SIR — I have been reading with interest the on-going debate in the letters column about the future of the old hospital in Minehead.

The two main protagonists have both made good points, despite their obvious differences in opinion as to their view on the site's future.

In some respects they are both right. The town desperately needs more centre parking; it also desperately needs a central focus both for tourist information, a local museum, as well as a focus for more cultural events.

If you visit Hawes in North Yorkshire you will find a prime example of how this sort of thing should be done.

On a smaller site than available in Minehead, they have made use of the old railway station to encompass an excellent museum, tourist information and a cafe.

The site also provides convenient parking for visitors to the town.

Much of the information they provide not only revolves around the town but also what is on offer in the national park - a similar situation to Minehead.

I would be more than happy for public funds to be spent if any of our councillors would like a 'jolly' there for a day or two. I'm sure they would come back not only impressed but anxious to do something similar for this town. It's not rocket science.

Sadly I feel that Minehead has lost the plot as far as the two aspects of town are concerned.

Firstly, as a town it has no idea how to deal with tourism.

Travelling widely throughout Europe I have seen first-hand what needs to be done.

We are just not serious about tourism in this town and don't deserve success.

Any small French town will have a good tourist office, way-marked town trail, local display maps and historical information boards and above all a good town plan.

As a visitor to Minehead, if you happen to end up parked in the Co-Op car park, all you find is a miserable basic town plan which is placed on a wall directly behind a waste bin. Very encouraging!

Secondly (and unfortunately local citizens seem to come second place in Minehead), facilities for locals are woefully poor.

Despite being the folk who actually pay for the town through their rates, they get very little in return and are governed by a council who seem to me to either have too many vested interests or simply don't care enough about the folk of the town to make their experience of living here an enjoyable one.

Just the basics are in need of attention - our parks are only just surviving and the gardeners do an amazing job still with their limited budget.

Some of our local walkways are a disgrace and hardly likely to encourage anyone to investigate beyond the main streets.

In the end any future plans, whatever they may be, are going to be all pie-in-the-sky when there isn't even enough money floating around to provide the basic facilities of public toilets.

I was recently asked where I came from. I replied, Minehead in Somerset. His reply was: "I've been there once and that was enough. What is there to do in Minehead? Fine if you want to take a steam train or walk the hills, but what else is there to do in the town?"

Sadly I have to agree.

Simon Godden,

Bernard Crescent,

Minehead.