Robin Dadson, of Churchfields, Dartmouth, writes:

Once again, Johnny Chick finds it neccessary to express his views through the pages of your publication most of which are so laughably ridiculous that he has done nothing to enhance the fact that many, at the very best, are of the opinion that he is no more than an eccentric fool.

Sadly, due to ill health, I was unable to attend this year's regatta for the first time in 40 odd years but obviously I have gained experience of the event during that time. I have also attended other large functions in the past which include the Epsom Derby and numerous air fairs.

Mr Chick will simply have to accept that alchohol is consumed at any such gathering and the problem of litter is also prevelant. Until such times as the public in general is educated to the fact that simply throwing your rubbish on the floor is anti-social and highly unacceptable, this will continue.

If Mr Chick is of the opinion that certain areas of the town had been turned into a mini- rubbish dump and the published photograph showing Royal Avenue Gardens on the Sunday morning is supposed to support this statement, I suggest he takes a look at Epsom Downs the day after the Derby or Biggin Hill after an air fair.

It is openly admitted by Mr Chick that the town had been completely tidied through the excellent efforts of a team of council workers by 10am on the Sunday and his remarks were based on having taken a stroll around town at 5.30am.

If, as it is claimed, by 11pm on the Saturday Royal Avenue Gardens were similar to the closing scenes of Zulu, may I ask who removed the considerable number of dead bodies by 10am the following day?

I would suggest Mr Chick should show some respect to the brave men of the 21st Regiment of Foot and also those of the Zulu nation that died at Rorke's Drift.

I can assure Mr Chick, Royal Avenue Gardens looks nothing like Rorke's Drift. I have been there and will be happy to show him some photographs if he so desires.

As to the consumption of alchohol, I can only say that over the years I have been told by a number of licensed victuallers in Dartmouth that highlights such as regatta help them survive the leaner months during the winter.

Mr Chick should also bear in mind that it is not just public houses that sell alchoholic drinks and there are many other outlets in Dartmouth that have excellent stocks on their shelves.

Indeed, it would not surprise me in the least if some people had purchased their supplies of drink long before they had arrived in the town and had transported it in by car or via the river.

Does Mr Chick expect the regatta committee to have every car entering the town or every craft sailing up the river searched for stocks of drinks and reduced by confiscation until a level approved by himself is reached?

Sadly there was an element of violence which marred the overall proceedings and I have to agree that this was unacceptable and needs to be dealt with in future years if possible.

Such incidents have occurred in the past during regatta, despite a much greater police presence, and will occur again in future.

Is Mr.Chick not aware of the controversial reduction in police numbers across the whole country due to government policies or is he oblivious to anything else apart from moaning about Dartmouth?

There is one very valid point made in your article, however, which has been puzzling me for quite a number of years and that is the transformation of the cheapjacks along the embankment.

There have always been food outlets included within the cheapjack stalls but these were inclined to be in the minority.

Other traders used to be present, offering such things as everyday clothing including jeans, T-shirts, socks, underwear, shoes, shirts, trousers, ladieswear etc, at reasonable prices.

I know some local people would visit these stalls and stock up on such items rather than face the higher price levels that prevail in the established shops in the town, many of which seem to aim only at the tourist industry. You could purchase linen, crockery and a whole host of other items at budget prices.

In those days, many of the visiting traders were offering a service that was not really in direct competition with most of the established businesses in the town.

Gradually the number of general traders has fallen only to be replaced by more and more catering stalls that most certainly are in direct competition with businesses in the town.

I would agree that such a concentration of food outlets is not needed as there are sufficient permanent shops in Dartmouth to fulfill any demand.

Last year, I took the trouble to walk around and actually count the number of food stalls that had set up on a temporary basis over regatta and they amounted to around 80 per cent of the overall total.

Ironically, many of these cheapjack food outlets were more expensive than the established shops in the town.

I assume they could get away with these inflated prices as they had prime positions adjacent to the fair and other events taking place around the Boatfloat and Royal Avenue Gardens.