I READ in the Bolton Evening News with abject incredulity about Bolton Metro's new corporate logo.

Pushed aside is the image of the absolute symbol of our local democracy, the jewel in the crown of our award winning civic centre. Bolton's majestic Town Hall is being dumped and in its proud stead is now a gaudy daub that is hoped to reflect a safe for families, feel good image.

This apparently, thought up by an expensive out of town agency, is supposed to convince business investors into thinking that gangs of youths don't intimidate elderly people on council estates, graffiti doesnt appear on our public buildings, and prostitution, drug problems and innocents being beaten and kicked to death on the very periphery of our once proud town centre is all non existent and that they should invest in a trouble free Bolton.

Instead of spending hundreds of thousands of council tax pounds on trying to change the perception of Boltons dark side, why don't they actually change the dark side? By the time millions of items of stationery, hundreds of vehicles' livery and signposts are replaced, this money could put a police presence in places where now precious little exists.

Spend money on trouble spots where public and private transport is being pelted with bricks. Spend a little protecting our brave fire service personnel from being attacked.

We could actually have a little quality paint on a new canvas rather than another large dollop of cheap whitewash on a tired old one.

Tom Dewhurst

Bradford Park Drive

Bolton