Shock of The Square

SIR - When we paid our annual visit to our home-town of Barnstaple in 2007 we were shocked to see the ugly scaffold-poles and stones contraption on the new roundabout. On our recent visit it was elements of The Square re-construction that shocked us. In

SIR - When we paid our annual visit to our home-town of Barnstaple in 2007 we were shocked to see the ugly scaffold-poles and stones contraption on the new roundabout. On our recent visit it was elements of The Square re-construction that shocked us. In general principal we thought the layout to be good but the plantings are completely out of character. The row of tall poplar trees are more in character with the urbanised cities of the Midlands and the North and give the place a cold feel and will resemble a bunch of sticks in the winter. How much nicer it would have been to take advantage of the mild local climate and plant a row of tall palm trees. Furthermore, how sad that part of the adjacent riverside garden is taken up by a car-park for the staff of the museum. Why cannot the council employees do as all the other local people do and park in the pay-and-display car park across the road or use the park and ride or public transport? (A couple of short-term parking places for the disabled could easily have been provided in the now quiet Taw Vale.)Eldred C Ross,Longford, Gloucestershire.