IN THE light of what's been said in your columns recently about the disincentives to visit Cirencester, I wonder if the Cirencester council has a hidden agenda to actually keep people away from the town?

Not content to impose high parking charges and draconian enforcement, also add restricted facility provision to the list of reasons not to visit the town.

We are blessed in Cirencester with a wonderful public park right in the middle of the town. Go there at any time of the daylight hours at any time of the year and there will see both locals and visitors to the town, relaxing and enjoying the air. But as regular users of the Abbey grounds will know (and visitors will not), never go there unless you take your own refreshments and you've used the toilet beforehand .

The Cirencester council only allows the use of the toilets during what they determine as the "non winter months" (and then only for very restricted hours).. Perhaps it's no wonder that the bushes and secluded areas are littered with soiled nappies (and worse!).

In terms of refreshments - why is it that most other municipal parks in the country have proper tea rooms or a cafe, but Cirencester doesn't?

True, there's a mobile that's allowed to sell tea and snacks - but like the toilets, only in the "summer months". Want a cup of tea of a sandwich at any other time of the year (and use the loo after? ) - forget it and go elsewhere.... DR ROBERT HEAVEN Little Witcombe