As chairman of the committee charged with arranging suitable events to commemorate Marlborough's Charter anniversary I am delighted with the many letters I have received telling me that so many people enjoyed the celebrations.

It is far from easy satisfying all demands and in the four years of planning many schemes were debated and dismissed as being either impractical or too expensive.

Overall I think that we have achieved a balance of activities appealing to the young, the elderly, historians, dramatists, artists and archivists. The visit of His Royal Highness, the Prince of Wales was the icing on the cake and really brought everyone together on a glorious day. I would like to record my thanks to every single person who helped to make these celebrations a success but especially to my close friend and ally David Sherratt, without whom many of the ideas would have floundered.

I am not naive enough to expect all this planning and organisation to

proceed without some dissention and upset. The retailers in the town are rightly annoyed at their loss of trade but I would say that I am convinced that, as a result of the publicity

generated through the press, television and radio, we shall see many new visitors come to Marlborough over the summer months to enjoy our restaurants, pubs and shops.

As for the complaint from the market traders, my committee responded to their plea and bent over backwards to placate them by offering them a part in the historical fair and also by opening the road on the final Saturday. Part of the £4,000 that Kennet District Council charges us for closing the road is to give adequate

advance warning and signage to advise the travelling public of diversions and closures. We are in the hands of the Highway Authorities to ensure that this is done.

The events of Charter week may not be repeated for another 100 years, if then. It is a one-off and from the photographs displayed in last week's Gazette & Herald it appears that everyone has had a wonderful experience. I have not witnessed so much goodwill, happiness and community spirit on the streets of Marlborough for a long time. Surely that cannot be measured in financial terms.

G Francis

Mildenhall