SEVERAL years ago I wrote a letter about the decaying state of Bolton town centre. My gripe was with the so-called southern gateway into the town centre.

This area was totally neglected with a closed swimming pool slowly rusting away and a derelict public house covered in fly posting. I commented that this was many visitors' first impression of Bolton and, unfortunately, their last as they turned the car around and went home.

Three years on it has got worse; the derelict swimming pool has been replaced by total wasteground awash with old shopping trolleys and hundreds of bottles, the derelict public house is still there and it is covered in even more posters. I have no doubt the council will say there are plans for these areas, but that was said three years ago too.

I know the council cannot be held accountable for all of the problems, but in a week when it is announced that they have spent £7m on consultants, it beggars belief that they cannot invest more in our town centre. Whatever the consultants have told them, it is not how to have a town centre to be proud of. What exactly are they paying them for?

H Woodcock Hargreaves House Bolton