Anger over Monopoly slur (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Anger over Monopoly slur

THE people of Cirencester are being urged to help ensure the town escapes being classed as the county's worst town on a new Gloucestershire version of Monopoly.

The town has been shortlisted with Cinderford and Gloucester to occupy Old Kent Road, the cheapest site on the board.

Prominent members of the community have expressed disappointment at the choices offered by Winning Moves - the company licensed to produce the regional editions of the game.

Cirencester mayor Deryck Nash said: "My first reaction is that anybody who thinks Cirencester is the worst place in the county obviously doesn't know the town and the delights that are in it."

He dismissed the idea of considering Gloucester Rugby Club's Kingsholm stadium for Mayfair, the most coveted property spot.

Mayfair will now be filled by Cheltenham Racecourse, the Forest of Dean or Gloucester Cathedral following a poll of Gloucestershire's inhabitants that eliminated Kingsholm from a shortlist of four.

Cllr Nash added: "To suggest that the galvanised shed, glorious as it is for rugby fans, should be compared to Cirencester parish church is ridiculous."

Lord Apsley, owner of Cirencester Park, which was considered for a square on the board, said: "I'm disappointed it (Cirencester) is not getting a more prestigious place but I feel more sorry for those who have not got a place on the board at all."

The vicar of Cirencester Parish Church, Fr Michael St John-Channell was surprised that the town, and the church, which was listed as one of the country's top 20 in Simon Jenkins book 'England's Thousand Best Churches', did not feature more prominently.

He said: "I'm disappointed; it's a fantastic town. We have about 150,000 to 160,000 visitors a year at the parish church and overwhelmingly people say they are coming back and love the place and how lucky we are to live here."

Mark Harris, president of Cirencester Chamber of Commerce said: "I think they should take a more scientific approach and look at the costs of property per square foot in the three towns, and whichever has the lowest rates, that's the reality. "I suspect it won't be Cirencester.

"It would be a shame to not be on the board at all but it would be a shame to be down as a brown blob."

Graham Barnes, spokesman for Winning Moves, said an original vote to find the leading choice to occupy the brown square failed to find a clear winner and a second poll is now required.

He said: "As far as we are concerned it's the second best square on the board.

"I can understand why some people think it's a slur from their point of view but as far as we are concerned it's a very high profile square."

He cited the Norfolk version of the game created last year in which the Norfolk Broads - an area recognised for its beauty and popular with tourists - took the brown square, which he said caused "not a single howl of protest".

"If the people of Cirencester don't want to be on the brown square they should vote for Cinderford or Gloucester.

"If Cirencester got the Old Kent Road it would be a great coup because there are only a few squares which appear on the box cover.

"It will get people visiting the town", he added.

The decision on which location will fill Mayfair will be announced when Gloucestershire Monopoly is officially launched on October 21.

* If you have a view, write to the Standard at the usual address.