RESPONDING to Val Hull and the others, who wrote to the Evening Advertiser (Monday, March 18).

I, for one, don't care whether Swindon is a city or not, although I believe it will become one in the future.

Swindon opened its arms to people like Val Hull 40 years ago, to thousands of citizens, mainly Londoners escaping the grime and smoke of the capital, for new work and opportunity.

Abbey Meads, and estates like it, are built for people like them but 40 years on.

I personally agree that Swindon has a way to go to deserve city status, but to compare Swindon to Cardiff, Newport and Bristol are you serious?

It's all right you going on shopping jaunts to their centres but have you seen Newport, Bristol and Cardiff outside of that? Believe me Swindon is an oasis in comparison.

Why is Swindon the biggest growing town in the UK? The main reason is, people are moving here from places like Bristol, Cardiff and Newport!

Most Swindonians don't care if we get city status or not. Most places chosen for status the last few years, make me laugh. Brighton with its Queen Victoria Seafront, and Preston, I can tell you that there's not a serious amount of culture there! It's a lottery who gets chosen.

There is a lot about Swindon I don't like, but that's the same wherever you live. There are things about Highworth I don't like, where Val Hull lives, but I don't believe in slating places until you've seen the real world. Not just city centres where you shop now and then.

On a lighter note, there are plenty of great cities without a league football club Gloucester, Chester, I could write a pageful.

City status means nothing these days. Cardiff City has a football club, and it seems ironic that they have the worst supporters in England. This should tell you about the place outside of it's swanky shopping mall.

So, instead of a city status, how about a "united" status for Swindon.

LEE FERRIS

Clays Close

Swindon