Madam,

Everybody is surely aware of the decline in most high streets, especially in the small and medium-sized towns.

In our area, Tregaron and Lampeter seem to have been badly hit with shops, pubs and banks closing.

The less facilities a town has, the less visitors it gets.

The causes are usually attributed to the internet, the increases in the cost of living, lack of public transport,(in particular with drink/drive restrictions, a decent bus service and a railway station are essential in this day and age) and car parking charges.

For towns to survive and prosper they have to think a bit differently. Putting on events that attract people who don’t normally come to that town is one way.

Think food, music and beer festivals, craft markets and such like.

Having then attended an event, hopefully those visitors will come back to do “a bit of shopping” or have a meal/drink in a local pub/restaurant.

I was therefore delighted to read that Lampeter may stage a “major new jazz music festival”, surely a great idea. Many towns have similar very successful events: Brecon, Llandeilo, Tenby and of course “Tregaroc” in Tregaron.

My initial enthusiasm was very quickly tempered when I saw that Lampeter town councillors were unable to give their unequivocal support (and some funding) to this enterprising idea, without “more information”. What more do they need? Here is an idea for Lampeter that many towns have tried successfully. I believe Tregaroc was sold out weeks before it happened.

Lampeter Town Council’s reserves are over £120,000, yes £120,000 (their website confirms this), so surely granting a few thousand pounds to an event like this is money well spent in promoting the town (surely one of the main reasons for having a town council)?

The food festival attracts hundreds, if not thousands, to the town (and has some funding from the town council) – so would a well organised music event.

Come on Lampeter Town Council, be brave, use some of those reserves to help promote the town (and help get the railway back?) and encourage entrepreneurs to organise events like this to attract more people.

Yours etc,

Nigel Bird,

Tregaron.