of course, they must provide security for their berth-holders in Watchet, as they do at all their other marinas.
Bearing in mind that Watchet has the highest proportion of under 21-year-olds than any other town in Britain yet has so few facilities. For example, there is no swimming pool, no cinema, few sports facilities, no community hall or social meeting place, after three long years the youth club remains closed and the promised skate park has not materialised — Watchet's young could be said to be amazingly patient and well-behaved.
I would suggest that Cllr Sally de Renzy Martin, as Cabinet member for watchet on West Somerset District Council, reflects the intelligent view of the majority of Watchet people (ie 2,000 of 2,800) that to build luxury houses on the East Quay is a greedy and short-sighted plan.
I suggest she persuades the district council to enter into negotiations with Dean and Dyball to scrap the idea and utilise some of the "huge investments of grant aid" to build instead youth, community, tourist and marina support facilities so that Watchet may genuinely flourish and produce the social and cultural environment and job opportunities the adults and young of Watchet have a right to expect.
Dorothy Capper,
Swain Street,
Watchet.